Transcript The Truth about Alternative Energy

The Truth about
Alternative Energy
Michael Ott
Director, Iowa BioDevelopment
Indian Hills Community College
[email protected]
August 19th, 2005
Overview
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Eddyville facility
Why are alternative fuels important?
Ethanol
Biodiesel
Wind and solar
Q&A
Eddyville Complex
Why Alternative Fuels?
 312 Billion gallons of oil were consumed
in the US in 2004, 138 Billion gallons of
motor gasoline¹
 By 2008, 8 Billion gallons of ethanol will
be produced
 Global production of oil continually
increases, so far outpacing demand
 Hubbert’s peak has yet to be reached
¹ http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/usa.html
Ethanol
 Corn vs. Sorghum vs. Organic Waste
 Wet vs. Dry Milling
 Input
 Byproducts
 Cellulosic ethanol
 Genetic modifications to corn
 It does NOT take more energy to produce than
it creates, allowing for the sun
 Zero Net emissions occur
Ethanol Process
Can I use ethanol in my
car?
 Ethanol increases octane rating
 E10 vs. E20 vs. E85
 On older cars or lawnmowers, it can be
rough on lines and seals
 Burns cooler and slightly less efficiently
 Flex-fueled cars can recognize the fuel
and adjust accordingly
Ethanol at Gas Stations
 Ethanol is subsidized in Iowa by a tax
credit to gas stations
 Ethanol cannot travel through pipelines
with regular gasoline
 At $2.40/gallon, ethanol is price
competitive
Ethanol and Biodiesel
 Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Dried
Distiller’s Grains (DDGs) are byproducts
of the dry milling process
 DDGs are used in cattle feed
 This helps farmers realize a return on
their investment
 The oil in DDGs can be extracted, and
then turned into diesel fuel
Biodiesel
 Only 50 Million gallons of biodiesel were
made in 2004, twice the output of 2003
 A new plant in Iowa Falls will make 37.5
million gallons
 Vegetable oil is reacted with alcohol,
giving glycerin as a byproduct
 3.2:1 energy balance makes it the most
efficient alternative fuel
Biodiesel facts
 It can be used in any ratio
 B2 vs. B5 vs. B20 vs. B100
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It has a natural lubricating effect
Zero sulfur emissions
It has a solvent effect
Microbial growth problems just like
regular diesel
 It is less toxic than NaCl
Biodiesel usage
 All new tractors made by John Deere
 Many cars in the Canadian government
fleet use biodiesel
 Buses in Atlanta and Chicago
 It’s easy to make at home, but remember
to pay your taxes or dye it red
 EU regulations support biodiesel, but no
standards have been set
Wind and Solar
 Wind power works well in certain suitable
local areas
 Self optimizing turbines
 Environmental concerns
 Solar power is becoming much more
efficient
 Rooftop panels
 Focused beam units
Wind & Solar
 Engineering advances will decrease price
and increase adoption by the general
public
 Typically takes between 3-12 years to
recoup investments, and environmental
concerns aren’t a factor for the general
populace
Conclusion
 Obviously, energy problems are on the
horizon
 Alternative fuels offer near term solutions
 Ethanol and biodiesel offer great
environmental benefits and decent
economic benefits
 Off-the-grid solutions are emerging
Websites to visit
www.ethanol.org
www.ethanoltoday.com
www.biodiesel.org
Feel free to contact me with any questions at:
[email protected]