The Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB) has funded a report entitled “The Potential Role for Corn Ethanol in Meeting the Energy Needs of the United States in 2016-2030” to dig corn ethanol from the news trash heap. The report’s executive statement notes a concern by corn growers and ethanol proponents that corn ethanol has become “old news” with the rise of cellulosic ethanol. Economist Ross Korves and a group of farm experts wrote the report on behalf of the farm lobby group.
The report highlights the three variables that will make corn ethanol a necessity for a future America that is fuel independent. Korves notes that corn yields and accompanying ethanol creation will increase in the future which will decrease the use of fossil fuel to bring ethanol to the market. The report also notes that increased production will lead to greater efficiency which will decrease nitrogen oxide emissions. Finally, Korves notes that ethanol producers will develop better practices and use improved machinery to increase the amount of ethanol taken per bushel.
One of the major criticisms of corn ethanol is that its continued use will worsen worldwide food shortages. The ICMB’s report assumes that industrial usage, cattle feed and exports of American corn will stay nearly static through the study’s 2030 projection. This assumption means that out of the 24 billion bushels of corn produced in 2030, more than 12 million would be available for ethanol production. If the current standard of 2.75 gallons of ethanol per bushel remains static through 2030, ethanol producers could create 33 million gallons of fuel as automakers pumped out biofuel vehicles.
Setting aside the fact that the ICMB is funding this report, there are several problems with this report. The assumption of slow growth in exports and industrial use as food crops are demanded worldwide seems inconsistent with reality. The expansion of development into rural areas will cut into farm acreage between now and 2030. The biggest problem with the ICMB-funded report is that it assumes a future America where we use one fuel source to solve our transportation woes. ICMB and other ethanol advocates do not want energy sustainability but a swap of one dependency for another. We should be investing in electric, CNG, solar and other fuel sources for our vehicles so we don’t have to rely on unrealistic supplies of corn in the future.
(Photo by Franny Dynamite)
