Alcohol fuels: a critical analysis. [Social, environmental, and economic impacts]

Journal Article · Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1979 · People and Energy; (United States)

OSTI ID:6145671

Holzman, D

High oil prices and an American addiction to automobiles have brought increasing acceptance and endorsement of gasohol, a mixture of 10 percent alcohol and 90 percent gasoline. Steps in the California legislature and elsewhere to commercialize pure alcohol for vehicle use have led some farmers to distill tractor fuels from agricultural wastes, preferring this to selling their crops at a loss as food. The potential social and environmental impacts of alcohol-fueled cars are examined. Large quantities of water are required for biomass cultivation and fermentation, while soils would lose their nutrients and erode from the harvesting of marginal plants. Competition for land between food and fuel producers and higher transportation costs would raise the price of both land and its products. Other problems will develop because of government policies detrimental to the small farmer, the costs of large-scale operation, and the toxicity of methanol. The question of net energy loss indicates that alcohol fermentation is best suited if locally produced and consumed. 43 references.

• OSTI ID: 6145671
• Journal Information: People and Energy; (United States), Vol. 5:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
09 BIOMASS FUELS
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
ALCOHOL FUELS
COMMERCIALIZATION
SYNTHETIC FUELS INDUSTRY
AUTOMOTIVE FUELS
BIOMASS
ECONOMIC IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
SOCIAL IMPACT
ENERGY SOURCES
FUELS
INDUSTRY
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SYNTHETIC FUELS
295000* - Energy Planning & Policy- Hydrogen & Synthetic Fuels
090122 - Hydrocarbon Fuels- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass- (1976-1989)
090200 - Alcohol Fuels- (-1989)
090210 - Alcohol Fuels- Properties- (1976-1989)
530100 - Environmental-Social Aspects of Energy Technologies- Social & Economic Studies- (-1989)