Ethanol Usa

摘要

Ethanol from corn has become a major environmental, political, and economic issue for the United States. Currently there are several federal and state subsidies in place, a protective tariff, and a renewable fuel standard (RFS) that requires production of at least 15 billion gallons per year (BGPY) of ethanol or biodiesel by 2015 (1,2). Already the industry has the capacity to produce over 13.4 BGPY of ethanol from starch grains (3). This will require over 39% of the projected 2008 corn crop. I discuss how federal ethanol policies evolved, the impact of ethanol from corn on energy independence, its off-site effects on water quality and quantity, biodiversity, and its potential economic impacts. Finally, I suggest ways that the U.S. biofuels industry could move forward.