The Truth About Ethanol

The document explains that ethanol's environmental benefit depends on its feedstock and production method, as determined by lifecycle emissions analysis. While current U.S. gasoline typically contains 10 percent ethanol and 15 million flex-fuel vehicles exist, the author argues that non-food sources—such as agricultural waste, grasses, and algae—are essential to achieve a 90 percent reduction in emissions compared to gasoline and to halve projected U.S. oil use within twenty years.

• The environmental viability of ethanol is determined by a lifecycle emissions analysis, which considers impacts from production to use. Depending on the feedstock and process, the best ethanol can reduce lifecycle emissions by 90 percent compared to gasoline, while the worst can produce significantly more emissions than gasoline.
• To reduce emissions and protect water resources, ethanol production must shift from food-based sources, such as corn kernels in the U.S. and sugarcane in Brazil, toward non-food sources like tree trimmings, wheat straw, and algae.
• The United States has a significant existing infrastructure for ethanol, with nearly all gasoline containing 10 percent ethanol and over 15 million flex-fuel vehicles capable of running on E85 blends.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2012). The Truth About Ethanol. https://www.ucs.org/resources/truth-about-ethanol

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. The Truth About Ethanol. 2012. https://www.ucs.org/resources/truth-about-ethanol.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=The Truth About Ethanol |date=2 May 2012 |url=https://www.ucs.org/resources/truth-about-ethanol |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2012truth, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{The Truth About Ethanol}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2012}, month = may, url = {https://www.ucs.org/resources/truth-about-ethanol}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }