Properties

For 56 lbs. of corn (1

CORN-
bushel), dry milling BASED
ETHANOL
for ethanol produces:
This method is called “dry milling,”
and is used in ~90% of ethanol
2.9 gallons of
production, with the rest being “wet” ethanol
milling. They differ due to their initial
grain treatment, but are similar. Dry 15.1 lbs. of distillers
milling is cheaper as the equipment
required is less complicated.
grains animal feed
Production and byproducts (10% moisture)
0.9 lbs. of corn
First corn is ground into fine flour, Then that is
cooked, liquefied (mixed with heated water,
and saccharified where water with enzymes
further breaks down the starch into glucose.
distillers oil
From saccharification, it goes through
fermentation, where yeast is used to produce
16lbs. of captured
ethanol and CO2. Then during distillation, the biogenic (naturally-
water is boiled off to give concentrated
ethanol. From this process, the corn seed shell occurring) CO2 An emerging, yet established

(germ), oil, yeast, etc. , collectively called
distiller’s grains., along with amounts of CO2.
The process also can create feed for livestock,
which is economical for farmers. This whole
process is based on biotechnology where
people use the properties of corn and modern
Biofuel
FUN FACT
Ethanol was first discovered and used in
the 1800s, but the modern industry
started from the US in the 1970s due to
rising demand of a non-fossil fuel energy

technology in order to harvest energy from the source, and the rising cost of petroleum -
based energy sources worldwide.
natural material.
 COMPARISON TO
TRADITIONAL FOSSIL
FUELS
Net Energy Yield?
For ethanol, around 2.3 BTUs worth of
energy is released for every 1 BTU spent
(British Heating unit). Data varies for fossil
fuels, based on several factors globally.

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions?

Corn-based ethanol produces 8595 grams
of CO2 per gallon combusted, while
gasoline emits arou8.89 × 10-3 metric tons
of CO2 per gallon. Stark contrast.

Production Costs
Ethanol is significantly more expensive than
traditional fossil fuel extraction & production.

Related Environmental Impact

and Sustainability
Government Corn-based ethanol reduces
Legislation and greenhouse gas emissions by 46%
compared to regular gasoline.
Global Use The combination of ethanol and
In India, the government seems to
petrol used to make standard
have taken notice of ethanol as a
biofuel emits less: carbon
viable fuel source. Damaged and
monoxide, exhaust hydrocarbons,
surplus corn, since 2019, has also
toxic compounds (i.e. benzene),
been allowed to become fuel due to
and fine particulate matter.
the Ethanol Blending Programme,
The sale of ethanol’s various co-
which was originally launched in 2003,
products is key to making it
but has recently been revitalized in
sustainable, and ethanol aids in
India by the government .
mitigating climate emissions in air.