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Ethanol Production: Energy and Economic Issues Related to U.S. and Brazilian Sugarcane

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Biofuels, Solar and Wind as Renewable Energy Systems

Abstract

This analysis employs the most recent scientific data for the U.S. and for Brazil sugarcane production and the fermentation/distillation. These two countries were selected because they are the two largest countries in the world producing ethanol. All current fossil energy inputs used in the entire process of producing ethanol from sugarcane were included to determine the entire energy cost for ethanol production. Additional costs to consumers, including federal and state subsidies, plus costs of environmental pollution and/or degradation associated with the entire production system are discussed. The economic and the broad human food supply issues are evaluated. In addition, other studies are compared.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, 5126 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 15850

    David Pimentel

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, CA 94720425 David Hall, Berkeley, MC1716

    Tad W. Patzek

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  1. David Pimentel
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  2. Tad W. Patzek
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 15850, USA, 5126 Comstock Hall

    David Pimentel

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Pimentel, D., Patzek, T.W. (2008). Ethanol Production: Energy and Economic Issues Related to U.S. and Brazilian Sugarcane. In: Pimentel, D. (eds) Biofuels, Solar and Wind as Renewable Energy Systems. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8654-0_14

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