Ethanol and Water Use
This comes from our Director for Science, Climate and Environment Michael R. Fox, PhD. It seems that making ethanol uses tremendous amounts of water and is already effecting the water table in Minnesota drastically draining the aquifer.
Granite Falls Energy has drained its aquifer by nearly half in less than a year. Leuthe says it’s pumping faster than the aquifer can refill.
It is noted in this article that it takes 4 gallons of water to produce a gallon of ethanol. This is processing corn rather than sugar cane as would be the case in Hawaii but has anyone really looked into the amount of water available for making ethanol and on the other end, the waste water problem? Much of the water is recycled but at some point it becomes so laden with chemicals it must be dispensed with. What are the environmentalists going to say then?
It is noted in this article that it takes 4 gallons of water to produce a gallon of ethanol. This is processing corn rather than sugar cane as would be the case in Hawaii but has anyone really looked into the amount of water available for making ethanol and on the other end, the waste water problem? Much of the water is recycled but at some point it becomes so laden with chemicals it must be dispensed with. What are the environmentalists going to say then? There are three articles. Here, here and here. The last is the most complete.
Don