Ethanol. A sustainable energy source or a big mistake?

I've been hearing a lot of arguments about ethanol production as a source of fuel energy and I decided to do some of my own investigation. In the book "Plan B" by Lester Brown, the topic of ethanol production is heavily criticized as a new source for energy. The author believes that crop use should be solely for food in a world of extreme poverty and starvation. He also believes that there should be more of an emphasis on true renewable energy sources like wind, and solar production instead of ethanol. Ethanol production may lead us away from the main objective in this quest for long term solutions with alternative energy.

I recently read the article by Newt Gingrich "ETHANOL, PRO AND CON: New energy source means brighter future". Last April, when this article was written, we saw a huge unprecedented jump in oil prices. SUV drivers and American drivers in general were angered by this sudden increase and the need for an alternative source of energy became a topic of importance. The idea of sourcing energy from ethanol production is a hotly debated topic this year. The last Administration approved the use of ethanol as an renewable fuel and allowed for an increase in ethanol production. Newt argues that the ethanol that we currently use today will be replaced with a more efficient type of ethanol fuel and generally praises this new source of energy.

In the PBS website, Jim Lehrer conducts an interview about Ethanol production (http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/environment/jan-june09/mixedyield_01-28.html. In this interview, a representative from Climate Central and an Iowa farmer both talk about the pros and cons of ethanol. For farmers, this corn crop turned fuel has helped raise revenues and returns. According to the article, "In 2008, about one-third of all corn produced in the U.S. was turned into ethanol". Some scientists believe that this move to turn corn into ethanol has left a lot of unanswered questions for the future of land and farming. The overwhelming amount of corn production could mean dangerous consequences in the future. All the land clearing for the corn production causes an increasing amount of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. This will also create market problems when the US switches to a cap and trade system. Brazil is one of the top producers in ethanol production, and they are chopping down forests in order to plant this profitable crop. In the short run, we have solved a big problem with oil prices, but in the long term we may look back and regret that we have covered a wound with band aid. Ethanol production may have negative long term consequences, but it certainly does solve a current problem.

Another consideration; with the dangerous amount of carbon emissions in the atmosphere, we are noticing a rise in global temperatures. This could lead to a reduction in photosynthesis, prevention of pollination, and eventually lead to crop dehydration. The effect of global warming is most problematic for corn, which is another point to keep in mind when assessing whether ethanol fits into the solution as an alternative fuel source.