IEA, 2009
An examination of the potential for improving carbon/energy balance of bioethanol
This new report commissioned by the International Energy Agency (IEA) Bioenergy Task 39 underscores the importance of ethanol in global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. The extensive research paper examined greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions from grain ethanol since 1995 and projected GHG reductions from ethanol out to 2015. The report concluded that GHG reductions will grow by over 100% from 1995 to 2015. The report, performed by (S&T)2 of Canada, explains the variances among studies of ethanol’s ability to reduce GHG relative to gasoline. The report noted that many improvements in both feedstock production (growing corn and other grains) and ethanol production efficiencies have not been accurately or fully factored into lifecycle analyses of ethanol’s GHG emission and energy balance.
