vanyali t1_irj37kh wrote
How in the world would ethanol/biofuel reduce carbon emissions? You still burn the stuff, and burning stuff creates carbon dioxide, and carbon dioxide is the problem. What am I missing?
BetterLivingThru t1_irj99wn wrote
The carbon cycle. The carbon plants are made of was taken from the air in the first place. If all we ever did was burn plants which regrew using the CO2 in the atmosphere, the total carbon in the system would be the same.
Where we have a problem is taking carbon trapped under the earth, burning it, and adding carbon to the system continually. That's why fossil fuels are such a problem.
That said, growing a bunch of plants on land that displaces natural ecosystems using mechanized farming equipment and fertilizers and then burning them is not exactly an environmental panacea, and I think most studies have shown it to be more of a farm subsidy that's a bit of a wash environmentally.
Cheap_Blacksmith66 t1_irnbej7 wrote
Wash but there’s also added benefits if it would scale correctly. Less dependency on foreign powers if we relied more on e85. Wonder how many barrels/year e85 could offset if properly implemented.
AssertRage t1_irj4aw4 wrote
It's supposed to be carbon neutral, it doesn't reduce carbon emissions
aluked t1_irjvb1m wrote
It can (theoretically) act as a carbon trap since you're not turning all biomass back into fuel, but the reality is that the process of growing the plants (including displacing native flora, fauna), etc. makes sure it's likely carbon positive still.
Way less so than fossil fuels, tho.
Lazy_Jellyfish7676 t1_irjlhwi wrote
You yourself are made of carbon from the air.
lowercaset t1_irj8tsb wrote
The plant captures some amount of co2 while it grows.
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