Environmental Sustainability

There are a number of environmentally-positive attributes of ethanol, which have led to its being called a "green fuel". When compared to the world's finite supply of fossil fuels, ethanol produced from biomass feedstocks is definately a "renewable" fuel. Using biomass to produce liquid fuel takes advantage of stored solar energy, and the ability of plants to recycle atmospheric carbon.

By themselves, ethanol production facilities do not create serious environmental concerns as long as modern technology and designs are used to manage and minimize the potential negative impacts. However, there can be several environmental issues related to grain-based ethanol production, including air quality, water issues, and energy consumption. These concerns are greatly increased when ethanol production is combined with intensive livestock operations.

Some of the specific concerns around the sustainability a Saskatchewan ethanol industry in Saskatchewan include:

  • The use of ethanol does not address the high rates of fuel consumption in North America. Cleaner burning gasoline could lead to increased fuel usage because of decreased harmful effects.
  • Newer vehicles with better emission controls, and improvements in fuel economy through technological advancements such as hybrid vehicles will limit the benefits of ethanol.
  • While there may be some advantages to be gained in establishing ethanol facilities next to feedlots, there are serious environmental concerns related to intensive livestock operations combined with ethanol production, including adverse air and water quality impacts.
  • Current agricultural production practices rely heavily on synthetic fertilizers and chemicals. These inputs are produced using large quantites of fossil fuels (especially nitrogen fertilizer which is produced from natural gas). While "no-till" crop production techniques can build up soil organic mater over time (sequestering atmospheric carbon in the soil), the use of synthetic fertilizers, chemicals, and GMO (genetically modified organisims) crops calls the long term viability of current production practices into question.