America's Dependence on Oil Imports


Analysis by the U.S. Department of Energy and USDA shows that, for every 100 BTUs of energy used to make ethanol, 135 BTUs of ethanol is produced. That is a positive net energy balance of 1:1.35.

A more recent Michigan State University study (2002) underscores these findings. In the MSU study, ethanol produced from corn was found to provide 56% more energy than is consumed during production. This study looked at producing ethanol from both corn wet and dry milling—and included corn grain production, soybean products from soybean milling and urea production.

These studies take into account the entire life cycle of ethanol production—from the energy used to produce and transport corn, to the energy used to produce ethanol, to the energy used in the distribution of ethanol in gasoline.

Additionally, U.S. agriculture has become more energy efficient. According to USDA statistics, U.S. agriculture uses about half the energy to produce a unit of output today than was need to produce the same output in 1950.

Ethanol opponents frequently cite a study by Cornell Professor David Pimentel, who concluded that it takes 70% more energy to produce ethanol than it saves. Pimentel’s findings have been consistently refuted by USDA and other scientists who say it uses obsolete data and is fundamentally unsound.