Comparison With Brazilian Ethanol
Sugarcane ethanol has an energy balance 7 times greater than corn ethanol. As of 2007, Brazilian distiller production costs were 22 cents per liter, compared with 30 cents per liter for corn-based ethanol. Corn-derived ethanol costs 30% more because the corn starch must first be converted to sugar before distillation into alcohol. However, corn-derived ethanol offers the ability to return 1/3 of the feedstock to the market as a replacement for the corn used in the form of Distillers Dried Grain. Sugarcane ethanol production is seasonal: unlike corn, sugarcane must be processed into ethanol almost immediately after harvest.
| Comparison of key characteristics between the ethanol industries in the United States and Brazil |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristic | Brazil | U.S. | Units/comments |
| Main feedstock | Sugar cane | Maize | |
| Total ethanol fuel production (2011) |
|
|
|
| Total arable land | 355 | 270 | |
| Total area used for ethanol crop (2006) | 3.6 |
10 |
|
| Productivity | 6,800–8,000 | 3,800–4,000 | |
| Energy balance (input energy productivity) | 8.3 to 10.2 | 1.3 to 1.6 | |
| Estimated greenhouse gas emission reduction | 86–90% | 10–30% | |
| EPA's estimated 2022 GHG reduction for RFS2. | 61% | 21% | |
| CARB's full life-cycle carbon intensity | 73.40 | 105.10 | |
| Estimated payback time for greenhouse gas emission | 17 years | 93 years | |
| Flexible-fuel vehicles produced/sold (includes autos, light trucks and motorcycles) |
16.3 million | 10 million | |
| Ethanol fueling stations in the country | 35,017 |
2,749 |
|
| Ethanol's share within the gasoline market | 50% | 10% | |
| Cost of production (USD/US gallon) | 0.83 | 1.14 | |
Read more about this topic: Ethanol Fuel In The United States
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