Anothermulekickin

Cellulosic Ethanol: The Next Biofuel Boom?

Long term, the energetics don't make sense. Ethanol is basically just a good fuel for internal combustion engines. It isn't energy. And in the US, we like internal combustion because we built roads, instead of rail. I wouldn't argue it was bad, just that it is.

Leaving all processing out (which is a BIG deal) the best you can ever do, is to get about 48% of the fuel value of the cellulosic material out as usable ethanol. From that point you burn it in an engine that gets about 30% efficiency. =14% energy return. You'd be better off to burn original cellose at a power plant and generate electricity, at about the same "heat-to-wall socket" efficiency, and then drive an electric car with a 70-80% energy utilization= 21% energy return.