Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explain how ethanol should be the main energy provider for the United States instead of other alternative fuels due to its proficiencies in job creation, energy security, and environmental benefits. In 2008, The U.S. ethanol industry added an additional 240,000 jobs, bringing the employment attributable to ethanol to almost a half a million. Switching from petroleum to ethanol would give the U.S. more control over our own fuel security and future because we would be in control of our own fuel supplies. The production and use of nine billion gallons of ethanol in the U.S. reduced CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 14 million tons, the equivalent of removing more than 2.1 million cars from America's roadways. What this means for the future is that by switching our alternative fuels from coal or propane to ethanol, citizens get jobs, the economy rises once again, the U.S. has more control over our fuel sources, and we benefit our environment by not emitting as much carbon dioxide and green house gasses as other options.

However, with every alternative fuel source, there are pros and cons that should not be overlooked. As a word of caution, if ethanol became the main energy provider, corn farmlands would exponentially take over most arable land. Ethanol also has a negative net gain, meaning that it doesn't provide as much energy when compared to the amount of energy used to make it.

Pull Quotes

“By finding replacements of hundreds of millions of barrels of imported oil, domestically produced ethanol would produce billions of dollars to invest in domestic renewable energy technologies” (Renewable Fuels Association).

“Ethanol is a good alternative fuel because it is clean burning and renewable. It burns cleaner than gasoline because it consists of 35% oxygen, adding oxygen to fuels reduces harmful tailpipe emissions and displaces the use of toxic gasoline components such as benzene, a carcinogen” (Barlow 2010).