Ethanol is rapidly becoming one of the more popular alternatives to fossil fuels. However, not all is well with the ‘eco-friendly’ fuel.

As more and more corn crops are grown to meet the growing ethanol demand, there may be more knock-on effects that previously thought. We have already reported that if local crops are pushed out, particularly in the third world, ‘local’ food may have to come from farther away, increasing pollution and negating the effects of the ethanol produced.

The latest warning by experts is that the increased production of crops for ethanol could threaten local water supplies – both in the quality of the water and the availability of the water. Fertilizers and pesticides tend to be used on biofuel crops. Not all the fertilizer and pesticide is absorbed by the plant therefore some will make its way into local water, through rivers and into the seas and oceans, leading to concerns over water quality,

For every bushel of corn grown, around 2,000 gallons (just over 7,500 litres) of water are needed – that’s a very high amount of water. In areas with limited water supplies, this is of great concern.

One solution to the issue would be to use waste-water, however using waste-water for food crops is not a good idea. More water efficient crops and agriculture practice may also need to be looked into the reduce the amount of chemical run-off and help make the irrigation process more water efficient.

Recently scientists have found a way of turning plant sugars into a fuel which is on a par with petrol and gives off 40% more energy than ethanol. Perhaps this crop the best way forward – not only does it give performance figures near that of petrol, but it is also more efficient and therefore more environmentally friendly than ethanol.

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