If every kernel of corn was used solely for refining E85 fuel (ethanol), how much would it reduce our dependence on foreign oil?

Response:

No one in the corn or ethanol industry is intent on using every kernel of corn for ethanol production. That is a great straw man created by the opponents of ethanol production…it is interesting that talk shows are supporting what Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and the eleven nations of OPEC have been saying…don’t use ethanol. Providing feed and food to the world will always remain a priority of the U.S. farmer. However, if every kernel of the 12 billion bushels of corn produced in the United States was used for ethanol production, the U.S. would produce 36 billion gallons of ethanol. The U.S. uses 150 billion gallons of gasoline…so corn-based ethanol would replace 24% of foreign oil used for gasoline. Granted that isn’t a big percentage when looking at the total amount of the foreign oil used in the U.S. it is just the beginning. Corn growers and the ethanol industry are investing and asking the federal government to invest in cellulosic ethanol to bring ethanol production from other plant or waste sources to reality. The corn industry actually sees a limit on corn-based ethanol at 15 billion gallons using 5 billion bushels of corn…this allows for enough corn to be utilized by the feed and food markets. Additionally, a point never mentioned on talk shows is that a byproduct of ethanol production is a high protein livestock feed, which displaces corn needed for feed.

 

For more information on E85, check Frequently Asked Questions.