A University of Minnesota study has found that cellulosic ethanol will produce fewer greenhouse emissions than do gasoline or corn ethanol. What makes it news is that the study also says that corn ethanol has higher health costs from fine particulate matter emissions than does gasoline.
“For each billion ethanol-equivalent gallons of fuel produced and combusted in the U.S., the combined climate-change and health costs are $469 million for gasoline, $472-952 million for corn ethanol depending on biorefinery heat sources and technology, but only $123-208 million for cellulosic ethanol depending on feedstock,” according to the study.
The study is “Climate Change And Health Costs Of Air Emissions From Biofuels And Gasoline.” Lead author is economist Jason Hill.