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Ethanol and Pump Prices
Renewable Fuels Standard
Energy Balance of Ethanol
Ethanol and the Economy
Ethanol and the Environment
Ethanol and Health
Ethanol and Vehicle Performance
The Real Cost of Oil
Efficiency of Ethanol Production Facilities
Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Biofuels & Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Ethanol and Consumer Food Prices

What's Driving Food Prices? Farm Foundation, July 2011. This report looks at the number of factors that effect the price of food.
Placing the 2006/08 Commodity Price Boom into Perspective: The World Bank Development Prospects Group, July 2010. A look at how some of the factors including a weak dollar, fiscal expansion and bad weather conditions contributed to the recent commodity market boom.
USDA-DOE analysis of biofuels' role in food and fuel markets: June 2008. This agency analysis of market data shows that biofuels-related feedstock demand is responsible for only 3-4 percent of the increase in food prices.
Global Agricultural Supply and Demand: Factors Contributing to the Recent Increase in Food Commodity: USDA, June 2008. This report examines why certain major food commodities have risen sharply in recent years.

Ethanol and Pump Prices

Impact of Ethanol on World Oil Demand and Prices: LECG, May 2008. If ethanol were not available for use, the world's refiners would need an additional 1.9 million barrels of oil per day; if ethanol were removed from the world supply, oil prices would increase by an estimated 27.5%.
The Impact of Ethanol Production on U.S. and Regional Gasoline Prices and on the Profitability of the U.S. Oil Refinery Industry: Iowa State University, April 2008. Growth in ethanol production between 1995-2007 has caused retail gas prices to be 29 to 40 cents lower per gallon than would otherwise have been the case.
Rising Gasoline Prices: Why can't consumers catch a break?: Consumer Federation of America, March 2008. This research discusses the important role ethanol plays in reducing escalating prices at the pump and helping to keep them lower than they would be without domestic energy production.
Big Oil vs. Ethanol - The Consumer Stake in Expanding the Production of Liquid Fuels: Consumer Federation of America, July 2007. Big Oil's threats to offset increases in ethanol production with cutbacks in refinery expansions are serious and demonstrate its unchallenged market power and ability to limit competition.

Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS)

It's Working: The Renewable Fuels Standard Since 2006: ACE, March 2012. An infographic that shows how the Renewable Fuels Standard has effectively cut down the country's dependence on foreign oil sources.
Flexible-Fuel Vehicle and Refueling Infrastructure Requirements Associated with RFS2 Implementation: Air Improvement Resource, Incorporated, March 2011. This study looks at a number of scenarios involving ethanol production, FFV availibility, ethanol use in non-FFVs and the availibility and location of blender pumps and E85 pumps.
A USDA Regional Roadmap to Meeting the Biofuels Goals of the Renewable Fuels Standard by 2022: USDA, June 2010. The USDA maps out it's regional strategy to reach the renewable fuel goals that were spelled out in the Renewable Fuels Standard.
Impact of Waiving the RFS on Retail Gasoline Prices: LECG, May 2008. A 50% waiver of the RFS, as proposed by the Texas Gov., would result in a short-term increase in retail gas prices of 31%, or about a $1.14 per gallon increase.

Energy Balance of Ethanol

2008 Energy Balance for the Corn-Ethanol Industry: U.S. Department of Agriculture, June 2010. An updated report finds that ethanol produced in the U.S. has a positive energy balance of 1 to 2.3 units of energy.
Net Energy Balance of Ethanol Derived from Switchgrass: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2008. This five-year study of "actual farms" was the first of its kind. The study finds that ethanol derived from switchgrass produces 540% more energy than is consumed to make it, that the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from switchgrass ethanol are 94% lower than gasoline, and much more.

Ethanol and the Economy

Contribution of the Ethanol Industry to the Economy of the United States in 2011: Cardno ENTRIX, February 2012. This report illustrates the impact that the ethanol industry has on the economy of the United States.
Ethanol industry pumps estimated $5 billion into Minnesota's economy. Minnesota Department of Agriculture, October 2012. Minnesota's ethanol industry generated more than $5 billion in total economic activity in 2011 and supported more than 12,600 jobs.
The Impact of Ethanol Production on the U.S. Gasoline Market: Hassan Marzoughi and P. Lynn Kennedy, LSU, February 2012. This study looks at the impact of introducing more quantities of ethanol in the U.S. motor gasoline market.
Contribution of the Ethanol Industry to the Economy of the United States: LECG, LLC February 2011. This report chronicles the significant contribution that ethanol makes to the economy of the United States.
Removal of Ethanol Import Tariff: IHS Global Insight, April 2010. This study looks at whether ethanol imports would be affected if the tariff on imported ethanol was removed.
Importance of the VEETC to the U.S. Economy and the Ethanol Industry: LECG, LLC February 2010. This report looks at how the ethanol industry would be affected if some of the key tax credits to the ethanol industry were not extended, finding that more than 100,000 jobs would be lost if VEETC is allowed to expire.
Contribution of the Ethanol Industry to the Economy of the United States: LECG, LLC February 2010. Despite commodity price shocks suffered in 2008, and the current economic recession, the ethanol industry continues to make a significant contribution to the economy in terms of final demand, job creation, generation of tax revenue, and displacement of imported crude oil.
U.S. Baseline Briefing Book: Projections for Agricultural and Biofuel Markets, Food & Agricultural Policy Research Institute, University of Missouri, March 2010. The Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) provides analysis of agricultural and biofuel markets and policies for Congress and other decision makers. This report presents a summary of ten-year baseline projections for US agricultural and biofuel markets.
State-level Economic Impacts of Removing the Ethanol Import Tariff: Robinson, September 2009. This report examines the impact on states if the Ethanol Import Tariff was ended.
Issue Brief: Ethanol Economies from Ranch to Restaurant, Clean Fuels Development Coalition, Fall 2008
Issue Brief: Economic Impact of Ethanol Production, Clean Fuels Development Coalition, February 2008
Contribution of the Ethanol Industry to the Economy of the United States: LECG, LLC February 2008. This report summarizes the U.S. ethanol industry's contribution to the nation's economy in 2007.

Ethanol and the Environment

Biofuels Done Right: Land Efficient Animal Feeds Enable Large Environmental and Energy Benefits: Dale, Bals, Kim and Eranki, September 2010. This report looks at a couple of different land-efficient technologies for producing animal feed without a decrease in in domestic food production or agricultural exports.
The Impact of Ethanol Use on Food Prices and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Congressional Budget Office, April 2009. This report from the CBO looks at whether increased ethanol production leads to higher food costs.
Ethanol: A Convenient Solution to the Inconvenient Truth: Better Environmental Solutions, December 2007
Clearing the Air with Ethanol - A Review of the Real-World Impact of Fuels Blended with Ethanol: Better Environmental Solutions, March 2006. This study examined the real-world use of ethanol in the Midwest, on the East Coast, and on the West Coast. Calling into question the computer modeling that predicts otherwise, these real-world situations showed that ethanol reduces carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and ozone pollution.

Ethanol and Health

The Health Benefits of Ethanol: C. Boyden Gray, Fall 2010. This white paper written by C. Boyden Gray, former White House Counsel and architect of many of the Clean Air Act Amendments, outlines the often-overlooked health benefits of ethanol.

Ethanol and Vehicle Performance

One Million Competition Miles on Sunoco Green E15: NASCAR, September 2011. This report looks at how the three main racing divisions of NASCAR (Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck World Series) have fared since switching to the 15 percent ethanol blend.
Ethanol - the primary renewable liquid fuel: Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, Datta, Maher, Jones and Brinker, June 2011. This paper looks at how ethanol performs as a blended fuel when ethanol is used in automobiles and other light duty transportation vehicles.
Investigation of Knock Limited Compression Ratio of Ethanol Gasoline Blends: Delphi, Szybist, Foster, Moore, Confer, Youngquist and Wagner, April 2011. This report looks at how to figure out the knock limited compression ratio of ethanol/gasoline blends to identify the potential for improved operating efficinency.
Ricardo Study on running E15 in older vehicles 1994-2000: Ricardo, September 2010. This study looks at how older vehicles performed while being fuelled by E15 ethanol blends.
Effects of Intermediate Ethanol Blends on Legacy Vehicles and Small Non-Road Engines: Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy, December 2008. This study explores the effects of running higher ethanol blends such as E15 or E20 in older vehicles and small non-road engines.
ACE Fuel Economy Study: The American Coalition for Ethanol conducted this pilot study in the spring of 2005 to examine the fuel economy, cost per mile, and driveability of various ethanol blends. Fuels used included E10, E20, and E30.
Use of Mid-range Ethanol/Gasoline Blends in Unmodified Passenger Cars and Light Duty Trucks: This one-year project focused on the effects on fuel economy, emission characteristics, drivability, and component compatibility of in-use light duty vehicles running on blends of 30% and 10% ethanol. The test sample included 15 vehicles of various years, makes, and models.

The Real Cost of Oil

Speculation in the Oil Market: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, February 2012. This study looks at the increases in the oil market since 2004, and what kind of role speculators played in contributing to the rising price of oil.
United States cost of military force projection in the Persian Gulf, 1976-2007: Princeton University, Stern, June 2010. This report tallies up estimated costs of America's military efforts in the Persian Gulf.
The Role of Modeling Assumptions and Policy Instruments in evaluating the Global Implications of U.S. Biofuel Policies: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oladosu and Kline, June 2010. This presentation looks at how certain models, assumptions and policy instruments help influence America's biofuels policies.
A Case for including military operations in the Climate Change Impact of Fuels: Environment Magazine, Liska and Perrin, July 2010. A report that looks at why military efforts to primarily protect sources of foreign oil supplies should be included when looking at the environmental impacts of fuels.
Securing America's Future: Enhancing our National Security by Reducing Oil Dependence and Environmental Damage, Center for American Progress, August 2009. This study examines policies aimed at reducing America's dependence on foreign oil, including more efficient fuel economy standards, investments in hybrid and electric vehicles, development of natural gas-fueled heavy duty vehicles, and production of advanced biofuels.

Efficiency of Ethanol Production Facilities

Detailed Report: 2008 National Dry Mill Corn Ethanol Survey: Dr. Steffen Mueller, University of Illinois at Chicago Energy Research Center, May 2010. Compared to 2001, U.S. ethanol plants have significantly reduced the energy inputs and have increased yields of ethanol per bushel of corn.
Analysis of the Efficiency of the U.S. Ethanol Industry 2007: Center for Transportation Research, Argonne Nationa Laboratory & the Renewable Fuels Association, March 2008. This survey reveals that compared to 2001 levels, ethanol production facilities have increased yield (gal denatured ethanol/bu) while decreasing energy and water usage.

Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Biofuels & Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Decomposition Analysis of U.S. Corn Use for Ethanol Production from 2001-2008: U.S. Department of Energy and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. October 2010. This report was prepared by a group with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the California Air Resources Board that looked at the issue of Indirect Land Use Change.
Land Use Changes and Consequent CO2 Emissions Due to U.S. Corn Ethanol Production: A Comprehensive Analysis. Purdue University, Department of Agricultural Economics. Wallace Tyner et al, April 2010. An update to the Global Trade Analysis Project model (GTAP), on which the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) is based, showing corn-based ethanol's land use emissions at a figure less than half of what was adopted for the LCFS.
Indirect Land Use Emissions in the Life Cycle of Biofuels: Regulations vs. Science: Liska and Perrin, April 2009. This report examines the Indirect Land Use issue, with a particular look at the science behind Indirect Land Use.
Life Cycle Analysis of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated with Starch-Based Ethanol: Prepared for the American Coalition for Ethanol by Global Insight, December 2008. This study examines how agriculture contributes to and can help reduce greenhouse gases (GHG), the lifecycle analysis of biofuels, the direct and indirect GHG emissions associated with the production of biofuels including a review of "indirect land use changes," lifecycle analysis and GHG emissions associated with petroleum, and identifies the marginal carbon footprint of biofuels versus the maginal impact of new sources of oil production. Further reading on this study: Executive Summary and Key Findings
Biofuels, Land Use Change, and GHG Emissions: Some Unexplored Variables: Michigan State University, January 2009. Explores direct and indirect land use change, finds that existing studies did not consider many of the potentially important variables that might affect greenhouse gas emissions of biofuels, describes the problem with holding a domestic industry responsible for GHG emissions by their competitors worldwide.
Improvements in Life Cycle Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Corn-Ethanol:
Journal of Industrial Ecology, January 2009. Analyzes the life cycles of corn-ethanol systems to estimate GHG emissions and energy efficiencies. This study finds that direct-effect GHG emissions were estimated to be equivalent to a 48% to 59% reduction compared to gasoline, two to three times greater reduction that reported in previous studies. It suggests that corn-ethanol systems have substantially greater potential to mitigate GHG emissions and reduce dependence on imported petroelum for transportation than previously reported.
An Examination of the Potential for Improving Carbon/Energy Balance of Bioethanol: International Energy Agency (IEA) Bioenergy Task 39, February 2009. Discusses the importance of ethanol in global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from vehicles. This report examines GHG reductions from grain ethanol since 1995 and projected GHG reductions from ethanol out to 2015 and concludes that GHG reductions will grow by over 100% from 1995 to 2015.
Assessment of Direct and Indirect GHG Emissions Associated with Petroleum Fuels:
Life Cycle Associates, LLC for the New Fuels Alliance, February 2009. This study reviews the range of activities associated with the production of petroleum fuels in order to assess their life cycle impact on GHG emissions. This includes both direct petroleum emissions, and to the degree feasible, some indirect effects.
Comments on California's proposd Low Carbon Fuel Standard
-American Coalition for Ethanol
-Monsanto
-Nebraska Ethanol Board

To access any older studies that focus on the ethanol industry, email Chuck Beck. He can be contacted at cbeck@ethanol.org.