Environmental Effects of Ethanol and Methanol Production from Biomass

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF ETHANOL AND METHANOL PRODUCTION FROM BIOMASS HANS EGNEUS 

Ihe main drawbacks for a utilization of alcohols produced from biomass are to be found in the economic and environmental areas.There are problems of technical nature e.g. v at techniques should be used when cellulose-containing plants are used for ethanol production,vhich gasifier technology should be used etc. But analysing what environmental effects a liquid fuel production from biomass can have is of the outmost importance when an extended use of biomass for energy use is discussed. 

In this paper I will discuss the possible environmental effects associated with the production of methanol and ethanol from biomass.Only methanol production via gasification and ethanol production from cellulose-containing plant material will be considered. 

When discussing environmental effects of a technical system one should be aware of that the data base which is used for an effect prediction in most cases is fragmentary because  

I will therefore concentrate on some specific steps of the production processes for ethanol and methanol where environmental or health effects could be high if no action is taken. Ihe environmental effects of growing and harvesting the biomass will not be treated. 

---