A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE MOST WIDELY PLANTED CROP IN THE UNITED STATES IS ACTUALLY USED TO HELP MAKE ENERGY.
BUT A RECENT STUDY IS LOOKING INTO IF THAT FARMLAND MIGHT BE BETTER SERVED PRODUCING A CLEANER TYPE OF POWER-
SOLAR.
EVERY YEAR, U.S. FARMERS PLANT ABOUT 90 MILLION ACRES OF CORN-
ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF WHICH IS USED TO CREATE ETHANOL- A KEY INGREDIENT IN GASOLINE.
RESEARCH FUNDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND PUBLISHED IN 2022 FOUND THAT THIS CORN-BASED BIOFUEL IS ACTUALLY WORSE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT THEN STRAIGHT GASOLINE.
ACCORDING TO THEIR DATA, ETHANOL PRODUCED WITH CORN IS ACTUALLY 24 PERCENT MORE CARBON-INTENSIVE-
WITH LAND USE CHANGES NEEDED TO GROW THE CROP BEING AMONG THE MAIN FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THAT HIGHER GREENHOUSE GAS OUTPUT.
THAT’S WHY THE CHAIR OF AGRICULTURAL AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS AT UC BERKELEY RECENTLY EXAMINED WHETHER THAT FARMLAND SHOULD INSTEAD BE USED FOR SOLAR POWER.
THE FINDINGS SHOWED…
