Terry Boland, Editor-in-Chief
Ethanol News
The Seaway Valley Farmers’ Energy Cooperative has essentially
met its target for increased local financial support for the proposed ethanol plant. The Agricultural Adaptation
Council has also provided $4 million in the form of equity-linked assistance. The Farm Credit Corporation is also
providing support in the form of loans. It now remains to be seen if this is sufficient to secure the additional
private institutional funding needed to begin plant construction. Decisions are expected soon.
OCPA expresses its appreciation to Stormont County farmer Bud Atkins. As president of Seaway, he has worked tirelessly
for many years – along with other Seaway directors – to get the project to this stage. All major achievements represent
five per cent inspiration, and 95 per cent perspiration and dogged determination. Bud has provided plenty of all
of these.
We also thank Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Natural Resources Canada for jointly funding a major study by
Levelton Engineering Ltd. (Vancouver) of net greenhouse gas emission benefits associated with the production and
use of ethanol made from Ontario corn as a gasoline enhancer. The analysis shows that every time a litre of 10
per cent ethanol-blended gasoline made from Ontario corn replaces a litre of normal gasoline, there is a net 3.9
per cent reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions. This calculation, based on very conservative assumptions,
includes all emissions involved in the production of corn crop inputs and production machinery as well as in ethanol
and gasoline manufacturing. The 3.9 per cent figure is expected to increase to 4.6 per cent by 2010...and is, of
course, higher for higher per cent ethanol blends.
Levelton calculated that present Canadian output of 225 million litres per year of fuel-grade ethanol equates to
a savings of 287,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. If fuel ethanol production were to increase to one billion
litres by 2010, there would be a reduction of 1.47 million tonnes per year of net greenhouse gas emissions (carbon
dioxide equivalents). This equates to about one per cent of total Canadian Kyoto obligations – but about 6-7.5
per cent of the Canadian agriculture share of this commitment.
Levelton calculated that Ontario-produced fuel ethanol contains 50 per cent more energy than the fossil energy
consumed in its production.
An interesting aspect of the study involved the use of high-protein byproducts. Even with one billion litres per
year of Ontario ethanol production, the output of protein would only be sufficient to replace the current 700,000
tonnes per year in provincial soybean meal imports.
Corn Seed Research Contribution
Agricorp has been hired as the trustee for the corn seed research
program. Most Ontario corn seed companies have cooperated with this program in 1998/99, and are expected to do
so again in 1999/2000. An estimated $100,000 in funds to support public corn research will be raised in 1998/99.
Participating companies are providing advice to OCPA on research needs. However, the final decision on funding
resides with the OCPA Research and Technology committee, and, ultimately, the OCPA board of directors.
OCPA expresses its deep appreciation to the following companies for participating in this program and for their
support of public corn research: Agventure Seeds Inc., Cargill Hybrid Seeds, Direct Seeds Inc., Growmark Inc.,
Hyland Seeds (W.G. Thompson & Sons Ltd.), Maizex Inc., Mycogen Canada Inc., Novartis Seeds Inc., Pride Seeds
(King Agro Inc.), Renk Seed Company of Canada Ltd., and Zeneca Seeds. OCPA also thanks corn growers who collectively
paid the $100,000 at the rate of 50 cents/unit on seed corn purchases. Details on projects to be supported will
be provided regularly in this magazine, as well as in other publications.
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