Ethanol & Renewable Energy

Ethanol | High Gas Prices and Alternative fuels

Biofuels or biorganic fuels are a scientific name for any plant or animal substance that can burn.. Biofuels are an alternative to gasoline or petrol. Biofuels are considered by some as a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing energy security by providing an alternative to oil and gasoline. There is however, a downside to this type of energy.A major criticism against biomass, particularly against large-scale fuel production, is that it could divert agricultural production away from food crops, especially in developing countries. Therefore there is considerable debate on the use of biofuels and their place in our society.

Ethanol has a long history as a fuel, including as a fuel for internal combustion engines. Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, drinking alcohol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless chemical compound, and is best known as the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. The largest single use of ethanol is as a motor fuel and fuel additive. The largest national fuel ethanol industries exist in Brazil. Compared to gasoline, ethanol cuts poisonous gas emissions (carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxide) and produces fewer greenhouse gases that cause global climate change. Added to gasoline, ethanol also reduces ground-level ozone formation by lowering volatile organic compound and hydrocarbon emissions, decreasing carcinogenic benzene, and butadiene, emissions, and particulate matter emissions from gasoline combustion. In North America, ethanol is presently made principally from corn and wheat. Ethanol can be produced for different applications, for example, industrial ethanol or fuel grade ethanol. Research into technology to produce ethanol from non-food sources is advancing rapidly and is close to commercialization.

Ethanol used for gasoline comes in various types. E85 is a blend of gasoline and ethanol that is 85% ethanol by volume. E10 is, similarly, a blend that is 10% ethanol by volume. It is becoming common practice in North America to blend ethanol with gasoline at concentrations of 7 to 10 percent by volume. All cars built since the 1970s are fully compatible with up to 10 percent ethanol (E10) in the fuel mixture. All manufacturers approve the use of E10 blends and warrant their vehicles for this fuel. From a vehicle performance and fuel consumption perspective, low-level ethanol fuel blends are indistinguishable from gasoline. Ethanol can be used in much higher proportions - up to 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline (E-85), however many cars in North America are not equipped to use this.

Newer technology converts biomass forestry by-products, such as wood chips and non-compostable trash such as municipal waste into ethanol. This type of cellostic ethanol is a promising development as our food supplies are not used as fuel. Ethanol will likely be widely used in one form or another as an energy source in the near future.