In Depth
See Also

Ethanol fuel

Ethanol Ethanol

This article is about the chemical compound.... 

 can be used as fuel Fuel

Fuel is any material that is capable of releasing energy when its chemical or physical structure is chan... 

 for automobiles Automobile

An automobile is a wheel [i]ed passenger [i] vehicle [i] that carries its own motor [i]. ... 

 either alone in a special engine or as an additive to gasoline Gasoline

Gasoline, also called petrol, is a petroleum [i]-derived liquid [i] mixture consisting primarily o ... 

 for petroleum Petroleum

Petroleum or crude oil is a black, dark brown or greenish liquid [i] found in porous rock formati ... 

 engines. In the United States, the color yellow has become associated with the fuel and is commonly used on fuel pumps and labels. Ethanol can be blended with gasoline in varying quantities to reduce the consumption of petroleum fuels, as well as to reduce air pollution Air pollution

Air [i] pollution [i] is a broad term applied to any chemical [i], physical [i] ... 

. The resulting fuel is known in the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 as gasohol Common ethanol fuel mixtures

Ethanol [i] and methanol [i] are two types of alcohol fuel [i]s. ... 

, or gasoline type C in Brazil Brazil

Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest and most populous country [i] ... 

. Two common mixtures in the United States are E10 Common ethanol fuel mixtures

Ethanol [i] and methanol [i] are two types of alcohol fuel [i]s. ... 

 and E85 E85

E85 is an alcohol fuel [i] mixture of 85% ethanol [i] and 15% gasoline [i], by volume [i]. ... 

 which contain 10% and 85% ethanol, respectively, while the common mixtures in Brazil are gasoline type C and its high octane variants, which contain 20% to 25% ethanol .

Discussions

  Discussion Features

   Ask a question about 'Ethanol fuel'

   Start a new discussion about 'Ethanol fuel'

   Answer questions about 'Ethanol fuel'

   'Ethanol fuel' discussion forum


Encyclopedia



Ethanol Ethanol

This article is about the chemical compound.... 

 can be used as fuel Fuel

Fuel is any material that is capable of releasing energy when its chemical or physical structure is chan... 

 for automobiles Automobile

An automobile is a wheel [i]ed passenger [i] vehicle [i] that carries its own motor [i]. ... 

 either alone in a special engine or as an additive to gasoline Gasoline

Gasoline, also called petrol, is a petroleum [i]-derived liquid [i] mixture consisting primarily o ... 

 for petroleum Petroleum

Petroleum or crude oil is a black, dark brown or greenish liquid [i] found in porous rock formati ... 

 engines. In the United States, the color yellow has become associated with the fuel and is commonly used on fuel pumps and labels.

Ethanol can be blended with gasoline in varying quantities to reduce the consumption of petroleum fuels, as well as to reduce air pollution Air pollution

Air [i] pollution [i] is a broad term applied to any chemical [i], physical [i] ... 

. The resulting fuel is known in the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 as gasohol Common ethanol fuel mixtures

Ethanol [i] and methanol [i] are two types of alcohol fuel [i]s. ... 

, or gasoline type C in Brazil Brazil

Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest and most populous country [i] ... 

. Two common mixtures in the United States are E10 Common ethanol fuel mixtures

Ethanol [i] and methanol [i] are two types of alcohol fuel [i]s. ... 

 and E85 E85

E85 is an alcohol fuel [i] mixture of 85% ethanol [i] and 15% gasoline [i], by volume [i]. ... 

 which contain 10% and 85% ethanol, respectively, while the common mixtures in Brazil are gasoline type C and its high octane variants, which contain 20% to 25% ethanol .

Ethanol is increasingly used as an oxygenate additive for standard gasoline, as a replacement for methyl t-butyl ether Methyl tert-butyl ether

Methyl tert-butyl ether is a chemical [i] compound that is manufactured by the chemical reaction [i] ... 

, the latter chemical being responsible for considerable groundwater and soil contamination . Ethanol Ethanol

This article is about the chemical compound.... 

 can also be used to power fuel cells Fuel cell

A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device.... 

.

Ethanol derived from crops is a demonstrably sustainable Sustainable

*As in timber [i] and logging [i]:
... 

 energy resource that may offer environmental and long-term economic advantages over fossil fuel Fossil fuel

Fossil fuels are hydrocarbon [i]s formed from the remains of dead plants and animals. ... 

 . It is readily obtained from the sugar Sugar

In general use, non-scientists take "sugar" to mean sucrose [i], also called "table sugar" or saccharose, a wh ... 

 or starch in crops such as maize Maize

Maize , also known as corn, is a cereal [i] grain [i] that was domesticated in Mesoamerica [i]. ... 

, miscanthus Miscanthus

Miscanthus is a genus of about 15 species of perennial grasses [i] native to subtropical and ... 

 and sugarcane Sugarcane

[i]
... 

. Ethanol made from maize, however, was found to use a significant amount of energy compared to the energy value of the produced fuel. On the other hand, sugarcane has enough energy not only for completely sustained ethanol production, but also for generating surplus , that may be sold to utilities. Sustainability of ethanol production is not only a matter of energy balance, but of availability of land area and soil and biodiversity Biodiversity

Biodiversity or biological diversity is the diversity of life [i].... 

 preservation.

Sources




Bioethanol is the result of conversion of feedstock. Agricultural feedstocks such as switchgrass Switchgrass

Switchgrass, also called Tall Panic Grass, is a warm-season plant and is one of the dominant speci... 

 are considered renewable because they get energy from the sun Sun

|+ The Sun   |+
|-
... 

 using photosynthesis Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis , generally, is the synthesis of sugar from light [i], carbon dioxide [i] and water, with ... 

. Ethanol Ethanol

This article is about the chemical compound.... 

 as a substitute for gasoline Gasoline

Gasoline, also called petrol, is a petroleum [i]-derived liquid [i] mixture consisting primarily o ... 

 is often created by harvesting a crop such as switchgrass Switchgrass

Switchgrass, also called Tall Panic Grass, is a warm-season plant and is one of the dominant speci... 

 and processing it for less money than it costs to pump oil and refine it into gasoline. Unfortunately, the technology does not yet exist to make ethanol from agricultural feedstock economically viable in comparison with gasoline.

Much of the ethanol produced in the world is actually a petroleum product.
It is made by the catalytic hydration of ethylene with sulfuric acid Sulfuric acid

Sulfuric acid , H [i]2S [i]O [i]4, is a strong mineral acid [i]. ... 

 as the catalyst Catalyst

In chemistry, a catalyst is a substance [i] that decreases the activation energy [i] ... 

.
This process is cheaper than the traditional fermentation associated with alcoholic beverages Alcoholic beverage

An alcoholic beverage is a drink [i] containing ethanol [i]. ... 

.
It can also be obtained via ethylene Ethylene

Ethylene is the simplest alkene [i] hydrocarbon [i], consisting of four hydrogen [i] atom [i]s and two... 

 or acetylene Acetylene

Acetylene is the simplest alkyne [i] hydrocarbon [i], consisting of two hydrogen [i] atoms [i] and two ... 

, from calcium carbide Calcium carbide

Calcium carbide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula Ca [i]C2 [i]. ... 

, coal Coal

Coal is a fossil fuel [i] extracted from the ground by underground mining or open-pit mining . ... 

, oil gas,
and other sources. Two million tons of petroleum-derived ethanol are produced annually. The
principal suppliers are from South America, but there are also large plants in the
United States, Europe and Japan. Petroleum derived ethanol is a widely used
industrial solvent and has a considerable variety of other applications, Including use as fuel additive.

Four countries have developed significant bioethanol fuel programs: Brazil Ethanol fuel in Brazil

In Brazil [i], ethanol fuel [i] is produced from sugar cane [i] which is a more efficient source of ferm ... 

, Colombia Colombia

The Republic of Colombia , is the northwesternmost country of South America [i]. ... 

, China China

China is a cultural region [i] and ancient civilization [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

 and the United States Ethanol fuel in the United States

(This is a subsidiary of the Ethanol fuel [i] article.) ... 

. Ethanol can be produced from a variety of feedstocks, such as sugar cane Sugarcane

[i]
... 

, miscanthus Miscanthus

Miscanthus is a genus of about 15 species of perennial grasses [i] native to subtropical and ... 

, sugar beet Sugar beet

Sugar beet , a member of the Chenopodiaceae [i] subfamily and the Amaranthaceae [i] family, is a plant w ... 

, sorghum Sorghum

Sorghum is a genus of about 30 species of grasses [i] raised for grain, native to tropical and s ... 

, switchgrass Switchgrass

Switchgrass, also called Tall Panic Grass, is a warm-season plant and is one of the dominant speci... 

, barley Barley

Barley is a major food and animal feed crop, a member of the grass family Poaceae.... 

, hemp Hemp

This is one of several related articles about cannabis.... 

, kenaf Kenaf

Kenaf is a species of Hibiscus [i], probably native to southern Asia [i], though its exact natural o... 

, potato Potato

The potato is a perennial plant [i] of the Solanaceae [i], or nightshade [i], family, commonly grown fo ... 

es, sweet potato Sweet potato

The sweet potato is a crop [i] plant [i] whose large, starch [i]y, sweet-tasting tuberous root [i]... 

es, cassava Cassava

The cassava or manioc is a woody shrub [i] of the Euphorbiaceae [i] that is extensively cultivat ... 

, sunflower Sunflower

The sunflower is an annual plant [i] in the family Asteraceae [i], with a large flower head . ... 

, fruit Fruit

The term fruit has different meanings depending on context.... 

, molasses, whey or skim milk Skim Milk

Sorry, no overview for this topic 

, corn Maize

Maize , also known as corn, is a cereal [i] grain [i] that was domesticated in Mesoamerica [i]. ... 

, corn cobs, grain GRAIN

GRAIN is an international non-governmental organization [i] based in Barcelona [i], Spain [i], which wor ... 

, wheat Wheat

Wheat is a grass [i] that is cultivated worldwide. ... 

, wood Wood

Wood is derived from woody plant [i]s, notably tree [i]s but also shrub [i]s. ... 

, paper Paper

Paper is a thin, flat material produced by the amalgamation of plant fibre [i]s, which are subsequently ... 

, straw Straw

Straw is an agricultural byproduct, the dry [i] of a cereal [i] plant, after the nutrient [i] ... 

, cotton Cotton

Cotton is a soft fiber [i] that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant , a shrub [i] native to the t ... 

, grain sorghum Sorghum

Sorghum is a genus of about 30 species of grasses [i] raised for grain, native to tropical and s ... 

, barley Barley

Barley is a major food and animal feed crop, a member of the grass family Poaceae.... 

, other biomass Biomass

In energy production and industry, biomass refers to living and recently living biological material [i] ... 

, well as many types of cellulose Cellulose

Cellulose
n
is a long-chain polymer [i]ic polysaccharide [i] carbohydrate [i], of beta-glucose [i] ... 

 waste. One result of increased use of ethanol is increased demand for the feedstocks such as corn, sugarcane, or switchgrass Switchgrass

Switchgrass, also called Tall Panic Grass, is a warm-season plant and is one of the dominant speci... 

. Large-scale production of agricultural alcohol for fuel may require substantial amounts of cultivable land with fertile soils and water. This may lead to environmental damage such as deforestation. Ethanol's energy comes from the carbon-based feedstocks which get their energy from sunlight, water, and photosynthesis Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis , generally, is the synthesis of sugar from light [i], carbon dioxide [i] and water, with ... 

.

Production


Ethanol can be produced in different ways, using a variety of feedstocks.
Brazil uses sugarcane as primary feedstock, but a large variety of feedstocks are possible. For information on Brazil's method of ethanol production, see ethanol fuel in Brazil Ethanol fuel in Brazil

In Brazil [i], ethanol fuel [i] is produced from sugar cane [i] which is a more efficient source of ferm ... 

. More than 90% of the ethanol produced in the U.S. comes from corn .

Crops with higher yields of energy, such as switchgrass Switchgrass

Switchgrass, also called Tall Panic Grass, is a warm-season plant and is one of the dominant speci... 

 and sugar cane Sugarcane

[i]
... 

, are more effective in producing ethanol than corn Maize

Maize , also known as corn, is a cereal [i] grain [i] that was domesticated in Mesoamerica [i]. ... 

[]. Ethanol can also be produced from sweet sorghum Sweet sorghum

Sweet sorghum is any of the many varieties of sorghum [i], a cane [i]-like plant with a high s ... 

, a dryland crop that uses much less water than sugarcane and produces food, and fodder in addition to fuel.

Basic steps for dry mill production of ethanol are: refining into starch, liquification and saccharification , fermentation, distillation Distillation

Distillation is a method of separation [i] of substance [i]s based on differences in ... 

, dehydration, and denaturing . Carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound [i] composed of one carbon [i] and two oxygen [i] atoms. ... 

, a potentially harmful greenhouse gas Greenhouse gas

Greenhouse gases are gas [i]eous components of the atmosphere [i] that contribute to ... 

, is emitted during fermentation. However, the net effect is more than offset by the uptake of carbon gases by the plants grown to produce ethanol.
The net result of using ethanol as a fuel is to reduce green house gases.

Ethanol is not typically transported by pipeline for three reasons. Current production levels will not support a dedicated pipeline. The costs of building and maintaining a pipeline from Midwestern United States to either coast are prohibitive. Any water which penetrates the pipeline will be absorbed by the ethanol, diluting the mixture.

Ethanol produced by fermentation results in a solution of ethanol in water. During ethanol fermentation Ethanol fermentation

Ethanol fermentation is a form of anaerobic respiration [i] used primarily by yeast [i]s when oxygen is ... 

, glucose is evolved into ethanol and carbon dioxide. The equation is:

C6H12O6 ? 2 CH3CH2OH + 2 CO2

For the ethanol to be usable as a fuel, water must be removed. The oldest method is distillation Distillation

Distillation is a method of separation [i] of substance [i]s based on differences in ... 

, but the purity is limited to 95-96 % due to the formation of a low-boiling water-ethanol azeotrope Azeotrope

An azeotrope is a special mixture of two or more compounds [i] . ... 

. The 96% ethanol, 4% water mixture may be used as a fuel, and it's called hydrated ethyl alcohol fuel . In 2002, almost 5 billion liters of hydrated ethyl alcohol fuel were produced in Brazil, to be used in ethanol powered vehicles.

It is not possible to obtain ethanol of purity > 96 % by distilling any more dilute solution - ethanol and water form an azeotrope Azeotrope

An azeotrope is a special mixture of two or more compounds [i] . ... 

. For blending with gasoline, purities of 99.5 to 99.9% are required, depending on temperature, to avoid separation. Currently 2006

2006 is a common year starting on Sunday [i] of the Gregorian calendar [i].
... 

, the most widely used purification method is a physical adsorption process using molecular sieves. Another method, azeotropic distillation, is achieved by adding the hydrocarbon benzene Benzene

Benzene, also known as benzol, is an organic [i] chemical compound [i] with the ... 

 which also denatures the ethanol . However, benzene is a powerful carcinogen and so will probably be illegal for this purpose soon.

In the past, when farmers distilled their own ethanol, they sometimes used radiators as part of the still Still

The term 'still' is a contraction of the verb 'to distill'.
... 

. The radiators often contained lead Lead

Lead is a chemical element [i] in the periodic table [i] that has the symbol Pb and atomic number [i] ... 

, which would get into the ethanol. Lead entered the air during the burning of contaminated fuel, possibly leading to neural damage. However this was a relatively minor source of lead since at the time tetraethyl lead Tetra-ethyl lead

Tetra-ethyl lead is a toxic [i] organometallic [i] chemical compound, with form ... 

 was used as a mainstream gasoline additive. Today, ethanol for fuel use is produced almost exclusively from purpose-built plants, avoiding any lead presence.

Biotechnology Biotechnology

Biotechnology is technology [i] based on biology [i], especially when used in agriculture [i], food science [i] ... 

 can help to improve the energetic productions of bioethanol.

Ethanol fuel mixtures

Generally, the higher the ethanol component of a gasohol blend, the lower its suitability for gasoline-powered car engines. Pure ethanol reacts with or dissolves certain rubber Rubber

Rubber is an elastic hydrocarbon [i] polymer [i] which occurs as a milky emulsion [i] in the sap of se ... 

 and plastic Plastic

Plastic covers a range of synthetic or semisynthetic polymerization [i] products. ... 

 materials and must not be used in unmodified engines. Additionally, pure ethanol has a much higher octane rating Octane rating

The octane rating is a measure of the autoignition [i] resistance of gasoline [i] and other fuels used i ... 

  than ordinary gasoline Gasoline

Gasoline, also called petrol, is a petroleum [i]-derived liquid [i] mixture consisting primarily o ... 

 , requiring changes to the compression ratio or spark timing to obtain maximum benefit. To change a pure-gasoline-fueled car into a pure-ethanol-fueled car, larger carburetor Carburetor

The carburetor, carburettor, or carburetter , also called carb or carbie for short... 

 jets , or fuel injectors are needed. Ethanol engines also need a cold-starting system to ensure sufficient vaporization for temperatures below 13 °C to maximize combustion and minimize uncombusted nonvaporized ethanol. On the other hand, if 10 to 30% ethanol is mixed with gasoline, no engine modification is typically needed. Many modern cars can run on these mixtures very reliably.

In many countries cars are mandated to run on mixtures of ethanol. Brazil requires cars be suitable for a 25% ethanol blend, and has required various mixtures between 22% and 25% ethanol, as of February 2006 20% is required. The United States allows up to 10% blends, and some states require this in all gasoline sold. Other countries have adopted their own requirements. Because of this requirement it is speculated that all cars can run blends up to about 30% , but it is not known if this is true.

Beginning with the model year 1999, an increasing number of vehicles in the world are manufactured with engines which can run on any gasoline from 0% ethanol up to 100% ethanol without modification. Many light trucks are designed to be dual fuel or flexible fuel vehicles, since they can automatically detect the type of fuel and change the engine's behavior, principally air-to-fuel ratio and ignition timing to compensate for the different octane levels of the fuel in the engine cylinders.

Some of the problems experienced with ethanol include:
  • Ethanol-based fuels are not compatible with some fuel system components. Examples of extreme corrosion Corrosion

    Corrosion is deterioration of intrinsic [i] properties in a material due to reactions with its environme ... 

     of ferrous Iron

    Iron is a chemical element [i] with the symbol Fe and atomic number [i] 26. ... 

     components, the formation of salt Salt

    In chemistry [i], a salt is any ionic compound [i] composed of cation [i]s and anion [i]s so that the ... 

     deposits, jelly-like deposits on fuel strainer screens, and internal separation of portions of rubber fuel tanks have been observed in some vehicles using ethanol fuels.
  • The use of ethanol-based fuels can negatively affect electric fuel pumps by increasing internal wear and undesirable spark generation.
  • E-85 is not compatible with capacitance fuel level gauging indicators and may cause erroneous fuel quantity indications in vehicles that employ that system.
  • Ethanol will mix with either water or gasoline, but not both. For water levels below approximately 0.5% to 1.0% contained in the ethanol, there is no problem. For contamination with 1% or more water in the ethanol, phase separation occurs, and the ethanol-water mixture will separate from the gasoline.
  • E-85 experiences heavy evaporation losses.

Fuel Economy


Fuel economy is directly proportional to energy content . Ethanol contains approx. 34% less energy per gallon than gasoline, and therefore will get 34% fewer miles per gallon . For E10 , the effect is small when compared to conventional gasoline, and even smaller when compared to oxygenated and reformulated blends . However, for E85 , the effect becomes significant. E85 will produce approximately 27% lower mileage than gasoline, and will require more frequent refueling. Actual performance may vary depending on the vehicle. For the EPA-rated mileage of current USA flex-fuel vehicles, see .

This reduced fuel economy should be considered when making price comparisons. For example, if regular gasoline costs $3.00 per gallon, and E85 costs $2.19 per gallon, the prices are essentially equivalent. If the discount for E85 is less than 27%, it actually costs more per mile to use. For USA price comparisons, see .

Some researchers are working to increase fuel efficiency by optimizing engines for ethanol-based fuels. Ethanol's higher octane allows an increase of an engine's compression ratio for increased thermal efficiency . In one study, complex engine controls and increased exhaust gas recirculation allowed a compression ratio of 19.5 with fuels ranging from neat ethanol to E50. Thermal efficiency up to approximately that for a diesel was achieved. . This would result in the mpg of a dedicated ethanol vehicle to be about the same as one burning gasoline. There are currently no commercially-available vehicles that make significant use of ethanol-optimizing technologies, but this may change in the future.

Local production and use of ethanol


Pakistan Pakistan

[i] located in [[South Asia]... 

, India India

India , officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia [i]. ... 

, China China

China is a cultural region [i] and ancient civilization [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

, Thailand Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand is a country in Southeast Asia [i], bordering Laos [i] and Cambodia [i] to the e ... 

 and Japan Japan

is an island country [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

 have now launched their national gasohol policies. Thailand started blending 10% ethanol for its ULG95 in 1985; now there are more than 4000 stations serving E10. The blending of 10% ethanol into 95 RON Octane rating

The octane rating is a measure of the autoignition [i] resistance of gasoline [i] and other fuels used i ... 

 gasoline will be mandated by the end of 2006 and into 91 RON gasoline by the end of 2010. It is expected that once the production of ethanol from cassava Cassava

The cassava or manioc is a woody shrub [i] of the Euphorbiaceae [i] that is extensively cultivat ... 

 and sugar cane molasses can be ramped up, a higher blending ratio like E20 or E85 or even Flexible Fuel Vehicles will be introduced to Thailand. Similarly, Pakistan has started ethanol blending with motor gasoline as a part of an experimental project called The Pilot Project. The blended fuel is 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline. It is initially available in Karachi Karachi

Karachi is the capital of the province of Sindh [i], and the most populated city in Pakistan [i], somet ... 

, Lahore Lahore

[i] and is the capital of the province of [[Punjab|Punjab]... 

 and Islamabad Islamabad

Islamabad , is the capital city [i] of Pakistan [i], and is located in the Potohar [i] Plateau in the no ... 

 through state-run Pakistan State Oil Pakistan State Oil

Pakistan State Oil is the oil market leader [i] in Pakistan [i]. ... 

 petrol pumps but eventually will be made available to the rest of the country.

General Motors of Canada Canada

Canada is the world's second-largest [i] country by total area, occupying most ... 

 are preparing the launch of E85 flex-fuel vehicles, and will be sold at the same price as their gasoline-only versions. Most of these new vehicles are being produced in Oshawa, Ontario Oshawa, Ontario

Oshawa is a city on Lake Ontario [i] located 56 kilometres east of downtown Toronto [i], Ontario [i], Canada [i] ... 

.

General Motors in the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 states they have over 2 million vehicles on the road in all 50 states that are capable of running under a 85% ethanol-15% gasoline blend known as E85 E85

E85 is an alcohol fuel [i] mixture of 85% ethanol [i] and 15% gasoline [i], by volume [i]. ... 

. In 2006, GM will produce more than 400,000 flexible fuel vehicles annually -- vehicles that can also operate on gasoline or E85 ethanol without any modifications or special switches. According to many observers, automotive manufacturers in the United States are increasingly offering flex fuel vehicles in order to sell more gas-guzzlers without being penalized under the federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards.

Nearly every ethanol fuel plan is sponsored and/or subsidized by local governments. The 2006 U.S. subsidy is 51 cents per gallon. . This is based on current market conditions that prevent ethanol fuel from being competitive with the more popular gasoline Gasoline

Gasoline, also called petrol, is a petroleum [i]-derived liquid [i] mixture consisting primarily o ... 

 or Diesel Diesel

Diesel or diesel fuel is a specific fractional distillate [i] of fuel oil [i] ... 

 fuels.

Ethanol fuel in Brazil

As of 2004, Brazil was the largest producer and consumer of ethanol fuel in the world. Since the 1970s, Brazil Brazil

Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest and most populous country [i] ... 

 has developed an extensive domestic ethanol fuel industry upon sugarcane Sugarcane

[i]
... 

 production and refining. Brazil produces approximately 4 billion gallons of ethanol per year. Ethanol factories in Brazil maintain a positive energy balance by burning the non-sugar waste from sugarcane. The development of ethanol in Brazil was sponsored by its government. All gasoline in Brazil must be at least 20%~25% alcohol. Brazil can make ethanol for about $1.00 per gallon. Newer cars in Brazil are flexible fuel vehicles, capable of using fuels containing any proportion of pure ethanol and/or gasoline.

In the year 1988, cars using ethanol accounted for 66% of the car production. In 1997, only 1117 cars based on ethanol were produced in the country and almost zero in 2000. By 2005, rising oil prices and the availability of new flexible fuel technology made ethanol an increasingly popular choice among Brazilian consumers.

As of 2006, rising exportation of ethanol to the United States and rising prices of sugar in the international market is leading to rises in the price of the fuel.

Ethanol proponents say that ethanol fuel in Brazil Ethanol fuel in Brazil

In Brazil [i], ethanol fuel [i] is produced from sugar cane [i] which is a more efficient source of ferm ... 

 has decreased the country's dependence on oil, increased air quality, and provided useful byproducts to generate electricity. Critics suggest that Brazil's example is not applicable in the U.S. for a variety of reasons.

Ethanol fuel in Colombia

Colombia’s fuel ethanol program got a start in 2002 when the government passed a law which mandates oxygen enrichment of gasoline. This was initially done to reduce carbon monoxide emissions from cars. Later regulations exempted biomass-derived ethanol from some taxes on gasoline, thus making ethanol cheaper than gasoline. This trend was reinforced when petroleum prices went up starting in 2004 and with it the interest in renewable fuels . In Colombia the price of both gasoline and ethanol are controlled by the government. Complementing this ethanol program is a biodiesel program to oxygenate diesel fuel and produce a renewable fuel from vegetable oil.

Initially all the interest in ethanol production has come from the existing sugar industry, as it is relatively easy to add an ethanol back end to a sugar mill and the energy usage is similar to that needed to produce sugar. The government aims to gradually convert the nation’s auto fuel supplies to a mixture of 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline. Ethanol plants are being encouraged by tax breaks. There has been interest in ethanol plants from yuca and from new sugar cane plantations, but producing inexpensive carbohydrates has not been achieved.

The first fuel ethanol plant in Colombia began production in October 2005, with output of 300,000 liters a day in the Cauca region. By March 2006 five plants, all in the Cauca Valley, are operational with a combined capacity of 1,050,000 liters per day or 357 million liters per year. In the Cauca Valley of Colombia sugar is harvested year round and the new distilleries have very high availability. The total investment in these plants is $100 million. By 2007, Colombia hopes to have a capacity of 2,500,000 liters per day, which is the requirement for adding 10% ethanol to the gasoline. The ethanol fuel produced is currently used in the main cities close to the Cauca Valley, such as Bogota, Cali, and Pereira. There is not enough production for the rest of the country.

Ethanol fuel in the United States


Ethanol use and production in the United States is steadily increasing. Archer Daniels Midland Archer Daniels Midland

The Archer Daniels Midland Company, based in Decatur, Illinois [i], operates more than 270 plants worldw ... 

 claims to be the largest producer of fuel ethanol in the US, with about 25% of the nation's ethanol production. Roughly 685 gas stations, out of a total of 165,000 carry E85 E85

E85 is an alcohol fuel [i] mixture of 85% ethanol [i] and 15% gasoline [i], by volume [i]. ... 

 pumps. Ethanol is predominantly only available in the Midwest Midwestern United States

The Midwestern United States is a region of the north-central and northeastern United States of America [i] ... 

 and California California

California is a state [i] spanning the southern half of the west coast [i] ... 

, where most ethanol is refined. As of September 18, 2006 in the US, there are 4.93 billion gallons per year capacity for ethanol production with capacity of 2.92 billion gallons per year under construction.
For example, the U.S. company is currently building more ethanol facilities in the western U.S.
The estimate ethanol from corn cost $1.03-1.05/gallon in 2003-05, compared with forecasts of $1.27 from molasses, $2.35 from US beet and $2.40 from US sugarcane. The price of sugarcane in the U.S. is influenced by strict import quotas and federal price supports .

Regulations and subsidies

In Brazil Brazil

Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest and most populous country [i] ... 

, Colombia Colombia

The Republic of Colombia , is the northwesternmost country of South America [i]. ... 

 and the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

, the use of ethanol from sugar cane Sugarcane

[i]
... 

 and grain as automotive fuel has been heavily promoted by government programs. Some individual U.S. state U.S. state

A state of the United States is any one of the fifty subnational entities referred to as a state [i] ... 

s in the corn belt Corn Belt

Sorry, no overview for this topic 

 began subsidizing ethanol from corn after the Arab oil embargo 1973 oil crisis

The 1973 oil crisis began in earnest on October 17 [i], 1973 [i], when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries [i] ... 

 of 1973. The Energy Tax Act of 1978 authorized an excise tax exemption for biofuel Biofuel

Biofuel is any fuel [i] that is derived from biomass [i] recently living organism [i]s or their metabol ... 

s, chiefly gasohol. The excise tax exemption alone has been estimated as worth US$ United States dollar

For details of current paper money [i] and coins, see Federal Reserve Note [i] and United States coinage [i] ... 

1.4 billion per year. Another U.S. federal program guaranteed loans for the construction of ethanol plants, and in 1986 the U.S. even gave ethanol producers free corn. Colombia's ethanol program was started by a law which would exempt biomass-derived ethanol from some taxes on gasoline.

In August 2005, President Bush George W. Bush

This page is monitored by many people and bots, and joke edits are removed quickly.
... 

 signed a comprehensive energy bill which included a requirement to increase the production of ethanol and biodiesel Biodiesel

Biodiesel refers to a diesel [i]-equivalent, processed fuel derived from biological sources. ... 

 from 4 to 7.5 billion US gallons within the next ten years. It is expected that in the short term the majority of this increase will come from ethanol produced from corn.

Directive 2003/30/EC of the European Parliament European Parliament

The European Parliament is the parliament [i]ary body of the European Union [i] , directly elected by EU citizen [i]... 

 promotes the replacement of fossil fuels by biofuels: amongst them bio-ethanol to be blended into petrol. The United Kingdom has adopted a national policy of encouraging the use of biofuel Biofuel

Biofuel is any fuel [i] that is derived from biomass [i] recently living organism [i]s or their metabol ... 

s including ethanol, although the taxation of alternative fuels like biodiesel Biodiesel

Biodiesel refers to a diesel [i]-equivalent, processed fuel derived from biological sources. ... 

 is almost as onerous as that on conventional fossil fuels.

Ethanol and hydrogen

Hydrogen Hydrogen

|-
| Triple point [i] || 13.8033 K, 7.042 kPa
... 

 is being analyzed as an alternative fuel, creating a hydrogen economy Hydrogen economy

A hydrogen economy is a hypothetical [i] future economy [i] in which energy [i], for mobile ap ... 

. Because hydrogen in its gaseous state takes up a very large volume when compared to other fuels, logistics Logistics

Logistics is the art and science of managing and controlling the flow of goods, energy, information and ... 

 becomes a difficult problem. One possible solution is to use ethanol to transport the hydrogen, then liberate the hydrogen from its associated carbon in a hydrogen reformer and feed the hydrogen into a fuel cell Fuel cell

A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device.... 

. Alternatively, some fuel cells can be directly fed by ethanol or methanol. As of 2005 2005

2005 was a common year starting on Saturday [i] of the Gregorian calendar [i].
... 

, fuel cells are able to process methanol more efficiently than ethanol.

In early 2004, researchers at the University of Minnesota University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, almost always abbreviated U of M, and sometimes referred... 

 announced the invention of a simple ethanol reactor that would feed ethanol through a stack of catalyst Catalyst

In chemistry, a catalyst is a substance [i] that decreases the activation energy [i] ... 

s, and output hydrogen suitable for a fuel cell. The device uses a rhodium Rhodium

Rh [i] redirects here. For other uses, see rh [i]
... 

-cerium Cerium

Cerium is a chemical element [i] in the periodic table [i] that has the symbol Ce and atomic number [i]... 

 catalyst for the initial reaction, which occurs at a temperature of about 700 °C . This initial reaction mixes ethanol, water vapor, and oxygen and produces good quantities of hydrogen. Unfortunately, it also results in the formation of carbon monoxide, a substance that "chokes" most fuel cells and must be passed through another catalyst to be converted into carbon dioxide. The ultimate products of the simple device are roughly 50% hydrogen gas and 30% nitrogen, with the remaining 20% mostly composed of carbon dioxide. Both the nitrogen and carbon dioxide are fairly inert when the mixture is pumped into an appropriate fuel cell. The carbon dioxide is released back into the atmosphere, where it can be reabsorbed by plant life. No net carbon dioxide is released, though it could be argued that while it is in the atmosphere, it does act as a greenhouse gas.

EEI has developed a new method for producing butanol Butanol

[i] structure and the [[molecular formula]... 

 from biomass. This process involves the use of two separate micro-organisms in sequence to minimize production of acetone and ethanol byproducts. Interestingly, this process produces significant amounts of hydrogen as well as butanol.

Energy balance

For ethanol to contribute significantly to transportation fuel needs, it would need to have a positive net energy balance - and the federal government has long claimed that it does.
Quote: "...The most official study of the issue, which also reviews other studies, concludes that the "net energy balance" of making fuel ethanol from corn grain is 1.34...For cellulosic Cellulose

Cellulose
n
is a long-chain polymer [i]ic polysaccharide [i] carbohydrate [i], of beta-glucose [i] ... 

 bioethanol—the focus of the Biomass Program—that study projects an energy balance of 2.62...A Biomass Program life-cycle analysis of producing ethanol from stover, now underway, is expected to show a very impressive net energy ratio of more than 5..."

Meanwhile, some academic scientists argue that the energy balance is negative. The arguments advanced by these critics are highly flawed, since they assume energy used for distillation must be provided by petroleum, whereas the Brazil experience shows such energy can be provided by combustion of agricultural wastes from the source crop itself. In addition these critics argue that the same pesticide dose must be used on ethanol crops as crops destined for human consumption, a condition clearly contrary to fact.

To evaluate the net energy of ethanol, five variables must be considered: the amount of energy contained in the final ethanol product, the energy value of byproducts generated during the ethanol production process , the amount of energy directly consumed to make the ethanol , the quality of the resulting ethanol compared to the quality of refined gasoline, and the energy indirectly consumed . Although a topic of debate, some research that ignores energy quality suggests it takes as much or more fossil fuel energy to create an equivalent amount of energy in the form of ethanol. In other words, the energy needed to run the tractors, produce the fertilizer Fertilizer

Fertilizers or fertilisers are compounds given to plant [i]s with the intention of promoting grow ... 

, process the ethanol, and the energy associated with the wear and tear on all of the equipment used in the process may be more than the energy derived from burning ethanol. Two important flaws are cited in response to that argument. First, the energy quality is ignored, the economic effects of which are large. Principal economic effects of energy quality comparison are the cleanup costs of soil contamination Soil contamination

Soil contamination is the presence of man made chemicals or other alteration to the natural soil environ... 

 stemming from gasoline releases to the environment and medical costs from air pollution Air pollution

Air [i] pollution [i] is a broad term applied to any chemical [i], physical [i] ... 

 resulting from refining and burning gasoline. Ethanol's higher octane rating may also allow for more thermally efficient conversion of chemical energy into mechanical energy. The second point is that the inclusion of development of ethanol plants instills a bias against that product based strictly upon the pre-existence of gasoline refining capacity. The real decision should be based upon the long-term economic and social returns. The first counter-argument, however, is contested. Burning a gallon of cleaner ethanol is still pointless if it implicitly requires burning two gallons of dirty gasoline to create that ethanol in the first place. New techniques for producing ethanol from plant cellulose create more ethanol per unit of energy input, and may fundamentally shift production to a positive energy balance when they reach economies of scale. Cellulosic ethanol can also be created from farm residue such as wheat straw, further defraying the energy costs of production.

Environmental effects


Air pollution

Compared with conventional unleaded gasoline, ethanol is a clean burning fuel source that combusts cleanly with oxygen to form carbon dioxide and water:

C2H6O + 3 O2 Oxygen

Oxygen is a chemical element [i] with the chemical symbol O and atomic number [i] 8.... 

 ? 2 CO2 Carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound [i] composed of one carbon [i] and two oxygen [i] atoms. ... 

 + 3 H2O Water

Water is a taste [i]less, odor [i]less substance that is essential to all known forms of life [i] and i ... 




The Clean Air Act requires the addition of oxygenates to reduce carbon monoxide emissions in the United States. The additive MTBE Methyl tert-butyl ether

Methyl tert-butyl ether is a chemical [i] compound that is manufactured by the chemical reaction [i] ... 

 is currently being phased out due to ground water contamination, hence ethanol becomes an attractive alternative additive. As a fuel additive, ethanol being more volatile, carries with it gasoline as it evaporates, thus releasing more Volatile organic compounds .

Pure usage of ethanol rather than gasoline in your vehicle reduces its total carbon dioxide emissions, mile for mile, by about 13%. This is in part due to the agricultural processing needed to create the biofuel itself produces certain CO2 emissions.
Ethanol is however considered to be a carbon neutral fuel meaning that if the sugar cane were left to rot it would produce the same amount of CO2 emissions as burning the ethanol used from it.

In considering the potential for pollution reduction with ethanol, however, it is equally important to consider the potential for environmental contamination stemming from the manufacture of ethanol. In 2002, monitoring of ethanol plants revealed that they released VOCs at a much higher rate than had previously been disclosed . The Environmental Protection Agency United States Environmental Protection Agency

The Environmental Protection Agency is an agency [i] of the federal government of the United States [i] ... 

  subsequently reached settlement with Archer Daniels Midland Archer Daniels Midland

The Archer Daniels Midland Company, based in Decatur, Illinois [i], operates more than 270 plants worldw ... 

 and Cargill Cargill

Cargill, Incorporated is a privately held [i], multinational corporation [i],... 

, two of the largest producers of ethanol, to reduce emission of these VOCs. VOCs are produced when fermented corn mash is dried for sale as a supplement for livestock feed. Devices known as thermal oxidizers or catalytic oxidizers can be attached to the plants to burn off the hazardous gases.

Effects of ethanol on agriculture


Environmentalists have objections Agriculture

Farming redirects here. For Farming in computer games, see Farmer [i].
... 

 to many modern farming practices, including some practices useful for making bioethanol more competitive . If more third-world land were to be converted to agriculture to feed ethanol fuel demand, there is the possibility of trading today's automotive pollution for tomorrow's farm pollution.

There is some potential that through irresponsible farming methods some rainforest areas could be cleared to make land available for growing crops for commercial commodities such as palm oil for the generation of biodiesels.

Renewable resource

Ethanol is considered "renewable" because it is primarily the result of conversion of the sun's energy into usable energy. Oil production, however, is predicted to peak between 2021 and 2112 . Creation of ethanol starts with photosynthesis Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis , generally, is the synthesis of sugar from light [i], carbon dioxide [i] and water, with ... 

 causing the feedstocks such as switchgrass Switchgrass

Switchgrass, also called Tall Panic Grass, is a warm-season plant and is one of the dominant speci... 

, sugar cane Sugarcane

[i]
... 

, or corn Maize

Maize , also known as corn, is a cereal [i] grain [i] that was domesticated in Mesoamerica [i]. ... 

 to grow. These feedstocks are processed into ethanol . However, Brazil is the only country in the world where farming and production of ethanol is a profitable and widespread substitute for gasoline.

However, using current farming and production methods, ethanol from corn may not be fully sustainable as a replacement for fossil fuels. The amount of energy needed to produce it is a concern, especially if that energy is derived from fossil sources. For example, one study critical of ethanol assumes massive use of pesticides and fertilizers, which consume fossil fuels and damage the farming environment. However, corn grown for fuel would not need the same pesticide usage as corn grown for food, since consumer reaction is a major contributor to prolific pesticide applications. Moreover, the amount of ethanol that could be produced from corn or sugarcane, given the amount of farmland that is available, is likely limited to an amount below what would be needed to replace global petroleum consumption.

Economics

Some economists have argued that using bioalcohol as a petroleum substitute is economically infeasible because the energy required to grow and process the corn and other crops used as fuel is greater than the amount ultimately produced. They argue that government programs that mandate the use of bioalcohol are agricultural subsidies. The United States Department of Energy United States Department of Energy

The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet [i]-level department of the United States [i] ... 

, however, finds that for every unit of energy put towards ethanol production, 1.3 units are returned.

As yields improve or different feedstocks are introduced, ethanol production may become more economically feasible in the US. Currently, research on improving ethanol yields from each unit of corn is underway using biotechnology. By utilizing hybrids designed specifically with higher extractable starch levels, the energy balance is dramatically improved. Also, as long as oil prices remain high, the economical use of other feedstocks, such as cellulose, become viable. By-products such as straw or wood chips can be converted to ethanol. Fast growing species like switchgrass can be grown on land not suitable for other cash crops and yield high levels of ethanol per acre.

Dependence on foreign oil

A related argument is that developed regions like the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 and Europe Europe

Europe is one of the seven traditional continent [i]s of the Earth [i]. ... 

, and increasingly the developing nations of Asia, mainly India and China, consume much more fossil fuels than they can extract from their territory, becoming dependent upon foreign suppliers as a result. As of 2006 the energy policy of the United Kingdom Energy policy of the United Kingdom

The Energy policy of the United Kingdom is a set of official publications and activities directed at the... 

 recognizes it has become a net primary energy importer and is seeking increased foreign sources; near term targets are natural gas Natural gas

Natural gas, commonly referred to as gas, is a gas [i]eous fossil fuel [i] consisting primarily of ... 

 import from Norway Norway

Insert non-formatted text here
... 

. Even if the energy balance is negative, US production involves mostly domestic fuels such as natural gas and coal, so the impact on oil importation is still positive.

Notes


See also

  • List of energy topics
  • biodiesel Biodiesel

    Biodiesel refers to a diesel [i]-equivalent, processed fuel derived from biological sources. ... 

  • biofuel Biofuel

    Biofuel is any fuel [i] that is derived from biomass [i] recently living organism [i]s or their metabol ... 

  • biomass Biomass

    In energy production and industry, biomass refers to living and recently living biological material [i] ... 

  • butanol Butanol

    [i] structure and the [[molecular formula]... 

     from Clostridium acetobutylicum
  • butanol fuel
  • Ethanol fuel in Brazil Ethanol fuel in Brazil

    In Brazil [i], ethanol fuel [i] is produced from sugar cane [i] which is a more efficient source of ferm ... 

  • Hydrogen vehicle Hydrogen vehicle

    A hydrogen vehicle is a vehicle [i], such as an automobile [i] or aeroplane [i] which uses hydrogen [i] ... 

  • MTBE Methyl tert-butyl ether

    Methyl tert-butyl ether is a chemical [i] compound that is manufactured by the chemical reaction [i] ... 

  • P-series fuels
  • sugarcane Sugarcane

    [i]

... 


  • liquid fuels
  • oil crisis
  • Timeline of Alcohol Fuel
  • cellulosic ethanol


  • Landless Movement under Politics of Brazil Politics of Brazil

    Politics of Brazil takes place in a framework of a federal [i] presidential [i] ... 



External links

  • Ethanol from Sweet Sorghum:
  • Ethanol fuel for rural households;
  • U.S. Department of Energy: .
  • Farm Industry News: . Article about converting ethanol to hydrogen.
  • Clean Fuels Development Coalition
  • and
  • Henry Ford, Charles Kettering and the Fuel of the Future
  • survey article * . Published in Science Science

    Science in the broadest sense refers to any system of knowledge attained by verifiable means.... 

    , January 27, 2006
  • David Cohn, "