Ethanol Technology

By now, you probably heard about ethanol technology and for good reason. Ethanol is a form of alternative fuel that some believe may help solve the gas crisis. This alternative fuel is usually made from natural plant ingredients such as grain. In the USA, ethanol is typically made from corn. In other locations such as Brazil the ethanol fuel can be made from sugarcane. The material being used is dependent on the ecosystem of the particular area producing the ethanol fuel. Fuel made from plant materials is one of the hottest topics for discussion and debate these days because of the growing focus on conserving the environment and making the most of our available resources.


The most common way ethanol is used right now is as part of a mixture. The average ratio is around 85 percent gas and 15 percent ethanol. This blend of gasoline and ethanol can be used in any gas engine. It is often preferable to 100 percent gasoline because it produces less pollution and conserves gasoline. Of course not everything is perfect and that includes this bio-fuel. Ethanol gives less miles to the gallon as compared with gasoline because of its lower energy density. And, it can be harder to start a vehicle in freezing temperatures when using ethanol.

Ethonal is sometimes used to oxygenate gasoline. Before the innovation of ethanol fuel, a chemical abbreviated MTBE served this purpose. The problem with MTBE, or methyl tertbutyl ether, is that it is a hazardous material and is bad for the environment. Luckily ethanol does the same thing without the dangerous downsides. By using ethonal to oxygenate your gasoline, you are boosting the quality of the octane and reducing the level of carbon monoxide produced by your vehicle. These are certainly plus sides to using ethanol because you are helping your vehicle performance along with the world in which you live.

When researching ethanol technology you may come across critics that claim it is not the most efficient process because the energy it takes to make corn into fuel is practically the same as the energy of the fuel itself. One thing to remember is that innovations take place all the time and the process of making ethanol fuel can be improved. Some countries, like Brazil, have already adjusted to ethanol fuel and have as many as 50 percent of their cars using an ethanol gasoline blend and twenty percent using ethanol only. As this technology becomes more efficient and accessible these numbers are expected to rise.



People & Power - Ethanol & Bio-fuels - 17 Sep 07 - Part 1

 



The Original Revolutionary Fuel-Saving Technology

 

Ethanol Fuel News:

 

The End of the Age of Incentives
The Vermont Clean Energy Development Fund, of which I'm a board member, is meeting next week to approve the allocation of reservations for the last helping of Vermont Business Solar Tax Credit money available; when this money is gone, it doesn't look like there'll be any more...


BlueFire Ethanol Fuels Names Roger Petersen as New Board Member
During their annual shareholder meeting on Thursday, July 15, BlueFire Ethanol Fuels, Inc. , a company focused on changing the world's transportation fuel paradigm through the production of renewable fuels from non-food cellulosic ...


Just Say NO to Untested E15 - Responding to Growth Energy Claims
In its reaction to an advertising and public education campaign centered on the "Say NO to Untested E15, the ethanol industry group Growth Energy this week responded with a series of claims that the facts do not support...


South Africa: Renewable Energy Key to Sugar's Viability
THE sugar industry views expansion into renewable energy, such as through power co-generation and the production of ethanol, as essential for the long-term viability of its growers and millers...


Ethanol-pipeline studies proposed
The U.S. Department of Energy would be directed to study the feasibility of shipping ethanol by pipeline if a bill proposed by Rep. Leonard Boswell, D-Iowa, becomes law...


Ethanol Fuels: 4 Advantages & 4 Drawbacks
Drawback: One of the drawbacks of ethanol fuels is that the production of crops partially or completely depends on the elements such as the amount of rain and sun. Any drastic changes in these elements or environmental disasters can ...


Financial Sense Editorial "Buy Feed Corn: They're About to Stop .
As a result of the beautiful US Government subsidies to produce bio-ethanol fuels, and the new legislative mandate, the US refinery industry is investing big time in building new special ethanol distilleries, similar to oil refineries, ...


Waste Management and InEnTec push plan to vaporize Portland trash
The nation's largest landfill owner wants to team with a Bend-based company to turn 25 tons a day of Portland-area trash into fuel -- by vaporizing it at temperatures of up to 20,000 degrees...


Ethanol fuels races at Viking Speedway tonight
Three nights of ethanol-themed racing are scheduled for July 6-8 on three racetracks around Minnesota including Alexandria. Continue Reading...


New Chemical May Pave Way for Ethanol Pipelines
A new technology may aid in the development of pipeline infrastructure to move ethanol ...




The Original Revolutionary Fuel-Saving Technology


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