Ethanol – Things You Should Know

Due to the price of gasoline, world tensions, and environmental issues there has been a lot in the news lately regarding alternative-fuels. One of the more talked about alternative-fuels is ethanol, what follows is a basic fact sheet on this popular biofuel.

• Ethanol is a vegetable oil based fuel as opposed to standard petroleum fuel.

• Pure ethanol is a clear, colorless liquid.

• Ethanol cuts poisonous exhaust emissions when compared to standard fuel.

• Chemically, Ethanol is a kind of alcohol.

• Ethanol melts at -114° C (-173°F) and boils at 78.5°C (173.5°F).

• Simple sugars are the raw materials that make Ethanol.

• Currently, Ethanol is use mainly by large corporations or government branches who can afford to invest in their own fueling stations, although this is changing.

• Nissan, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, and Ford among others make cars that run on Ethanol.

• The vegetables most often associated with the manufacture of Ethanol are corn, barley, trees, grasses, and wheat.

• Ethanol is sometimes used in combination with gasoline, the most popular mixture known as E85 which is 85% Ethanol and 15% gasoline.

• Despite it’s resurgence in popularity, Ethanol has been looked to as a fuel for decades. In fact, Henry Ford originally planned the Model T to run on alcohol.

• Almost all car manufacturers now approve of the use of ethanol in their warranty information.

• The fermentation and the distilling of crops with high sugar content is the basis for making Ethanol.

• Usually industrial grade Ethanol has been denatured, which means a small percentage of unpleasant chemicals (some poisonous) have been added, so it cannot be consumed by humans as an alcoholic beverage.

• Neither the manufacturing or the burning of ethanol adds to the greenhouse effect.

• Ethanol is 100% biodegradable.

• Ethanol is a very high octane substitute for conventional fuel.

• Ethanol can be manufactured privately on an individual level using a still, although it is a little more complex than the manufacture of Biodiesel.

Ethanol is just one of many cleaner burning, sometimes cheaper, better for the world alternative fuels. With the proper research and development, a world that depends less on oil and oil producing countries is a reality.

Mark Allen is a strong supporter of the continued serch for a viable alternative-fuel. More information at http://www.biodieselplans.info

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Ethanol and E85

Pure ethanol or E100 is also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol. It is made when corn, grain, or other agricultural products are fermented, distilled, and denatured and because of this, it is a continually renewable resource, a true benefit in the world of alternative fuels. Another benefit is the fact that, unlike many other, mainly petroleum based, fuels, it contributes nothing to the build-up of greenhouse gases. Because of its renewable nature, it is possible to extensively reduce a nation’s dependence on foreign oil products.

Pure ethanol is never used as an alternative fuel, but ethanol blends are. For example, E10 is a fuel made of 10 percent ethanol and blended with 90 percent gasoline. The most common blend is E85, a fuel made of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. E85 is officially classified by the U.S. Department of Energy as an alternative energy fuel. It could be used in most cars today that are run on gasoline with some modification, and new, flexible fuel vehicles, are being developed that could use E85. Recently, lobbyists have been pushing for its use in FFVs or flexible fuel vehicles, alternative vehicles that have a lesser impact on the environment than today’s gas guzzling cars.

E85 Properties

Why is E85 gaining in popularity to the point that lines of vehicles are being developed that will run on it alone? Compare it to the properties of gasoline, and see for yourself:

It is a renewable resource
Reduces dependence on foreign oil
Reduces smog and emissions
96 octane to 86-94 octane in gasoline
12,500 lower heating value to 18,000-19,000 lower heating value of gasoline
1.4 gallons of E85 is equal to 1 gallon gasoline
Per gallon, E85 gets 72% of the miles that gasoline gets
Holding tank is 1.4 times larger than a gasoline holding tank
In cold weather, E85 starts the car as well as gasoline
Vehicle power is increased 3-5% with E85

Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFV)

A flexible fuel vehicle is a car that runs on any ethanol blend, E85 or less, and can also run on regular unleaded gas. They have been in production for almost a decade and continue to be built by some major car manufacturers including Ford, GM, Mercury, Isuzu, and more. Over 2 million of today’s vehicles are flexible fuel vehicles, which can run on ethanol, gasoline, or a mixture of the two. You may own one of these FFV’s without even being aware of it. Some of the benefits of flexible fuel vehicles include:

Emissions that create smog are reduced 25 percent
Cost effectiveness is equal to that of cars run on gasoline
Similar warranties and original equipment are manufactured as they are for gasoline run vehicles
Emissions that create greenhouse gases are reduced 35 to 40 percent
Vehicle horsepower increased up to 5 percent
Fuel is renewable
New vehicles can be ordered with a flexible fuel engine option
More and more E85 pumps are springing up all over the country
Gasoline can be mixed with any amount of E85 if E85 is not available

Hybrid Vehicles And Ethanol

Most cars, including hybrid cars have no problems with a 10 percent ethanol blend. However, at this time, the combination of E85 and the hybrid car is only slowly making its way from the drawing board to the highway. Some instances have occurred where the two have been combined, but these are primarily in fleet situations and concept cars so far. However, it shouldn’t be too long before you can buy a hybrid car that will run on E85.

Drawbacks of E85

There are a few disadvantages to E85 at this point in the game, though they hardly outweigh the benefits. Some of these include:

The cost of E85 is formidable due to the cost of the fermentation process but research has already begun to develop a new and cheaper fermentation process that utilizes lower-grade feed stocks.
Ethanol is quite a bit more corrosive than gasoline, which could lead to engine problems.

Issues of things like vapor lock, flame visibility, and cold starts have experts concerned.
The miles per gallon of E85 is less efficient than the miles per gallons of gasoline.
It’s not easy to find E85 gasoline tanks because distribution is difficult.

One present disadvantage that DOES outweigh the ecological value for the consumer is the scarcity of locations selling E85. This will probably continue to change over time however. For those in the military, there are some military bases where E85 can be found.

Despite the limitations, ethanol based alternative fuels like E85 are an incredible improvement over the use of gasoline. Some car manufacturers are offering to upgrade regular engines to E85 capability for no cost, and the fact that flexible fuel vehicles are not reliant upon E85 but can use gasoline in any combination with the ethanol blend makes it a simple choice. Scientists and researchers are working on ways to fix the remaining issues. This new technology is more than a trend but the direction in which the future is taking drivers.

You can learn more about alternative fuels and flexible fuel vehicles, including what vehicles are flexible fuel vehicles, and where to find E85, at the United States Government’s Alternative Fuel Data Center. You can locate them online at http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/infrastructure/fuel_inf.html

The author is retired from the Army after 21 years of service, has worked as an accountant, optical lab manager, restaurant manager, and instructor. He has been a member of Mensa for several years, and has written and published poetry, essays, and articles on various subjects for the last 40 years. He is keenly interested in the fuels of the future, America’s dependence on foreign oil, the physical limits of stores of petroleum based products, and the futures of his grandchildren.

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Benefits of Alternative Energy

The world’s reliance on oil is staggering, and it seems that new predictions for when we will run out of petroleum are popping up every day.

World governments are moving to start drilling in new places, in a desperate attempt to secure more black gold.

Oil is used for a variety of products, including fuel, which is the number one commodity that people associate oil with.

If we are to survive as a species, it is integral that we embrace the number of alternative fuels that are sitting before us. Even if one alone is not enough to wean us off oil, it is surely possible that together, we can replace oil once and for all, at least in terms of fuel.

There are innumerable benefits to embracing alternative fuels, and very few negatives. In fact, the only arguably bad thing about alternative fuels is that they ultimately decrease the profits of oil companies, although most people do not care about that.

Petroleum based fuels are known to release greenhouse gases and harmful pollutants in to the air. Over time, greenhouse gases have been shown to accelerate global warming, and the dirtier the air is, the unhealthier we are. By taking advantage of alternative fuels, we can reverse these downward trends, stop global warming, and make air completely safe to breathe again.

Proponents of oil say that our economy would be extremely damaged by our disposal of traditional fossil fuels. It seems, however, that the onset of alternative fuels will actually be beneficial to our economy.

Companies that research and provide alternative energy are popping up at an increasing rate, creating jobs and stimulating the economy. If alternative fuels were supported more heavily, additional companies could enter the market and continue to innovate. Solar power is the process of converting the sun’s rays in to energy.

The vast majority of sunlight which strikes the Earth is left unabsorbed, so we might as well try to take as much as we can get.

Solar energy is produced through the application of solar cells, and several solar cells put together form solar panels. The solar cells convert sunlight in to direct current energy through the photoelectric effect. When light hits the surface of the cell, electrons are released, and they are harnessed in to usable electricity.

Solar engineers are currently trying to develop more efficient and effective solar cells, so that we may one day be able to rely on them for the majority of our appliances.

Wind energy uses the power of the wind to generate electricity. Wind is converted in to electricity through the utilization of wind turbines, which have taken on a thin, three bladed shape in modern times.

Currently, wind power supplies one percent of the world’s electricity needs, although with coming advancements in wind technology and the expansion of the industry, that number could rise substantially in the next few years.

Hydroelectric power is the most used form of alternative energy, supplying nineteen percent of the world’s electricity. It is generated by the potential energy of falling water, which powers a water turbine and generator.

Large dams have been constructed solely for the purpose of creating this kind of energy, and due to the continuous flow of water, hydroelectricity has proven to be quite effective. Like other renewable energy sources, there remains a lot of untapped potential in this field.

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Alternative Fuel

There is a difference between fuels such as petroleum, coal, natural gas and alternative fuels. Most fuels are potential sources of chemical energy that can be used to power engines or heat buildings. A fuel is actually a way to store potential stable energy that can be easily transported from its place of production to its place of use.

There are many reasons why conventional fossil fuels are falling into disfavor. The demand for these fuels is falling and so the search for alternative fuels is rising high. One of the main disadvantages of fossil fuels is their scarceness. Also, the burning of these fuels releases greenhouse gases resulting in global warming.

According to a research, the demand for conventional fuels will outstrip supplies within the next couple of decades. The main source fossil fuels are the volatile regions of Middle East and so, this is another reason for the quest of alternatives.

Alternative fuels are not standard form of fossil fuel. From an environmental point of view, alternative fuels refer to some renewable source of power which is environmentally and economically benign.

Most alternative fuels are made from materials that can be readily found and are in abundance or easily renewable There are various types of alternative fuels such as biodiesel and water. When we think of water as an alternative fuel, it is not water but a subcomponent of water that can be used as an alternative. There are water hybrid conversion kits that utilize the current from the cars battery to break down the water into HHO or brown gas. This gas is used to fuel the vehicle.

Nowadays biodiesel is the best choice as an alternative fuel. It is made from vegetable oil; it produces less pollution and is safe to humans. Interestingly, glycerin is produced as a by-product which, in turn, is used in soaps.

With an increase in demand for conventional fuels, alternative fuels will serve as a boon to industries and technology.

About Author:

Pauline Go is a professional writer for many websites. She also writes other great articles like Crude Oil Usage In USA, Do Fuel Savers Work?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pauline_Go

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Alternative Fuel

Alternative Fuel

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