Ethanol
Ethanol is a type of alcohol made by fermenting starch or sugar-based products such as corn, potatoes, wheat and sorghum, as well as agricultural products like sugarcane, rice straw, and even paper. Historically, corn has been the go-to source of ethanol because of its low cost and abundance. Plus, corn delivers huge amounts of starch that convert to simpler sugars, which in turn can be fermented into ethanol.
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Historical Notes
The very first mass-produced automobile, the Model T, was designed to run on ethanol. During the OPEC oil crises of the 1970s, ethanol went into gasoline as a fuel additive to extend domestic stocks. In the 1980s, ethanol saw widespread use as an octane enhancer, replacing environmentally harmful components in gasoline like lead and benzene. The passage of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 required enhancers in gasoline used in the nation's most polluted regions. This rise in demand for ethanol gave a boost to the rural economy. Farmers across the Midwest created cooperative ethanol production plants, which drove the advancement of the industry.
Octane Enhancer, Fuel Extender
Regular unleaded gasoline typically has an octane rating of 87; premium unleaded, a rating of 91. Pure ethanol has an average octane rating of 113. Adding ethanol to gasoline allows refiners to produce greater quantities of lower octane gas "blend stock." The resulting increase in octane rating expands the volume of the fuel supply. In short, ethanol helps generate more fuel from a barrel of oil, reducing America's dependence on foreign crude oil.
Clean, Renewable, Biodegradable
Ethanol isn't just a renewable resource; ethanol works in harmony with Earth's natural carbon cycle. And that's big in the fight to control carbon emissions that drive global warming. Petroleum products release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and lack the biological capacity to remove the excess. But crops grown to produce ethanol consume carbon dioxide: The carbon dioxide released from the combustion of ethanol goes back into growing crops. (Ethanol is also non-toxic, water soluble and biodegradable.)
Ethanol's 35 percent oxygen content also delivers more complete combustion, which lowers tailpipe emissions by as much as 30 percent.
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 established minimum nationwide levels of renewable fuels to be included in gasoline. VeraSun believes the actual use of renewable fuels will surpass mandated requirements.
Energy Independence
It's no secret: America is dependent on foreign oil. According to the Energy Information Administration, the United States currently imports 62 percent of its crude oil; a figure expected to rise to 77 percent by 2025. Additionally, political unrest destabilizes supplies while developing nations like China and India increase demand for oil.
Source: Renewable Fuels Association
As a domestic, renewable source of energy, ethanol reduces our country's dependence on foreign oil by increasing the availability of domestic fuel supplies. The ethanol industry group, the Renewable Fuels Association, estimates that ethanol use reduces the country's trade deficit by $2 billion per year and oil imports by 128,000 barrels per day. And that's good news for all of us.
Information sourced from the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) and American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE).