Is ethanol really worse than gasoline?
Ethanol Worse Than Gasoline. Feb 8 (IPS) – Biofuels are making climate change worse, not better, according to two new studies which found that total greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels are far higher than those from burning gasoline because biofuel production is pushing up food prices and resulting in deforestation and loss of grasslands.
What are the benefits of adding ethanol to gasoline?
What is Ethanol?
- Ethanol, Gasoline Blending. Currently, virtually all car models can run on an ethanol, gasoline mixture of 90/10%. ...
- Advantages of Ethanol. According to various studies, the use of ethanol in vehicles reduces the emission of greenhouse gases with up to 30% in every mile.
- Disadvantages of Ethanol. ...
- Benefits of Ethanol Free Gas. ...
Why is ethanol often added to gasoline?
Why is ethanol added to gasoline? In 1990, Congress revised the Clean Air Act that was established in 1977. With the new revisions, petroleum companies had to come up with a new way to make a cleaner-burning fuel that did not produce as many harmful pollutants that were hurting the Earth’s ozone.
What is ethanol and why is it added to gasoline?
Ethanol is an alcohol-based fuel that is distilled from plant materials, namely sugar and corn. Ethanol is used as an additive in gasoline to help oxygenate the gas, causing the fuel to burn completely. Thus, ethanol-infused gases produce cleaner emissions, leading to better air quality.
Is ethanol needed in gasoline?
Why is ethanol in our gas? Fuel ethanol is used to enhance the octane rating of gasoline. To put that simply, higher octane gas resists detonation, so it burns rather than exploding. But raising the octane level of gasoline is expensive; that's why premium fuel costs more than regular.
What does ethanol do to engines?
Since the ethanol is hygroscopic, it absorbs water from the air, causing the fuel blend to separate. Ethanol can be extremely damaging to small engines and high-powered sports equipment, leading to corrosion of the engine and fuel system.
What is the problem with ethanol in gasoline?
Ethanol Accelerates Fuel Oxidation It affects how easily your equipment starts, how well it runs and how efficient it operates. As fuel oxidizes, gums and varnish form, further reducing engine performance and causing engine damage. While oxidation is natural, ethanol makes matters worse.
Why do they put 10 ethanol in gasoline?
The use of E10 was spurred by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (and subsequent laws), which mandated the sale of oxygenated fuels in areas with unhealthy levels of carbon monoxide. This kicked off modern U.S. ethanol industry growth. Today, E10 is sold in every state.
Why is no ethanol gas better?
While not as popular as the ethanol blends, pure gas may be preferable for older car engines, as well as boats, lawn mowers or other tools. Ethanol-free gas also gets better fuel economy. However, most drivers use the E10 or E15 blends, with 10-15% ethanol. That ethanol content only reduces gas mileage by around 5%.
Can a car run on 100% ethanol?
Most cars on the road today in the U.S. can run on blends of up to 15% ethanol, and ethanol represented 10% of the U.S. gasoline fuel supply derived from domestic sources in 2011. Some flexible-fuel vehicles are able to use up to 100% ethanol.
Will ethanol free gas hurt my car?
Non-ethanol gasoline typically costs more than ethanol-blended varieties. Using non-ethanol gas in your car won't harm the vehicle's engine. You can mix ethanol-free gas with ethanol-blended varieties. However, using an ethanol blend may cause damage to your outdoor power equipment.
Will ethanol fuel hurt my engine?
Ethanol can cause several types of damage to the engine in your vehicle. Your vehicle's fuel intake components can be damaged. In addition, ethanol can cause damage to the fuel pump in your vehicle. These repairs and replacements can range from a few hundred dollars to more than $1,000 to take care of properly.
Does ethanol give better gas mileage?
Ethanol contains about one-third less energy than gasoline. So, vehicles will typically go 3% to 4% fewer miles per gallon on E10 and 4% to 5% fewer on E15 than on 100% gasoline.
Does all US gas have ethanol?
Ethanol is a renewable fuel made from various plant materials collectively known as "biomass." More than 98% of U.S. gasoline contains ethanol, typically E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline), to oxygenate the fuel, which reduces air pollution.
Why don't we use ethanol in cars?
Ethanol is bad for cold-starting, because it doesn't burn as quickly as gasoline. (It has a higher octane, if you're interested.) Pure ethanol would be useless as fuel in the winter months. There are no passenger cars designed to take E100 (but some racing cars are) so it could damage your car engine.
When did the US start putting ethanol in gasoline?
Ethanol is added to gasoline In 2005, the U.S. Congress enacted a Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that set minimum requirements for the use of renewable fuels, including ethanol, in motor fuels. In 2007, the RFS targets were set to rise steadily to 36 billion gallons by 2022.
Does ethanol ruin your engine?
Water-ethanol solutions can damage fuel systems and engines, and the system will need to get flushed to prevent further damage. Once phase separation has occurred, no additive can reverse it, and the fuel tank will require draining.
Does ethanol reduce engine life?
— Efficiency: Ethanol-blended fuel's lower energy efficiency may reduce fuel economy of your engine. — Stalling: Ethanol can cause engine stalling if the water in the ethanol separates from the gasoline and floods the engine. This problem is most likely in engines that sit unused for long periods of time.
Does 15% ethanol damage car engines?
Increasing ethanol content from the standard 10% blend to 15% can cause problems including fuel system component swelling, erratic fuel level indicators, faulty check-engine lights and failure of other parts that can lead to breakdowns, said Bob Greco, the American Petroleum Institute's downstream director.
Does ethanol increase horsepower?
Ethanol also has a higher octane number than gasoline, which provides increased power and performance.
Why is ethanol used in mixers?
This chemical compound was chosen due to its low price and because it helped mixers generate higher octane ratings. All seemed well until California discovered in 1995 that MTBE was showing up in high concentrations in its drinking water, which was traced back to spilled gasoline and leaky underground containers. Ethanol was widely seen as a safer replacement for MTBE and its use was pushed by the agricultural industry here in the States.
What is E85 fuel?
You've probably noticed that many vehicles are labeled with a Flex Fuel badge from the manufacturer, indicating that the car or truck is capable of running safely on E85 – a blend of 85-percent ethanol and 15-percent gasoline. For this article, we're not talking about E85 or other mixtures with high concentrations of the alcohol fuel.
What is the oxygen content of gasoline?
In the early 1990s, the United States government issued a series of amendments to the Clean Air Act that included the requirement to use oxygenated gasoline (minimum oxygen content of 2.0-percent by weight for reformulated gasoline in ozone non-attainment areas...for what it's worth) to help the fuel burn more completely in combustion. One of the favored oxygenates was methyl tert-butyl ether, or MTBE.
Can ethanol damage a car?
Even older cars (from the mid-1980s or so) are unlikely to be damaged by low concentrations of ethanol in gasoline, though it's possible a carburetor may need to be re-jetted to run on highly oxygenated fuels. Classic cars and trucks may need some replacement of older rubber lines and fittings that could potentially be damaged by high concentrations of alcohol in gasoline.
Is regular gasoline ethanol?
So, now that we know why regular gasoline probably has at least some ethanol in it, the next logical question is do you need to be worried about it? The answer is a qualified no. Today's cars and trucks are all fully capable of running on E10, a blend of 10-percent ethanol and 90-percent gasoline. Sophisticated computer systems and sensors constantly monitor the engine and the exhaust to be sure that everything (i.e., the air-fuel mixture) is kept at its optimum level.
Does ethanol help the air?
Since ethanol is used to oxygenate the gasoline mixture, which in turn allows the fuel to burn more completely and therefore produce cleaner emissions, its use in fuel has obvious benefits for air quality. Of course, the full issue is a bit more complicated than that.
Why is ethanol in our gas?
Fuel ethanol is used to enhance the octane rating of gasoline. To put that simply, higher octane gas resists detonation, so it burns rather than exploding. But raising the octane level of gasoline is expensive; that’s why premium fuel costs more than regular. Adding ethanol reduces the tendency of low-grade gasoline to detonate, enabling our national fleet to run on crappier gas.
What is E85 fuel?
In addition to use as a gasoline additive, fuel ethanol forms the bulk of E85, also known as flex-fuel. E85 is an alternative fuel supported by many automakers on a wide range of cars. E85, as the name suggests, is 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent petroleum and other products. Most E85-capable vehicles can also run on standard petroleum fuel.
Why do you need a vapor seal on a fuel pump?
Ethanol also wants to evaporate more than gasoline, and fuel evaporation is a major source of air pollution, so you need those spring-loaded vapor seals on fuel pumps and similar gear at the refining and distribution centers to keep ethanol in the fuel.
Why did the Model T run on moonshine?
He did this because gasoline was not commonly available everywhere in 1908, and farmers could produce ethanol very cheaply and use it to fuel their vehicles – essentially, you could run your Model T on moonshine. Ethanol also made a comeback as fuel during WWII when gasoline was strictly rationed.
How much ethanol is in gasoline?
Today, 97 percent of gasoline sold in America has ethanol in it. The exact amount of ethanol in the mix varies from state to state, however, and in some states, you can find ethanol-free premium gas if you look for it. But in general, you can expect that gasoline sold in the United States has around 10 percent ethanol in it.
Where is ethanol exported?
Most exported ethanol goes to Brazil, Canada, China, India, and South Korea.
What are some ways to produce ethanol?
Mostly, this revolves around using waste paper, sawdust, and fast-growing grasses. These are all better alternatives than the water and fertilizer-intensive corn crop.
What percentage of ethanol is used in gasoline?
competition and greater savings for the fuel that powers their vehicles. Nearly all U.S. gasoline today contains 10 percent ethanol, and the use of 15 percent ethanol blends and flex fuels like E85 is increasing. 15 percent ethanol blends (E15) are higher quality fuels that offer greater savings. The EPA has approved E15 use in more than 90 percent of the existing U.S. auto fleet, and 9 out of 10 new cars carry the manufacturer’s warranty and approval for E15.
How does ethanol affect the environment?
Ethanol is responsible for removing the carbon equivalent of 20 million cars from the road. At the same time, the environmental impacts of producing ethanol have been greatly reduced. Natural gas and electricity use at dry mill ethanol plants has fallen nearly 40 percent since 1995, while consumptive water use has been cut in half. This has occurred while the amount of ethanol produced from a bushel has increased. Producers are getting 15 percent more ethanol from a bushel of corn than 20 years ago. The result? A smaller carbon footprint and an increase in energy efficiency. Ethanol use reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 40-45 percent compared to gasoline–even when hypothetical land-use change emissions are included. By displacing hydrocarbon substances like aromatics in gasoline, ethanol also helps reduce emissions of air toxics, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides, and exhaust hydrocarbons.
How much does ethanol add to corn?
Ethanol and feed co-product production provide a valuable market for corn grown in the United States. A typical dry mill ethanol plant adds nearly $2 of additional value – or 55 percent – to every bushel of corn processed.
How many people will work in the ethanol industry in 2020?
In 2020, the industry directly employed more than 62,000 American workers and supported an additional 242,600 indirect and induced jobs across the economy. Nearly one in five of those workers is a veteran of the U.S. military. The ethanol industry generated $34.7 billion in gross domestic product and boosted household income by $18.6 billion.
Is ethanol a renewable fuel?
Ethanol, a renewable fuel, has been blended in gasoline in the U.S. for over 40 years, helping reduce vehicle emissions, improve air quality, increase our energy independence, lower consumer fuel prices, and provide value-added markets for American farmers.
Why do we use ethanol over gasoline?
One of the political reasons for using ethanol over gasoline is to prevent America from heading into a greater mercy hold of foreign oil producing countries. Which is a good reason for a purely political nation.
What is ethanol?
Ethanol is the same type of alcohol that is found in an alcoholic drink. It's often used in motor vehicle gasoline as an additive. Our gasoline today contains roughly 10% ethanol, E10. With this fuel composition, it has close to the same amount of energy potential that straight gasoline does, only 2-3% less. And if you want to use ethanol fuel (E100), it takes 1.5 gallons of E100 to equal the same amount of energy given by 1 gallon of gasoline. So you ask why this would be so bad besides the increased cost of running a higher ethanol rated fuel? Why are people starting to use this gas more? Let's take a look at some of the bad and good about ethanol gasoline. We will talk about some general good news, bad news, and how ethanol effects small engines a little more specifically. I always like hearing the bad news first.
How much ethanol was produced in 2011?
So in 2011, with the total acreage of land used for corn puts the United States at a total of 23,845,600,000 gallons of ethanol in one year of 100% of all corn is put towards ethanol. If we changed over to E85 we could produce 27,422,440,000 gallons of E85 if there was no waste.
How many miles per gallon is E10 gas?
The New York Times stated that E10 gasoline, which is the gas we use in America, actually gives you 2-3 miles per gallon less than gasoline. E85 is a flex-fuel with 85% ethanol loses 7-8 miles per gallon.
How long does it take for E10 gas to break down?
The ethanol in E10 gas breaks down quickly. An MTD area representative informed me that E10 begins to break down within 3 weeks. This break down creates clumps in the gasoline mixture at some point and this may clog the filter, carburetor, fuel line, etc. To help prevent this a person should purchase a product such as Sta-bil and add it as directed to their gas. This will help prolong the life of the gas and keep it from harming your small engine as much. Talking with an area small engine repair shop, the E10 breaking down is the major cause of equipment being sent in. And after inspection, diagnosis, repair and testing it generally cost between $50.00 and $60.00 even when the issue is simply bad gas. They drain the system and add new gas that has a stabilizer in it after diagnosing the issue.
Why is Flex Fuel important?
And this increases the cost of food products, which creates competition for the ethanol fuel. Notice that this is the second time that I have mentioned this - it is important. And 328 gallons of ethanol can be created from 1 acre of land.
How is ethanol made?
In the United States, ethanol is created from corn. The largest crop produced in the United States, roughly 72,700,000 acres of land go towards growing corn. During the time of writing this hub that is about $15,100,000,000 per year. Approximately 7% of the national corn yield went into making ethanol in 2001 and that increased to about 39% in 2010. And some of you may be wondering way.
How does ethanol affect fuel economy?
Ethanol’s impact on fuel economy is dependent on the ethanol content in the fuel and whether an engine is optimized to run on gasoline or ethanol. Ethanol Energy Balance. In the United States, 94% of ethanol is produced from the starch in corn grain. Energy is required to turn any raw feedstock into ethanol.
How does ethanol improve energy balance?
Cellulosic ethanolimproves the energy balance of ethanol because the feedstocks are either waste, co-products of another industry (wood, crop residues), or are dedicated crops—s uch as switchgrass and miscanthus— with low water and fertilizer requirements compared to corn.
What percentage of gasoline is ethanol?
More than 98% of U.S. gasoline contains ethanol, typically E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline), to oxygenatethe fuel, which reduces air pollution. Ethanol is also available as E85(or flex fuel), which can be used in flexible fuel vehicles, designed to operate on any blend of gasoline and ethanol up to 83%. Another blend, E15, is approved ...
How is ethanol made?
There are several steps involved in making ethanol available as a vehicle fuel: 1 Biomass feedstocksare grown, collected, and transported to an ethanol production facility. 2 Feedstocksare converted to ethanol at a production facility and then transported to a fuel terminal or end-user by rail, truck, or barge. 3 Ethanol is blended with gasoline at the fuel terminal to make E10, E15, or E85, and then distributed by truck to fueling stations. E15 is either sourced directly from a terminal or via a blender pump from the E10 and E85 tanks at a station.
Is ethanol a solid or a liquid?
Ethanol (CH3CH2OH) is a clear, colorless liquid. It is also known as ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, and EtOH (see Fuel Properties search.) Ethanol has the same chemical formula regardless of whether it is produced from starch- or sugar-based feedstocks, such as corn grain (as it primarily is in the United States), sugar cane (as it primarily is in Brazil), or from cellulosic feedstocks(such as wood chips or crop residues).
Does corn produce ethanol?
Energy is required to turn any raw feedstock into ethanol. Ethanol produced from corn demonstrates a positive energy balance , meaning that the process of producing ethanol fuel does not require more energy than the amount of energy contained in the fuel itself.
Is ethanol less than gasoline?
Ethanol contains less energy per gallon than gasoline, to varying degrees, depending on the volume percentage of ethanol in the blend. Denatured ethanol (98% ethanol) contains about 30% less energy than gasoline per gallon. Ethanol’s impact on fuel economy is dependent on the ethanol content in the fuel and whether an engine is optimized to run on gasoline or ethanol.
What is the most common type of ethanol used in gasoline?
However, because the United States is one of largest producers of corn, ethanol made from fermented corn is the most common type of ethanol that is used in gasoline in the U.S. Because it is made from natural resources, it does burn slightly cleaner and emits fewer pollutants than regular gas alone.
How much ethanol is in gasoline?
Today, roughly 97% of all gasoline that is sold in the U.S. contains ethanol. There are three main types of ethanol gas to choose from E85, which contains 85% ethanol; E10, which contains 10% ethanol; and E15, which you have probably guessed by now, contains 15% ethanol.
What is ethanol made of?
Ethanol is usually made from fermented corn and is found in most alcoholic beverages. The type of ethanol that is put into gasoline is a little bit different from regular alcohol ethanol. In order to make the ethanol suitable for vehicles, it goes into a separate refinery where other chemicals are added to it.
Why do you need to replace rubber lines on an engine?
Anything older than that, and you may want to replace some of the old rubber lines on the engine before you put a more oxygenated gas into it. Ethanol gas has many benefits. One of the benefits is that it can help the environment by emitting less carbon dioxide into the air.
What is the chemical compound that makes gasoline burn better?
The first solution that many companies had come up with was to use a chemical compound called methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). That particular compound was later discovered to be pretty harmful in humans.
Did ethanol help power cars?
Using ethanol to help power vehicles was not a foreign concept back then. In fact, Henry Ford had even predicted that one day, vehicles would run purely on ethanol when he had said: “The fuel of the future is going to come from fruit like the sumac out by the road, or from apples, weeds, sawdust – almost anything.
Is ethanol used in cars?
Using ethanol to help power vehicles was not a foreign concept back then. In fact, Henry Ford had even predicted that one day, vehicles would run purely on ethanol when he had said: “The fuel of the future is going to come from fruit like the sumac out by the road, or from apples, weeds, sawdust – almost anything. There is fuel in every bit of vegetable matter that can be fermented. There’s enough alcohol in one year’s yield of an acre of potatoes to drive the machinery necessary to cultivate the fields for a hundred years.”
Why is ethanol added to gasoline?
Ethanol is added to gasoline as mandated by the EPA to lower carbon emissions to make running of such engines more eco-friendly. Ethanol-blended fuels left untreated can start “phasing.” Phase separation is when ethanol in the fuel absorbs too much water, and separates from gasoline by dropping to the bottom of the tank since the ethanol and water mixture that results from phase separation is heavier than gasoline. Water-ethanol solutions can damage fuel systems and engines, and the system will need to get flushed to prevent further damage. Once phase separation has occurred, no additive can reverse it, and the fuel tank will require draining. If the fuel and ethanol have completely phase-separated, the fuel in the tank will be unusable and must be drained. Mechanics offer ‘pump-out’ services to drain and flush the fuel system.
What happens if you phase separate ethanol and fuel?
If the fuel and ethanol have completely phase-separated, the fuel in the tank will be unusable and must be drained. Mechanics offer ‘pump-out’ services to drain and flush the fuel system. Be careful on what you hear, as there is no magic ingredient to reverse phase separation after it has already dropped to the bottom.
How long does ethanol treatment last?
Like the Fuel Stabilizer, the Ethanol Treatments protect fuel for up to 12 months. However, because ethanol is in your tank every day, these STA-BIL® Treatments are recommended during every fill-up. Image By – canonsnapper.
Does ethanol clog fuel tanks?
A third issue is that ethanol can loosen debris that normally collects in the corners of the fuel tank and can lead to clogged fuel systems. Again, adding a fuel treatment that contains cleaners will allow for these dirt particles to pass through your system.
Does ethanol cause corrosion?
Ethanol may contribute to corrosion of fuel tanks and other fuel system components at a rapid rate. It is very important to pour in a fuel additive that guards against corrosion every time you fill the tank; this is especially true with small engines since many still use aluminium parts which corrode more quickly resulting in oxides that look like white rust.
Does gasoline contain ethanol?
Most of the gasoline sold today in the United States contains ethanol, and the percentage is expected to increase over the next few years. Gasoline and ethanol are delivered to the gas stations separately and are blended together at gas stations during delivery. So what are the effects of ethanol in gasoline, and what can you do to prolong ...
Does gasoline oxidize?
The final important fact to remember is that gasoline “oxidizes” when exposed to air. That is, it loses its volatility over time and may turn to varnish. Using a fuel additive that will address all of these issues will help you enjoy your gasoline-powered small engines and/or boat worry-free for years to come.
Where does ethanol come from?
Brazil, the world's second-largest fuel ethanol producer after the United States, makes most of its fuel ethanol from sugar cane. Most of the cars in Brazil can run on pure ethanol or on a blend of gasoline and ethanol. USDA researchers adding yeast to begin ethanol fermentation.
How is ethanol made?
Ethanol can also be produced by breaking down cellulose in plant fibers. This cellulosic ethanol is considered an advanced biofuel and involves a more complicated and costly production process than fermentation. However, there are large potential non-food crop sources of cellulosic feedstocks. Trees, grasses, and agricultural residues are potential feedstocks for cellulosic ethanol production. Trees and grasses require less energy, fertilizers, and water to grow than grains do, and they can also be grown on lands that are not suitable for growing food crops. Scientists have developed fast-growing trees that grow to full size in 10 years. Many grasses can produce two harvests a year for many years without annual replanting. Despite the technical potential for cellulosic ethanol production, economical production has been difficult to achieve and only relatively small amounts of cellulosic fuel ethanol have been produced United States.
What is the most common feedstock used to make fuel ethanol?
The starch in corn kernels is fermented into sugar, which is then fermented into alcohol. Sugar cane and sugar beets are the most common feedstocks used to make fuel ethanol in other parts of the world. Because alcohol is made by fermenting sugar, sugar crops are the easiest ingredients to convert into alcohol.
What are the feedstocks for ethanol production?
Trees, grasses, and agricultural residues are potential feedstocks for cellulosic ethanol production. Trees and grasses require less energy, fertilizers, and water to grow than grains do, and they can also be grown on lands that are not suitable for growing food crops.
Why did the ethanol tax increase in the 1850s?
The tax increased the price of ethanol so much that it could no longer compete with other fuels such as kerosene . Ethanol production declined sharply because of this tax, and production levels did not begin to recover until the tax was repealed in 1906.
What is the main feedstock for ethanol?
The most common ethanol production processes today use yeast to ferment the starch and sugars in corn , sugar cane, and sugar beets. Corn is the main feedstock for fuel ethanol in the United States because of its abundance and relatively low price historically.
Why was ethanol banned in the 1920s?
Ford called this mixture the fuel of the future. In 1919, when Prohibition began, ethanol was banned because it was considered an alcoholic beverage. It could only be sold when mixed with petroleum.