Ethanol+2

=**Ethanol **=




 * Definition:**

Ethanol is a clean-burning, high-octane motor fuel that is produced from renewable sources. At its most basic, ethanol is grain alcohol, produced from crops such as corn. Because it is domestically produced, ethanol helps reduce America's dependence upon foreign sources of energy.




 * What is its source? (where does it come from or how is/was it formed?)**

Corn is the primary feedstock for U.S. ethanol production, and some grain sorghum is also used in some areas outside the main corn-growing region. Ethanol can also be made from a variety of other products, such as wheat, barley, sugar cane or beets, cheese whey, or potatoes.

Ethanol can be made either by the dry-mill or the wet-mill method. Wet-mill facilities were more common in the industry's early days, but today dry-mill ethanol plants far outnumber them and represent the method used by all new ethanol producers. A wet-mill makes a variety of products from corn including ethanol, corn sweeteners, and gluten feed. Dry-mill facilities are dedicated to the production of ethanol and its co-products.

In the coming years, cellulosic feedstocks will also be used for ethanol production. Products like corn stalks, grain straw, rice hulls, sugarcane bagasse, native grasses like switchgrass, wood chips, or even municipal waste can be converted to ethanol.


 * How is this source used to make energy? (is it burned, “captured,” etc)**

Ethanol is mixed with gasoline and burned in vehicles ls such as cars, boats, snowmobiles, and other small engines.


 * What equipment do you need to convert the “raw material” into energy?**

http://www.ethanol.org/index.php?id=73&parentid=8


 * Give a real-life example of where it is used, and how.**

Auto Racing



Ethanol has been used as a fuel or fuel additive in various auto races for a number of years, but ethanol's relationship with the Indy Racing League has propelled the renewable fuel to a national racing platform.

Beginning with the IndyCar Series' 2007 season, the series has switched from its former race fuel, methanol, to 100% ethanol. The transition began during the 2006 season when the series used a 10% ethanol, 90% methanol blend. Beginning with the '07 season, 100% ethanol is now the fuel of the IndyCar Series, including the world-famous Indy 500.

Advantages:
 * List two advantages and two disadvantages.**
 * The use of ethanol-blended fuel helps reduce the environmental and economic impacts of gasoline consumption on our society.
 * The production and use of ethanol benefits our economy on all levels - local, state, and national. From the local communities where the crops are grown and processed to the metropolitan areas where drivers fill up with a domestically produced fuel, American-made ethanol propels the economy.
 * In its 2002 study "Ethanol and the Local Community", AUS Consultants and SJH & Company found that:
 * - With an approximate cost of $60 million for one year of construction, an ethanol plant expands the local economic base by $110 million each year.
 * - Ethanol production will generate an additional $19.6 million in household income annually.
 * - Tax revenue for local and state governments will increase by at least $1.2 million a year.
 * - Nearly 700 permanent jobs will be created in the area near an ethanol plant.

Disadvantages:
 * The first is price: ethanol can be more expensive than gasoline, depending on where you live. Data on fuel prices from the DOE shows that in the Midwest (where much of the country's ethanol is produced) E85 sells for nearly 30 cents less per gallon than conventional gasoline. However, on the West Coast, filling up with ethanol would cost a driver 35 cents more per gallon. In the mid-Atlantic states, E85 had an even higher premium: 44 cents per gallon.
 * The higher price of E85 in many areas is made worse by ethanol's second drawback: ethanol, regardless of the price you pay for it, contains less energy than gasoline. This means that your car won't go as far on a gallon of E85, and your fuel economy will decrease by 20-30 percent. This is bad news for consumers because even if the price of E85 at the pump is cheaper than gasoline, using ethanol may not be less expensive in the end.


 * The most unusual fact I learned was…….**

Unblended 100% ethanol is not used as a motor fuel; instead, a percentage of ethanol is combined with unleaded gasoline.

The most common blends are:

E10 - 10% ethanol and 90% unleaded gasoline

E10 is approved for use in any make or model of vehicle sold in the U.S. Many automakers recommend its use because of its high performance, clean-burning characteristics. Today about 70% of America's gasoline contained some ethanol, most as this E10 blend.

E85 - 85% ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline

E85 is an alternative fuel for use in flexible fuel vehicles. There are currently more than 6 million flexible fuel vehicles on America's roads today, and automakers are rolling out more each year. In conjunction with more flexible fuel vehicles, more E85 pumps are being installed across the country. When E85 is not avaialble, these flexible fuel vehicles can operate on straight gasoline or any ethanol blend up to 85%.

In addition it does not take a special vehicle to run on "ethanol". All vehicles are "ethanol vehicles" and can use up to 10% ethanol with no modifications to the engine.


 * Sources:**

http://www.hybridcars.com/ethanol/benefits-drawbacks.html http://www.ethanol.org/index.php