• Ethanol is a clear liquid with a pleasing smell. It is also referred to as ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, or ETOH.
• Ethanol is made by fermenting and distilling simple sugars.
• The majority of ethanol produced in the US is derived from corn, though it can also be produced from other agricultural feedstocks such as corn, grain sorghum, wheat, and sugar.
• Ethanol production in the United States totaled almost 5 billion gallons in 2006, about 1 billion gallons more than in 2005.
• Ethanol production is expected to exceed 10 billion gallons by 2009
• In 2006, ethanol (by volume) represented about 3.5 percent of motor vehicle gasoline supplies in the United States.
• About 14 percent of corn use went to ethanol production in the 2005/06 crop year.
• The world's top producer of ethanol is Brazil, sugar being the primary feedstock.
• Ethanol is regarded as a renewable fuel as it is derived from crops or plants that utilize energy from the sun.
• Ethanol is biodegradable without harmful effects on the environment.
• According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, ethanol's high oxygen content reduces carbon monoxide levels by 25-30% more than any other oxygenate.
• Ethanol blends dramatically reduce emissions of hydrocarbons, a major contributor to the depletion of the ozone layer.
• Ethanol has replaced MTBE in certain states – notably California, New York and Connecticut – as a reaction to concerns regarding MTBE.
• Ethanol is a 115 octane, 15 RVP, blendstock.
Types of ethanol
• E95 : Pure ethanol, or the alcohol produced in an ethanol production facility. E95 must be denatured so humans cannot consume it. While it can be used by some vehicles in its pure form, most E95 is currently blended with gasoline for resale in petroleum markets.
• E85 : A mixture of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, E85 is a leading alternative fuel used in the US. Over 5-mil autos run on E85 fuel,
and it can be purchased at approximately 600 refueling sites in the US. When E85 is not available, these "flexible" fuel vehicles can operate
on any blend of ethanol or straight unleaded gasoline.
• E10 : The most common from of ethanol, E10 contains 10% ethanol and
90% gasoline. All automobile manufacturers in the US approve the use
of E10.
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