Ethanol

FUELING CA WITH ETHANOL

Ethanol fuel is a renewable energy source made from plant materials such as corn, sugarcane, and other biomass. When considering ethanol as a fuel for your car, it’s important to note its compatibility with certain types of engines and vehicles designed or modified to use this fuel. Ethanol blends, like E10 or E85, mix ethanol with gasoline in varying proportions, which can affect fuel economy and performance differently. Additionally, ethanol fuel may have environmental implications, such as reduced carbon emissions compared to conventional gasoline. Before making the switch, it is advisable to check your vehicle’s manufacturer guidelines and assess the availability of ethanol fuel stations in your area.

LEARN below about the BENEFITS and OBSTACLES of choosing ETHANOL to fuel your transportation.

DID YOU KNOW?

More than 98% of U.S. gasoline contains some ethanol,
the most common blend E10 containing 10% ethanol.

Cellulosic ethanol’s carbon intensity can be as much as 80% below gasoline’s.

U.S. corn ethanol has 44% to 52% lower greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline.

The carbon emissions of ethanol fuel depend on the type of feedstock used: Corn ethanol that uses the corn kernel; and Cellulosic ethanol that uses the corn stalk, corn leaves, switchgrass etc.​

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What are your thoughts on ETHANOL?

Fueling California is a community of people passionate about the future of transportation in California. Head over to our discussion forums by clicking the button below or Fuel for Thought in the website menu to see what fellow Californians think about ethanol as a source of transportation energy.

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Citations

U.S. Department of Energy. (n.d.-c). Alternative Fuels Data Center: Ethanol. EERE: Alternative Fuels Data Center Home Page. Retrieved August 23, 2023, from https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/ethanol.html#:~:text=Ethanol%20is%20a%20renewable%20fuel,ethanol%2C%2090%25%20gasoline

David Kramer; Whatever happened to cellulosic ethanol?. Physics Today 1 July 2022; 75 (7): 22–24. https://doi.org/10.1063/PT.3.5036

Sarisky-Reed, V. (n.d.). Ethanol vs. Petroleum-Based Fuel Carbon Emissions  | Department of Energy. Energy.Gov. Retrieved August 23, 2023, from https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/articles/ethanol-vs-petroleum-based-fuel-carbon-emissions

U.S. Department of Energy. (n.d.-e). Alternative Fuels Data Center: Ethanol Production. EERE: Alternative Fuels Data Center Home Page. Retrieved August 23, 2023, from https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/ethanol_production.html

U.S. Department of Energy. (n.d.-a). Alternative Fuels Data Center: E85 (Flex Fuel). EERE: Alternative Fuels Data Center Home Page. Retrieved August 23, 2023, from https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/ethanol_e85.html

U.S. Department of Energy. (2022, August). Ethanol Blends: Providing a  Renewable Fuel Choice. U.S. Department of Energy. https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy22osti/82231.pdf

ClearFlame Engine Technologies. (2022, February 9). ClearFlame: Heavy-duty truck now driving on 100% ethanol | Ethanol Producer Magazine. Ethanol Producer Magazine. https://ethanolproducer.com/articles/clearflame-heavy-duty-truck-now-driving-on-100-ethanol-18988

Foley, J. (2013, March 5). It’s Time to Rethink America’s Corn System – Scientific American. Scientific American; Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/time-to-rethink-corn/#:~:text=Today’s%20corn%20crop%20is%20mainly,of%20the%20rest%20is%20exported

Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). (n.d.). Ethanol Tax Policy. Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). Retrieved August 23, 2023, from https://ethanolrfa.org/policy/tax-policy

U.S. Department of Energy. (n.d.-f). Alternative Fuels Data Center: Ethanol Laws and Incentives in Federal. EERE: Alternative Fuels Data Center Home Page. Retrieved August 23, 2023, from https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/laws/ETH?state=US

U.S. EPA. Biofuels and the Environment: Third Triennial Report to Congress (External Review Draft). EPA/600/R-22/273, 2022. https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/biofuels/recordisplay.cfm?deid=353055

Douglas, L. (2022, February 14). U.S. corn-based ethanol worse for the climate than gasoline, study finds | Reuters. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/us-corn-based-ethanol-worse-climate-than-gasoline-study-finds-2022-02-14/

U.S. Department of Energy. (n.d.-f). Alternative Fuels Data Center: Ethanol Fuel Basics. EERE: Alternative Fuels Data Center Home Page. Retrieved August 23, 2023, from https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/ethanol_fuel_basics.html#:~:text=Ethanol%20contains%20less%20energy%20per,energy%20than%20gasoline%20per%20gallon

Progressive. (n.d.). What happens if you use the wrong fuel? Progressive. Retrieved August 23, 2023, from https://www.progressive.com/answers/car-insurance-and-accidental-fueling/