Ethanol Fuel

SPEARApril 13, 2009

Industrial Production

fermentation

distillation

dehydration

glucose production

Plants Make Glucose

• Photosynthesis– 6CO2 + 6H2O + light

→ C6H12O6 + 6O2

• Common sources– Corn– Sugarcane

Fermentationglucose → ethanol

C6H12O6 → 2C2H6O + 2CO2 + heat

Distillation & Dehydration

Removes water

Industrial Production

fermentation

distillation

dehydration

glucose production

Combustion

• Glucose is burned to generate heat that drives pistons

• C2H6O + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 3H2O + heat

Overall Reaction

light → heat

renewable energy source!

Ethanol-Only Engines

• Comparable fuel economy• Pure ethanol-only engines cannot use

gasoline• Max blend = E85 (85% ethanol, 15%

gasoline)

Problems and Solutions

• Can’t be transported in gasoline pipeline– Picks up impurities– Increased transportation costs

• Poet LLC and Magellan Midstream Partners LP are looking into building a 1,700-mile ethanol-only pipeline in the US

Problems and Solutions

• Contains less energy & is more expensive than gasoline– High energy consumption to produce– Less energy refilling the gas tank more often

• Processing methods continuously being improved – Less energy to produce by new methods– Higher energy content ethanol & lower prices

Problems and Solutions

• Tariff restricts importing cheaper ethanol

• Sen. Gregg & Sen Feinsteinn introduced measure to remove tariff– Importing cheaper ethanol would lower

price further

Problems and Solutions

• Increased cost of food as more crops are used for ethanol instead of food

• New source “crops” are being looked into– Sugarcane– Cellulose sources

Sources / More Information

• Wikipedia: “Ethanol Fuel”– http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_fuel

• “Ethanol: Myths and Realities”– http://www.businessweek.com/technology/

content/may2006/tc20060519_225336.htm• “NH Sen. Gregg introduces measure on

ethanol tariff”– http://www.businessweek.com/ap/

financialnews/D970KG082.htm• “Poet, Magellan to study ethanol pipeline”– http://www.businessweek.com/ap/

financialnews/D96V88700.htm