A Look at Ethanol Fuel

With energy costs rising every day, there has been an increased interest in ethanol fuel. Ethanol is a variety of alcohol that can be produced in a natural fashion, similar to the way in which alcoholic beverages are produced. Ethanol can be used by itself in some specially designed vehicles, but it can also be used as a fuel additive, stretching traditional fuels in times of economic or environmental hardship.

Ethanol fuel that is derived from crops has advantages over traditional fossil fuels. For example, it is easily obtained from the sugars and starches in crops like corn and grains. It also burns cleaner than petroleum based fuels due to its chemical composition, alleviating some of the strain placed on the environment by exhaust emissions.

Blended ethanol fuel has proven to be an effective source of energy for several parts of the country, as well as other parts of the globe. E10 is a typical mixture. It is common in the Midwestern United States. It is the only type of fuel that is allowed to be sold in the state of Minnesota. Denmark has also begun using this type of ethanol fuel. It appears to be doing well, though its use is not as extensive as many of its proponents had hoped it would be. For example, looking at the statistics for 2002, the United States had used ethanol fuel for less than 1% of its gasoline needs.

There is much debate as to whether the environmental aspects of ethanol fuel are as beneficial as its supporters claim. While it is true that the fuel can be made from renewable resources (grains and corn and sugarcane, etc.), there is evidence that some of the rainforests are being cleared in order to grow crops that are used in the production of ethanol. This could, instead of helping the environment, nearly destroy it.