Ethanol
Ethanol is a renewable, domestic fuel made from various plant materials, called "biomass,” which can include starchy feed stocks (like corn or sugar cane) or cellulosic feed stocks (like perennial grasses, wood, old newspapers, or even municipal waste), though the latter is more challenging to make. Ethanol is usually blended with gasoline at different levels. E10 is a premium high-octane gasoline for cars and E85 (85% ethanol 15% gasoline) is used as an alternative fuel for light-duty vehicles. E10 can be used in any gasoline vehicle without modification. E85, however, offers a higher octane rating and must be used in specified vehicles. All major domestic automakers offer E85 compatible vehicles, or flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs), at prices comparable to gasoline vehicles.
Vehicles running on ethanol fuels emit less carbon monoxide and other toxic chemicals, such as benzene, than those running on gasoline. They also emit the same or lower levels of hydrocarbon and non-methane hydrocarbons. E85 has fewer highly volatile chemicals than gasoline, resulting in fewer evaporative emissions.
Ethanol will not be able to replace the entire gasoline supply due to immense quantity of fuel that is used in the US, but it can be a key part of the solution that is already in use today.
More Resources
- Alternative Fuels & Advanced Vehicles Data Center (AFDC)
- National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition - To find out if you are driving a Flexible Fuel Vehicle