The Ethanol proposition comes off as quite a debate. I have spent time reading several websites & pages looking at both, the pros and cons, of this much touted source of alternative energy being advertised as our promise to independence from middle eastern oil and along with it a plethora of dirty politics.
All we really need to know about Ethanol is that its an extract of corn, can be produced right here on arable land and its current fuel product is known gasohol due to the mixture with gasoline. The production process, I gather, is quite elaborate. I have read over information stating that its production consumes rather large amounts of energy that is partly based on the very fossil fuels its promising to beat out. Yet there is room for improvement and evolution. Apparently, its eco-effects are far better that those of gasoline: most studies published on the energy source agree on this. I had a conversation at work the other day where my colleague shot down Ethanol as a gasoline replacement because of the unthinkable size of arable land required to replace current gasoline levels is just not plausible. True? Don't know but certainly a brain tickler on the subject. Even if its not producable as vastly as gas, it can take a corner with hard core greeners.
Ethanol is not just a hobby fuel or experiment. It appears to have a substantial lobby as indicated by the website www.e85.com that propagates an ethanol based fuel that carrying 85% of the substance. Though not nearly enough, a few hundred fueling stations carry the source across the US. Not peanuts. And there is quite a list of ethanol compatible vehicles at: http://www.e85fuel.com/e85101/flexfuelvehicles.php
The one thing that puts a dampener on this energy source is that it doesn't pack the same punch as gas. A gallon of gas packs as much as 1.5 gallons of Ethanol. That's quite a psychological blow. Competition in alternative energy is not scarce. Plug-in electrics, electric batteries, hydrogen and fuel cells. Its not comforting to be disadvantaged like that against big bad gasoline. Infrastructure is another thorn. Despite some areas of the country looking well covered, access obviously does not compare to electric power. One would hope that pricing would provide an incentive boost. Not quite. According to the following page, the gasohol process would cost $1.74 per gallon in today's terms not including profit margin. Its better but hardly exciting.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question707.htm
Another Ethanol element that doesn't sit well is its advertisement of gasoline independence. Although a valid objective, its unsettling as a claim to fame. The power and efficiency of the source should define its existence. While we do want diversification in our energy sources we do want to advance as well.
To car manufacturers the charm in Ethanol may be that unlike Electric-Gasoline hybrids and pure electrics, it does not seem to require major mechanical modification or re-engineering.
To what level Ethanol advances will be interesting to see. Is it to stay a debated project or will it take its place amongst tommorrow's fuels. Meanwhile, a video! ...........................
All we really need to know about Ethanol is that its an extract of corn, can be produced right here on arable land and its current fuel product is known gasohol due to the mixture with gasoline. The production process, I gather, is quite elaborate. I have read over information stating that its production consumes rather large amounts of energy that is partly based on the very fossil fuels its promising to beat out. Yet there is room for improvement and evolution. Apparently, its eco-effects are far better that those of gasoline: most studies published on the energy source agree on this. I had a conversation at work the other day where my colleague shot down Ethanol as a gasoline replacement because of the unthinkable size of arable land required to replace current gasoline levels is just not plausible. True? Don't know but certainly a brain tickler on the subject. Even if its not producable as vastly as gas, it can take a corner with hard core greeners.
Ethanol is not just a hobby fuel or experiment. It appears to have a substantial lobby as indicated by the website www.e85.com that propagates an ethanol based fuel that carrying 85% of the substance. Though not nearly enough, a few hundred fueling stations carry the source across the US. Not peanuts. And there is quite a list of ethanol compatible vehicles at: http://www.e85fuel.com/e85101/flexfuelvehicles.php
The one thing that puts a dampener on this energy source is that it doesn't pack the same punch as gas. A gallon of gas packs as much as 1.5 gallons of Ethanol. That's quite a psychological blow. Competition in alternative energy is not scarce. Plug-in electrics, electric batteries, hydrogen and fuel cells. Its not comforting to be disadvantaged like that against big bad gasoline. Infrastructure is another thorn. Despite some areas of the country looking well covered, access obviously does not compare to electric power. One would hope that pricing would provide an incentive boost. Not quite. According to the following page, the gasohol process would cost $1.74 per gallon in today's terms not including profit margin. Its better but hardly exciting.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question707.htm
Another Ethanol element that doesn't sit well is its advertisement of gasoline independence. Although a valid objective, its unsettling as a claim to fame. The power and efficiency of the source should define its existence. While we do want diversification in our energy sources we do want to advance as well.
To car manufacturers the charm in Ethanol may be that unlike Electric-Gasoline hybrids and pure electrics, it does not seem to require major mechanical modification or re-engineering.
To what level Ethanol advances will be interesting to see. Is it to stay a debated project or will it take its place amongst tommorrow's fuels. Meanwhile, a video! ...........................
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