Ethanol is a viable, homegrown energy alternative to fossil fuel and is available today in E10 (10 percent ethanol/90 percent gasoline) and E85 (85 percent ethanol/15 percent gasoline) blends. Used as a clean-burning fuel additive, ethanol is a renewable fuel made from plants, usually from sugar cane and maize. There are five parts to the ethanol process; Conversion, fermentation, distillation, filtration and dehydration.

The University of Florida has been involved in biomass-to-energy research for about 20 years. New research at UF by Dr. Lonnie Ingram on variety of plant waste products proves that they are suitable for "cellulosic" ethanol production. The same kind of ethanol produced from this experiment too; but the source and process are different, allowing more efficient use of organic wastes for fuel production. It is proved that Ethanol blends are higher in octane than regular gas, about 100 compared to 87. Though we can see the difference in the reduction in fuel economy and less mileage per gallon, but the engine stays cooler, runs cleaner and produces less pollution.

Recent studies proved that it reduces the global warming due to its clean burning and cuts the greenhouse gas emissions by 18 percent to 29 percent a gallon. It powers flux fuel vehicles. Ford, General Motors and DaimlerChrysler have announced to producing 50 percent of their new vehicles as flex-fuel vehicles powered by E85 ethanol by 2010. Indy 500 utilized 100 percent ethanol in the tanks of 33 cars used in 2007 race and the drivers said that the use of ethanol improved the mileage by 30 percent.

The software genius Bill gates invested in Pacific Ethanol to help fund the construction of an ethanol plant in Madera County, California. Virgin Atlantic Airways' Richard Branson has also invested in cellulosic ethanol plants to make fuel which is from the waste product of the plant and measured to be the next energy step after corn ethanol. DuPont plans to open its first pilot plant to manufacture cellulosic ethanol in 2008.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brett_Davis