Alcohol as an alternative fuel, doable or not?

Question

The process of making alcohol seems to me rather self defeating. It takes a lot of land to grow the material used to make it. There is a lot of energy used to convert it to alcohol and then more energy to distill it to remove the water and other materials. Then it has to be transported and stored. Without the government giving the companies money to make alcohol it woudl cost much more than gasolene does now. I do not see the sense in that.

Answer 1

NOT!!!!

Why waste it?

Answer 2

Like it or not, the price of gasoline will one day escalate to where any alternative fuel is cheaper. Ethanol is a renewable source of fuel that can use the existing transportation infrastructure. Current vehicles can be relatively easily converted to alcohol using the same engines, same transmissions, etc. Technology will improve the efficiency of the distillation process and plants superior to corn may be found or developed. Government subsidies for alcohol fuels are a good idea at present as part of a much needed national energy program. Without such a program, a sudden interruption of oil (for any reason) could collapse our economy.

Answer 3

I have a rather crude but otherwise to scale replica of the Topseo reforming plant built in my house. I haven't been able to ferment and distill without spending an arm and a leg (literally, but they were my wife's!)

Alcohol has the highest octane rating, thats going to save you some serious fat cash when your engine doesn't detonate under load.

Answer 4

We are already doing it. Corn ethanol is an alchoholic substance. It's a grerat alternative and ethanol plants are sprouting up all over the U.S.

Answer 5

alcohol will dissolve your gas lines if they are not made of special materials. if your car is not a alcoholic than dont use alcohol in the tank. use it for your pleasure