Why hasn't Ethanol Been used as a fuel Source?

Question

Why is it a better fuel source.
What is the effect of making Ethanol.
What are the benifits as this compared to other fuel source options

Answer 1

I really cannot answer you about this, eventhough ethanol is for sure the most simple and easy solution in the short term. On the other hand, as a brazilian consumer, I can explain how it works in Brazil.

First of all, let me start explaining that we have been using ethanol for almost 30 years as fuel; in the beginning (long, long time ago) we had problemas with rust; but now, nobody even thinks about it. Of course our engines had to be changed and receive adequate protection.

In the last 5 years, the big hit in our country is using bi-fuel (ethanol and gas in any given combination - the engine automatically adapts to the mix); therefore, it doesn´t matter wheather the price of ethanol is high or low, since the consumer adapt its consumption to its own necessities. Our gas receives around 20% of alcohol. Four-fuel (this one includes natural gas and pure gas) are being tested.

Our buses already run with a mix of diesel and bio-diesel.

My point is: why America doesn´t start using more ethanol?

1. Eventhough its corn production is not so efficient as cana de acucar, it is a possibility.
2. It helps under developped countries such as Brazil, central america or africa.
3. It may help friendly governments, not fueling terrorists with america´s money.
4. It is much more environmentally safe than oil.
5. It creates more jobs and will not end.
6. It is a transitional solution, until better technologies are avaiable. such as hydrogene.

Some people say that it is strategically wrong, because US would then depend on Brazil. In very short time, a lot of countries may produce ethanol, including in Africa. Isn´t it much better than depending on arabs or Venezuela, or Sudan or any other unfriendly government?

Also, ethanol from cane (as it is in Brazil) is much more efficient than the one produced from corn (US). Check the numbers:
- Energy to produce 1lt: 1518kcal x 6597
- Cost of production: US$ 0,28 / lt x 0,45
- CO2 / lt produced: 500gr x 790gr

Plus, the government pays nothing in Brazil to producers (as opposed in US) and the net production of CO2 is zero, because of the consumption of it during plantation.

Answer 2

The problems include:

1. The energy to make the ethanol is about equal to what you get. At best you gain about 20%.

2. The cost to make the ethanol is more than gasoline until gas gets to $3-4 per gallon.

3. Ethanol has to be grown. If all plantable land in the USA was turned to corn, we might get 20% of the fuel needed to replace petroleum. If we did that, there of course would be nothing to eat.

Answer 3

Unlike fossil fuels such as gasoline and coal, ethanol is renewable. You can make all you want. All you need is yeast, water and sugar. It burns very clean, so it doesn't pollute as much as gasoline, other than CO2.

The problem is that it takes energy to incubate the yeast and to purify the ethanol once it is made. If the energy it takes to make it is equal to the energy you get from it, then it isn't very useful.