Why doesnt the U.S. use Ethanol?

Question

Even if we use some portion of it, why not try using a larger amount of ethanol like Brazil does? Is it for an economic reason that we do not?

Answer 1

It is not yet cost effective to mass produce it.
Most gas station owners only make a few pennies on the dollar on their gas sales. Local retailers do not set the price for a barrel of oil which is used to make gasoline.

http://www.ethanol.org/index.php?id=34&parentid=8

Answer 2

We do use quite a bit as it is. But, if you want to run your car on fuel that contains more than 10% ethanol you will need to buy a new car designed for the fuel. This of course would cost a great deal. In addition, fuel grade ethanol, even with a $0.54 tax subsidy costs more than gasoline and gets about 30% fewer miles per gallon so operating costs would increase substantially.

Answer 3

Ethanol in the US comes mainly from corn. While ethanol burns more cleanly in autos, the cost of production and the amount of energy needed to produce it wipes out any real benefits, both from an energy consumption as well as a CO2 producing aspect.

Brazil uses sugar cane to make ethanol, a process which uses much less energy and produces much less CO2 than using corn.

However, corn farmers and politicians from corn-growing states (of both parties) are pushing hard for ethanol in autos, but I don't think energy conservation or CO2 reduction is the main reason.

Answer 4

In able for cars to be able to use Ethanol, you have to pay a heavy fee to change the engine, and then you can only use Ethanol from then on, and the time it would take for a person to make the money back is well over 5 years.

Answer 5

First, we have to understand historical reasons.

The Pro-Alcohol was created during our military government, in order to diminish our dependence on foreign oil, in the 70´s (sound familiar with presente amercian situation?). It was a strategic decision that, with time, became an interesting business.

At that time, it was heavilly subsided and there were terrible problemas with engine, consumption, etc. Also, it was a central government (federal) decision; something much more difficult to do in US, because of different states´ regulation.

US has always relied on pure-economics analysis (or so they tell); to change that, you would have to consider many other aspects besides pure finace; that would also probably hurt american-arab-bush relations. Moreover, ethanol is a great way to diminish polution, lessen dependence on oil, but it doesn´t solve it completally simply because there is not enough land to substitute all oil at present technology and time frame.

I really cannot answer completally about US not using other fules, 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; despite the mentioned problemas in the beginning (long, long time ago), nobody even thinks about it now. Of course our engines had to be modified and receive adequate protection.

Also, I would like to clarify that ethanol consumes 20 to 30% more, for the same milage. At the present moment, the US$/mile is more or less equivalent in Brazil.

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 (another type - anidro). Four-fuel engines (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 NOW?

1. Eventhough its corn production is not so efficient as cana de acucar (cane), it is a possibility.
2. It helps under developed countries such as Brazil and many regions such as 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(not more than 5 years), a lot of countries may produce ethanol, including 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 this gas during plantation.

All that said, I think the last visit from Bush to Brazil helped a lot in opening dialog and establishing a better environment for businesses in the energy area.

Answer 6

We are forced to use 10% ethanol now. It takes 3-4 gal of ethanol to go same distance as 1 gal. of gasoline! Ethanol eats up rubber hoses and corrodes some metals used in fuel pumps and other parts. It reduces fuel economy, which means it costs more to go the same distance as regular gasoline. So what's any real benefit? None!

Answer 7

Check out your local farmer, many use ethanol or methanol in their equipment. We do have ethanol blends at many gas stations right now, just read the stickers on the sides of the pumps. The stickers are there because Ethanol or Methanol can damage high speed 2 stroke engines, such as chain saws in some motorcycles.

Answer 8

I think they are expanding ethonol distribution. Lot of people are still skeptical if it'll do much do solve energy problem since fuel mileage is lot worse with ethanol and some argue it takes more energy(gas&diesel) in ethanol production. But these problems may be solved if we have better infrastructure to produce ethanol more efficiently.

Answer 9

Ethanol doesn't convert very well into sugar. It takes far more energy to make ethanol from corn compared to sugar canes. A better alternative might be switch grass. Then the prices of other commodities like eggs and beef won't go up in price.

Answer 10

The US does use Ethanol. Most city vehicles use it, the buses here use it. We have a plant right here in town.