Ethanol (C2H5O), also known as ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol and hydroxyethane, is a flammable liquid, which has been used by humans the last 9000 years as the intoxicating ingredient in alcoholic beverages.
In recent years, Ethanol have become a major player in the fight against global warming and climate change due to its properties as a renewable fuel for combustion engines in motor vehicles.
Ethanol is made by fermenting and then distilling starch and sugar crops such as maize, potatoes, wheat and sugar-cane.
Normally, ethanol is blended into petrol or diesel at a ratio of 10% ethanol to 90% fuel - also referred to as E10. Other blends exist such as E90 and E85.
Ethanol have different properties to normal fuels. It has a higher octane rating and is more corrosive, and can make starting more difficult - if used in a non flexi-fuel vehicle.
Vehicles that can operate on either petrol/diesel, 100% ethanol or a mixture of both is known as a Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV).
All American cars can run on the E10 mixture, without modifications. In Brazil, the worlds largest producer of ethanol, 70% of all vehicles sold are flex-fuel - they can run on 100% ethanol or petrol/diesel.
The US is planning to boost the current 4 billion gallons of ethanol produced by building a further 30 plants within the next 5-10 years.
In Brazil, nearly every petrol station sells pure ethanol, while all regular petrol is a blend that contains up to 25% ethanol.
However, corn-based bioethanol producers in the USA are under pressure,
with several in bankruptcy proceedings, because of the recent (08-09)
rise in corn prices.
Brazil's ethanol industry has saved the country billions and reduced its dependency on fossil fuels. The USA is desperate to follow Brazil's lead as it too wants to reduce its dependency on expensive and imported oil from Saudi Arabia.
The EU currently (05 figures) produces around 2.8Bn litres of ethanol
fuel per annum. Brazil and the USA produce around 16.8Bn litres pa.
World oil production is 4.9Tn litres by comparison.
Sweden is the most advanced user of bioethanol in Europe, with
147,000 FFV (flex-fuel vehicle) Ford and Saab cars and a 600-strong
bioethanol bus fleet in Stockholm. 90% of Saab's sold in Sweden are now
FFV's.
