Ethanol as a Fuel Alternative

As studies have shown, there are more than a few alternative fuels and energy sources available in the world today. We can use these alternative fuels to power our transportation industry instead of using fossil fuels. Many alternative fuels have proven to be useful and very beneficial to the environment, including a substance known as ethanol. Ethanol first arrived on the scene in 2005, when the need for alternative fuels was evident as gas prices began rocketing through the roof. The United States and the rest of the world soon realized that changes needed to be made; we won’t be able to rely forever on fossil fuels for energy because of the pollution and danger to the environment, as well as the lack of oil as a natural resource.

Ethanol, on the other hand, is an alternative fuel that is made from plants. Most of the ethanol that is made in the United States comes from corn. Since we are blessed with an abundance of corn in this country, scientists began exploring other uses for it besides food consumption and production. The kind of corn that can be made into ethanol is not the type of corn that we purchase in the grocery store and eat; rather, it is a different type of field corn that is grown across the Midwestern plains by American farmers. Though the technology to produce ethanol is still relatively new, it is constantly growing and advancing. Soon, scientists will find a way to allow manufacturers to produce ethanol on a much larger scale to meet the growing demand.

Ethanol is made by extracting sugar, starch, and cellulose from corn and then processing it into alcohol. The alcohol then becomes fuel-grade ethanol. It is basically made through a distilling process, but the added technology is what enables the distilled alcohol to become a fuel-grade alternative. Many jobs have been created in the transportation industry due to the production and demand of alternative fuels, including ethanol. Ethanol is also a good fuel alternative because it has a positive effect on the environment. Using ethanol to power automobiles reduces harmful carbon emissions by 59 percent, compared to regular gasoline. Ethanol is also a lot cheaper to produce because it is made in the United States and does not have to be imported, like oil.

You may not be aware of it, but ethanol is already being used in practically every fuel station in the country. Your gas tank probably has ethanol in it right now. Fuel stations across the United States carry a blend of ethanol fuel, made of 10 percent Ethanol and 90 percent gasoline. Fuel-flex car owners can also find a higher-grade ethanol blend at many different fuel stations. The higher-grade blend has 85 percent ethanol and only 15 percent gasoline. Fuel-flex cars are being made on a much larger scale now and can be found at a variety of car dealerships. Ethanol is a safe substance for all cars and has been approved for use in automobiles made as far back as 1980. The ethanol substance has been proven to clean the car engine as it works, unlike regular gasoline, which can cause clogs and harmful engine wear and tear over a period of time. The right blend of ethanol-glade fuel can also increase a vehicle’s gas mileage and reduce tailpipe emissions. Some ethanol blends even work in other gas-powered engines, such as lawnmowers, boats, and snow blowers. Ethanol won’t freeze in cold weather conditions either, so you never have to worry about your car not starting in colder temperatures.

As you can see, there are many different benefits to using ethanol as a fuel alternative, which is precisely why the ethanol industry is continuing to grow at a very fast pace and has worked to develop more efficient ways to create it. The growth of the ethanol industry is not only good for the environment, it’s also good for the economy as well. The high demand for ethanol will create an increasing demand for jobs in the ethanol industry. Additionally, the United States won’t be spending billions of dollars to import oil from other countries. We can reinvest that money back into the country instead.

Evolution has been a necessary endeavor for every species on the planet, and humans aren’t any different. As the world continues to change, humans need to evolve. This includes the development of alternative ways of living, such as the production of energy. With the creation of alternative fuels such as ethanol, we can provide energy and fuel in order to sustain our way of life, but also to make the world better for all life on the planet. If we continue using coal and oil for energy instead, we will only create problems for upcoming generations and the earth. It’s time to find an alternative source of energy, and ethanol is just the beginning if they can find a way to produce it cheaply so that it wont raise food prices.