1. Ethanol Fuel SPEAR April 13, 2009

2. Industrial Production fermentation distillation dehydration glucose production

3. Plants Make Glucose Photosynthesis – 6CO 2 + 6H 2 O + light → C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6O 2 Common sources – Corn – Sugarcane

4. Fermentation glucose → ethanol C 6 H 12 O 6 → 2C 2 H 6 O + 2CO 2 + heat

5. Distillation & Dehydration Removes water

6. Industrial Production fermentation distillation dehydration glucose production

7. Combustion Glucose is burned to generate heat that drives pistons C 2 H 6 O + 3O 2 → 2CO 2 + 3H 2 O + heat

8. Overall Reaction light → heat renewable energy source!

9. Ethanol-Only Engines Comparable fuel economy Pure ethanol-only engines cannot use gasoline Max blend = E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline)

10. Problems and Solutions Can’t be transported in gasoline pipeline – Picks up impurities – Increased transportation costs Poet LLC and Magellan Midstream Partners LP are looking into building a 1,700-mile ethanol-only pipeline in the US

11. Problems and Solutions Contains less energy & is more expensive than gasoline – High energy consumption to produce – Less energy  refilling the gas tank more often Processing methods continuously being improved – Less energy to produce by new methods – Higher energy content ethanol & lower prices

12. Problems and Solutions Tariff restricts importing cheaper ethanol Sen. Gregg & Sen Feinsteinn introduced measure to remove tariff – Importing cheaper ethanol would lower price further

13. Problems and Solutions Increased cost of food as more crops are used for ethanol instead of food New source “crops” are being looked into – Sugarcane – Cellulose sources

14. Sources / More Information Wikipedia: “Ethanol Fuel” – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_fuel http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_fuel “Ethanol: Myths and Realities” – http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content /may2006/tc20060519_225336.htm http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content /may2006/tc20060519_225336.htm “NH Sen. Gregg introduces measure on ethanol tariff” – http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D 970KG082.htm http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D 970KG082.htm “Poet, Magellan to study ethanol pipeline” – http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D 96V88700.htm http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D 96V88700.htm