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If you'd like to
learn a little more about e85 ethanol, watch the video below. The
first part of a video is a clip of a recent speech made by U.S.
President Bush. Subsequent portions of the video explain what e85
is and how it can dramatically reduce dependency on oil.
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In the article below, the author discusses flexible fuel vehicles and challenges the opinion that E85 is currently not the answer to our fossil fuel dependency because E85 stations are not yet prevalent in all parts of the U.S. (and the world).
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Flex-Fuel Vehicles: is E85 Ethanol Based Fuel the First Step to Beating "Oil Addiction"?
Dana Buttenhoff
Copyright 2006 Dana Buttenhoff
During the State of the Union Address on January 31,2006
President George W. Bush presented a plan to the people of the
United States and to the U.S. Congress to replace more than 75
percent of our oil imports from the Middle East by 2025.He spoke
of hybrid cars, hydrogen based fuel cell cars and the expansion
of ethanol fueled vehicles. The ethanol-based technology is
already here, there are already somewhere in the neighborhood of
5 million Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFV) already on the road in
the USA.FFV can run on regular unleaded gasoline or a blend of
85 percent ethanol and 15 percent regular unleaded gasoline
(known as E85) or any percentage of ethanol and gasoline blend
in between.
The expansion of FFV is, in my opinion, an opportunity for
General Motors and Ford to step forward and show the American
people that they can compete by building vehicles that are
friendlier to the environment and not dependent on products
imported to us from the politically volatile Middle East.
Ford showed off an ethanol-hybrid SUV this past January at the
Washington, D.C. auto show, as reported by USA Today writer
James R. Healy. This E85-burning hybrid Ford Escape is part of
"a development program, not a research program", according to
Ford Executive Vice President Anne Stevens. This means that the
American consumer will find these vehicles in showrooms sooner
rather than later.
USA Today writer James R. Healy did a cover story on Thursday
February 2,2006 highlighting the message from the States of the
Union Address indicating that E85 is not the answer because
among other things the infrastructure is not in place, except
for the Midwest, and, if you do not own one of the 5 million FFV
currently on the road you would need to buy a new car that can
use E85. I understand these very valid points but I also must
say that it is February 2006 as I write this article and 2025 is
still 19 years away. The technology is here; we just need to get
on board with the new technology now in order to cut the
dependency on foreign oil imports in the future.
In his USA Today feature article Mr. Healy noted that Ford CEO
Bill Ford states his company will boost FFV production 25% this
year to 250,000. Also noted was that General Motors has pledged
to build more than 400,000 FFV annually, starting this year.
Noting that a barrel of oil is saved for every 37 gallons of E85
that is used.
Mr. Healy's feature article raised an interesting point: most
cars on the road today in the USA require no modifications at
all to run on Gasohol, which is a blend of 90 percent gasoline
and 10 percent ethanol. By taking the first step of using the 10
percent ethanol blend we, as the American driving public, can
accomplish a couple of things. First we can help the environment
by burning a cleaner fuel in our current cars. Second we can
give the automakers the acknowledgement that the American
consumer is serious about alternative renewable fuel. This
perhaps would spur other manufacturers to join General Motors
and Ford in offering expanded choices in the FFV line-up. Third
this would give production facilities time to tool up as well as
a ready and willing market to expand into. Fourth this should
help American farmers by boosting the price of corn that is
widely used in ethanol production. Fifth this would also give
more fuel stations the time to begin making the necessary
additions to their storage facilities to accommodate E85 fuel.
This will not happen over night but instead slowly over time.
The next time you are in the market for a new vehicle a FFV may
be a viable choice for you.
The manufacturers will build the vehicles that are demanded by
the public. If you feel that an E85 fuel vehicle may fit your
needs the next time you purchase a vehicle do your research and
do what is right for you. Remember that the flexibility of an
E85 fueled vehicle does not restrict your travel to only areas
that have E85, because it will also run on regular unleaded
fuel. To get additional information you can visit
www.e85fuel.com for the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition.
About the author:
Dana Buttenhoff has over 20 years experience in the automotive
industry. The past 12 years as an automotive service consultant
for a European luxury car dealership in suburban Minneapolis,
Minnesota.
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What is E85
Ethanol & How is it made
Rising gasoline prices have heightened consumer awareness about E85
ethanol. These days, there is much ado about this fuel, and why
shouldn’t there be? After all, it costs close to thirty five percent
less than gasoline and is quickly becoming the preferred choice for
motorists at the pump stations. E85 ethanol is already widely used in
Sweden and pump stations in America, with states like Minnesota and
Illinois having the highest rate of E85 fuel pumps servicing motorists.
What is E 85 Ethanol?
When 15 percent of leaded gasoline is combined with eighty five percent
of ethanol, the result is the low-cost E85 ethanol fuel. Widely
available in the US, it is an alcohol-based fuel that can be produced
from employing the use of two methods. The first source of production
involves the fermenting and distilling of starch-like feedstock. They
include corn, barley, and wheat. The next method, which is referred as
bio-ethanol, involves extraction from trees and grasses.
Although the price of the Ethanol E85 may be foremost on consumer’s
minds, it also gets the nod from earth activists because it is an
environmentally friendly product. It burns clean and its key ingredient
source is renewable. Ethanol E85 also eliminates the import of crude
oil because it is locally produced and is also known for increasing the
octane rating in fuel while decreasing the harmful emissions caused by
gasoline.
Ethanol E85 will run well in flexible fuel vehicles like those
manufactured by Daimler Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Isuzu and Nissan
to name a few. But, if you don’t own a vehicle by one of the
above-mentioned manufacturers, you need not fear. Some people are not
aware that many other cars manufactured today are Ethanol E85
compatible. It is best to find out from your car dealer if you have a
flexible fuel vehicle.
How is E85 Ethanol
Made?
The method for producing Ethanol E85 is long and complex. The maker has
to first extract sugar from biological feedstock in order to begin the
process. Corn is the leading ingredient in Ethanol E85 gas. And the
starch in it can easily be converted into sugar. Sugar for this fuel can
also be extracted from cellulose, which is a sugar based ingredient
found in trees and grasses.
Once the feedstock is collected, it goes through a grinding process to
extract the sugar. Sugar fed into microbes quickly produces ethanol and
carbon dioxide, which finally endures purification stages to get the
ethanol to the right consistency.
There is another method of manufacturing Ethanol E85 oil or grain
alcohol, as it is also known, and this is through a wet-milling process.
This is also the method that large-scale manufacturers use when
producing high-fructose corn sweetener.
Ethanol E85 is an innovative and renewable resource with many positive
characteristics, making it one of the leading topics of discussion for
those looking to help the earth and looking to keep a few extra bucks in
their wallet.
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America is entering into a time of Energy crisis. It could easily be the greatest crisis that human-kind is to face. America can not continue to lead the world econimcally and drain it dry at the same time. The National Collegiate Clean Energy Initiative is working to unite American students and citizens alike, to demand CL ...
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