| As gas prices continue to surge higher and | | | | ethanol-blended fuel will travel miles |
| higher and concern over our country's | | | | farther on less money than those burning |
| reliance on foreign oil grows more serious by | | | | straight gasoline," Ron Lamberty, Vice |
| the day, many experts are pointing to ethanol | | | | President of Market Development for ACE said |
| as a quick and easy solution to the current | | | | in a press release about the study. "Not only |
| energy crisis. | | | | is ethanol's cost-per-mile lower than regular |
| | | | gasoline, the blending economics of ethanol |
| What is ethanol? Ethanol is a clean-burning, | | | | translate to lower prices at the pump for |
| high-octane fuel made from plants, often | | | | consumers." |
| corn, that many claim will be safer for the | | | | |
| environment as well as reduce our reliance on | | | | Prices for E10 around the Midwest are as much |
| oil from the Middle East. | | | | as 10 cents less per gallon than regular |
| | | | unleaded, the ACE press release indicated. A |
| This is Not Your Father's Ethanol ... | | | | recent Consumer Federation of America study |
| | | | shows that blending low-cost ethanol with |
| While ethanol first gained minor notoriety as | | | | high-priced gasoline can bring down prices at |
| a "fad fuel" that was introduced in the 1970s | | | | the pump by up to 8 cents per gallon. |
| but never really caught on, the ethanol | | | | |
| industry has made numerous innovations and | | | | The Next Step ... |
| improvements to the ethanol production | | | | |
| process as well as the final product over the | | | | With results like those mentioned above and |
| years and now expects to produce over 5 | | | | with new innovations continuing to be rapidly |
| billion gallons of ethanol this year alone. | | | | introduced in the ethanol production process, |
| | | | it's little wonder that many fuel experts are |
| Of the ethanol that is produced, much is used | | | | now beginning to talk about shifting from |
| to boost the octane rating of gasoline. | | | | ethanol as a fuel additive to ethanol as a |
| Premium gasoline is made by adding ethanol to | | | | replacement for petroleum-based fuel. |
| the gasoline mixture. The two most common | | | | |
| blends are: | | | | According to these experts, such a switch |
| | | | could allow us to break free from our |
| 1. E10 - 10% ethanol and 90% unleaded | | | | addiction to foreign oil, could slash gas |
| gasoline. E10 is approved for use in any make | | | | prices at the pump, could strengthen our |
| or model of vehicle sold in the U.S. Many | | | | national security, could produce jobs to |
| automakers recommend its use because of its | | | | rural America instead of the Middle East - |
| high performance, clean-burning | | | | all while protecting our environment. |
| characteristics. In 2004, about one-third of | | | | |
| America's gasoline was blended with ethanol, | | | | To see an example of the benefits of |
| most in this 10% variety. | | | | increased reliance on ethanol, Americans have |
| | | | to look no further than nearby neighbor |
| 2. E85 - 85% ethanol and 15% unleaded | | | | Brazil, which has been committed to using |
| gasoline. E85 is an alternative fuel for use | | | | ethanol for 30 years. |
| in flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs). There are | | | | |
| currently more than 4 million FFVs on | | | | In Brazil, cars can run on gas or ethanol |
| America's roads today, and automakers are | | | | thanks to "flex-fuel cars." Drivers can |
| rolling out more each year. | | | | simply choose between the two types of fuel |
| | | | or a mixture of both each time they pull up |
| Adding ethanol to gasoline is beneficial | | | | to the pump. |
| because it not only decreases the fuel's | | | | |
| cost, increases the fuel's octane rating and | | | | How far is America away from offering drivers |
| decreases gasoline's harmful emissions but it | | | | here this same luxury? Many of the flex-fuel |
| also, according to a recent study, lets | | | | cars that triggered the ethanol boom in |
| drivers travel farther for less money. | | | | Brazil were made by GM and Ford and cars with |
| | | | the same technology were first introduced |
| At current market prices, $20 worth of | | | | here in the U.S. three years ago. In fact, |
| ethanol-blended fuel allows a vehicle to | | | | already three of every four new cars sold in |
| travel up to 15 miles farther than on gas | | | | the U.S. have the flex-fuel technology. |
| without ethanol, according to a pilot study | | | | |
| conducted by the American Coalition for | | | | Maybe that's why in a recent speech, |
| Ethanol (ACE), a national trade association | | | | President Bush felt compelled to say, |
| for the ethanol industry headquartered in | | | | "Ethanol will replace gasoline consumption. |
| Sioux Falls, South Dakota. "On a twenty | | | | Ethanol is good for the whole country. |
| dollar bill, drivers who choose | | | | |