Converting Your Vehicles To Use E85 - Ethanol Fuel

I and many others have converted their gasoline car to run on E85 (ethanol fuel). This is a guide on how to do the same thing.



First of all, what is E85?:

E85 consists of 85% ethanol and 15% additives. The additives vary a lot depending on where you live and time of the year. But roughly, the 15% additives is mostly made up of gasoline, additives that helps the engine to make a complete burn, additives that helps the engine start when its cold and additives to color the fuel and the flame (so you know what substance it is, and also to help you see that it is really burning).



Facts about E85:

1. It is not corrosive to the fuel system or the engine. This is a myth and ethanol is often confused with methanol, which actually have corrosive properties. Some models before 1988 on the other hand may have some parts that is not ethanol resistant.



2. It is not as harmful to the environment as gasoline or any other petroleum products for that matter. Ethanol is made out of renewable energy resources such as crops and trees to name a few things. The carbon dioxide that an ethanol powered car emits is not contributing to the greenhouse effect, but is taken up by the plants and is being "re-used". The carbon dioxide then goes around in a closed loop. Gasoline on the other hand is made from oil that comes from old dinosaurs, plants and other stuff 100 000 of years ago, and it doesnt take part in the closed loop but only adds to the amount of greenhouse gasses. Ethanol is also easily bio-degradeable if it should leak into our environment.



3. E85 is 104-105 octane and therefore its more knock-resistent and can tolerate more boost or a higher CR.



4. E85 cools the intake charge more and therefore its more knock-resistent and can tolerate more boost or a higher CR. And it also makes the engine run cooler and to some degree, even safer.



5. E85 is in most cases at least 5% more effect than gasoline at the same lambda value (up to 25% more efficient on some cars optimized soley for E85).



6. Since E85 has very good cleaning properties as well as leaving behind a rest-product of water, it is cleaning the fuel system and it will keep the injectors nice and clean. The combustion chambers, valves, ports and the exhaust will also be clean(er), almost like the car had water injection.



7. In most cases it will cost less $/mile to run on E85.



2. Since cars running E85 requires roughly 30% more fuel, a tank of E85 will not get you as far as a tank of gasoline and you will have to refuel more often. This is often disregarded by E85 users who learn to live with it because of the economical gains.



And now: How to convert to E85



1. The advanced way, tuning and re-flashing the ECU to optimize it for E85.



Advantages:

* The car will be optimized for E85.

* It will be very fuel-efficient.

* More power at the same boost level.



2. An electronical device (piggyback device) that you plug in between the injector wires and the injectors. It will expand the injector pulsewidths by approximately 30% and it will have the possibility of both running on gasoline and E85 by flicking a switch.



Advantages:

* Easy to install and use.

* Has the capability of both gasoline and E85.



3. An adjustable fuel pressure regulator.



Advantages:

* The car ECU will adapt to the changes (if it is equipped with an O2-sensor).

* Can be used if you want to blend gasoline and E85. You will always have to keep track of the percentual blend of gas/E85 though. If you want to run a blend of gas/E85, for simplicity, decide a percentual blend and stick to it.



4. Bigger injectors.



Advantages:

* The car ECU will adapt to the changes (if it is equipped with an O2-sensor).

* Cheap (at least if you buy some used ones from a junk-yard or pick-n-pull).

Bioethanol: The Golden Fuel

With governments like the U.S. backing the bioethanol industry, biomass crop productions are growing. If CO2 emissions can be cut in half by growing and manufacturing conventional farm crops like corn, then bioethanol stands a good chance of becoming the soup du jour from the alternative fuel menu. Yet there are other complications like food price inflation due to increased food scarcity resulting from food being diverted energy creation. Of course one must first decide if bioethanol is really worth it in terms of its "green claims."

What is it, and is it clean enough?

Bioethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, is a non-fossil, high octane fuel with lower emissions than gasoline. Made from renewable agricultural sources, it is a clean fuel for internal combustion engines. Hydrous ethanol contains water and can be used as a gasoline substitute, but requires a modified engine. Dehydrated ethanol can be used in proportions of 5% (E5) to 85% (E85). Most cars today can use E5, and Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) use E85. Both can be blended with conventional fuel.

It does take energy to produce it, and there are concerns related to the large amount of land needed for crops. Another concern is whether such biofuels release more carbon dioxide into the air than can be absorbed by growing plants. A better solution might be a process currently being developed in the U.S., whereby trash like waste paper is broken down into sugar and then converted into ethanol. This would by pass many of the ethical, environmental, and financial issues connected to bioethanol production.

How do they make it?

Bioethanol is obtained through a manufacturing process of fermenting biomass, which contains sugar and starch. Sugar cane is used in tropical areas, primarily wheat in Europe, and corn is produced in the U.S. and Brazil. Rectification and distillation processes turn the biomass into a concentrated form and removes by-products that are no needed in the fuel itself. The negative side of bioethanol as mentioned above is it's use of fertile land for food, which drives the food prices up and locks up usable land to grow more foodstuffs. There has all been great concern amongst certain environmental groups about the waste products left over from manufacturing bioethanol as evidenced in bioethonal pollution finding it's way in to the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River. This of course provides a big argument from within the green fuel camp against bioethanol production and use. Despite it's negative aspects, when the issues have been worked like, which crop to use and where to grow it and of course what to do with the waste, bioethanol stands to be a very powerful clean fuel alternative. One hopes as the oil price continues to stay above 10 dollars that every means necessary is found to make bioethanol as efficient, clean, and financially attractive as possible.

Is your car a FFV?

Many FFV owners may not even know if their car is a FFV. Since most U.S. manufacturers, Japanese and European car manufacturers now produce FFVs, it may be worth checking to see if your car can use bioethanol - and where you can buy it.

Ethanol Power From Saab

Saab is continuing its drive to produce vehicles that runs on cleaner burning fuels. They have already made to the public a 9-5 BioPower which run on E85 fuel which is a combination of 85 percent bio-ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. This is similar to Volvo models which run on the same fuel. This may seem not enough for the car manufacturer since at the forthcoming 2007 Geneva Motor Show; they will be showcasing a 9-5 wagon which is equipped with a 2.0-liter engine that runs on E100 or 100 percent bio-ethanol. The concept car will be shown to the public as a testament of the car maker’s dedication to developing cleaner engines. The use of 100 percent fuel in an engine is a great stride forward in the use of alternative fuels.





In connection with the unveiling of the concept car, GM Powertrain CEO Kjell ac Bergstrom has this to say: “Bio-ethanol is a potent, high quality fuel which opens up exciting possibilities in helping to meet the environmental challenges that face us. As the need to reduce energy consumption increases, we are exploring ways to run smaller engines that give relatively high power, with and without hybrid technology. This concept car shows that ethanol can play a key role in this ‘right-sizing’ process, while also minimizing fossil fuel emissions.”





The Saab 9-5 BioPower 100 concept car’s engine is the first of its kind to run on pure ethanol. The design of the car’s engine components optimizes the capacity of the engine. The 2.0-liter engine can produce as much as 300 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. That torque is essential for acceleration, given that amount of pulling force; the concept car can be propelled to 60 miles per hour from a standstill in just 6.6 seconds. This acceleration is complemented by a high top speed; thanks to the 300 horsepower that the engine packs. Aside from this, aftermarket parts can be installed to decrease the drag and increase the traction of the wheels on road surfaces. Spoilers can be used to achieve this, just like those Volvos which use a Volvo spoiler to boost performance.





Using 100 percent ethanol or anhydrous ethanol as a fuel is a good alternative to gasoline. This is because ethanol burns cleaner than gasoline, reducing emissions by as much as 85 percent. This is why flexi-fuel vehicles or those that runs on a combination of gasoline and ethanol has cleaner emission than those that runs on gasoline alone. Those engines that use ethanol as fuel, just like the Saab concept car uses looks just like a conventional gasoline engine with just a few modifications. Some of these modifications are done to combat the corrosive nature of ethanol. Some engine components need to be fortified to take on the corrosiveness of this alternative fuel. Another reason why ethanol is a good alternative to gasoline is that it is a renewable source of energy. Ethanol comes from starch or sugar from a wide variety of crops like corn and sugarcane.





The only problem facing the development of ethanol as an alternative fuel is that in its production, fossil fuels are still used. This poses a question if the good effects of using ethanol as fuel for vehicles can upset the emission produced on the production of the said fuel. The concept car also remains to be seen if it is feasible to be mass produced since no filling station has yet to offer 100 percent ethanol. The future of this technology still remains to be seen depending on the way the public will accept it.

Reducing Fuel Costs - Is Ethanol the Right Solution?

There has been so much hype over ethanol. In the last year alone, there has been a 60% increase in the number of gas pumps offering this gasoline alternative. So, is ethanol the answer to ballooning fuel costs? Find a list of Ethanol Pros and Cons below and decide for yourself.

Pros

A SIZABLE PRICE DIFFERENCE - It is true, Ethanol mix is indeed much cheaper than pure gasoline. You can save around 20 - 30 cents when you use ethanol instead of gasoline. That can add up, especially if you are driving a 17 gallon SUV that eats fuel up like crazy.

A DECREASE IN CARBON MONOXIDE CAR EMISSIONS - Another good thing about using ethanol instead of pure gasoline is the fact that ethanol decreases carbon monoxide emissions. When you use ethanol mix instead of gasoline you are decreasing your car's greenhouse gas emissions by 30%.

LOCALLY MANUFACTURED - The biggest selling point of ethanol is the fact that it can be grown and manufactured within the country. Now, there is no need to buy staggering amounts of fuel from foreign countries just to keep your car running.

Cons

Mind you, ethanol isn't as pristine as their manufacturers would have you believe. Sure, it is much easier on the environment compared to gasoline. But, it still contributes to greenhouse gases in one way or another. For now, Ethanol seems like a great alternative to rising Fuel Costs, but dependence on it should not be developed. Some issues regarding the use of Ethanol to counter the rising Fuel Costs are found below.

WORLD HUNGER FOR WORLD FUEL - Most of today's ethanol is produced from farm raised corn. It means that more and more farmers are now growing corn for fuel instead for food. That presents a very real threat to world nutrition. In fact, the nightmare has already begun. Hispanic countries have rallied on their streets demanding a decrease in the price of the food staple. Is the world really willing to forgo feeding its people just so its cars can run? Hopefully, not!

INCONVENIENTLY TRANSPORTED - Unlike gasoline, Ethanol cannot be transported through pipe line. Its chemical composition makes iy Hydrophilic (attracts water to itself). And ethanol mixed with water is virtually useless. That is why ethanol has to be transported by trucks. That means more fuel is used even before ethanol gets to a pumping station.

CARS DON'T RUN ON ETHANOL ALONE - Ethanol alone doesn't have enough energy to be an efficient fuel source. It needs to be mixed with Gasoline. That means that Ethanol doesn't necessarily rid the world of her dependence on gasoline. It just decreases it. With the rising price of gasoline, soon even the angelic Ethanol will be too expensive.

Other Answers to the Fuel Cost Crisis

The hype over Ethanol has effectively overshadowed other more worthy fuel saving wonders. Hybrid cars for instance, they are a great answer to the rising cost of fuel. You can go for miles on end without having to fill up every now and again. Then there are Electric Cars and Zero-Emission Vehicles that can run without hurting the environment. What about those solutions? Maybe it's time fuel companies focus on those solutions more and put ethanol to bed - before it gets out of hand.

The author of this article is Benedict Yossarian an Internet Marketing Consultant. If you are learning to drive and practicing for your theory testBenedict recommends TheoryTest.co.uk Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Benedict_Yossarian

Making Ethanol Gas - What Does it Contain?

Ethanol gas is made through the same method of distillation and fermentation as beer is made today. Agricultural crops are used because they contain compounds of six-carbon sugars. When ethanol is made from grain, the starch is combined with water forming a mash. To separate the sugars that are fermented enzymes are added to the mash once it is heated.

Then next step to making ethanol gas involves adding yeast for conversion of the sugars to the ethanol and carbon dioxide, known as fermentation. This process actually produces beer, which contains 10% ethanol and 90% water. The beer needs to be boiled. Boiling allows for separation of the water, resulting in ethanol that is fuel-grade and almost 95% pure. When ethanol is made from grains, only the starch is used.

There are many different products which can be used in making ethanol gas which include feed for livestock, wood waste, cheese whey, potato waste, food and beverage waste, and more. California is planning to produce rice straw specifically for ethanol use. Louisiana will produce their ethanol from bagasse and rice hulls while New York and Alabama will use municipal solid waste.

The amazing thing about making ethanol gas is that it is a renewable fuel. Unlike other alternative fuel options that still require a little bit of gasoline to run, this fuel can be made from things that can be reproduced. Ethanol fuel is one of the best solutions for running a vehicle clean without emissions and all of the ingredients are natural. The ingredients for ethanol can vary because the importance is to extract the sugars and ferment them like beer.

The Author Drives His Own Electric Car And Reveals A Few Secrets For FREE On How To Convert A Car To Electricity! Click Here For More Information. Making Ethanol Gas Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathon_Winburg

Dealing With Ethanol Fuel Boat Problems

As the fuel crisis forces more boaters to switch to


ethanol fuel mixtures, there have been reported


problems that are linked to the gasoline blended with


ethanol. However, with a little work on your boat you


can avoid these ethanol fuel related boat problems.





Until now many of the new initiatives to help improve


the quality of the air have had no negative impact on


boaters. Recently the U.S. Environmental Protection


Agency started requiring the use of an oxygenated


gasoline in order to help improve the quality of the


air. Most started use Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether or


MTBE, however this had its own environmental problems


so now ethanol is replacing it as the standard in


boating fuel. However, the recent use of ethanol fuel


in boats has led to many problems including fiberglass


fuel tank failure, blockage of the fuel system, damage


to the engine and an increase in fuel contamination.





So how does the problem happen? Basically ethanol fuel


is a mix of gasoline and ethyl alcohol. This ethyl


alcohol is a solvent that adsorbs water. This means


that if you have an older fiberglass fuel tank the


ethanol fuel can damage your sealants. After the


sealants are dissolved they are then ingested by the


engine, which can cause damage, not to mention that


when you have fuel leaking from the tank into the


bilge you have the added fire hazard.





Fuel tanks that aren't made of fiberglass still


have problems with ethanol fuel, but they aren’t


as complex. The ethanol fuel can release fine metallic


particles into the fuel system, which pass through the


filter. This causes the metal to clog fuel injector


nozzles or carburetors.





No matter what fuel tank you have if the ethanol fuel


mixes with any water that has contaminated the fuel


tank you will have expensive repairs to do. When the


ethyl alcohol and water combine they cause a


noncombustible layer to develop which will stop all


engines completely.





So how can you protect your boat and avoid these


complicated problems? While there still is no plan


available for ethanol fuel use you can do some things


to help protect your boat until a solution is found.


First if you boat was built before 1984 then you


should replace the fiberglass fuel tank with a modern


version before adding ethanol fuel. This can help


reduce some of the more difficult problems related


with older fuel tanks and their components.





With ethanol fuel it is important to completely empty


your fuel tanks in the winter and then clean them


thoroughly before you use them in the following


season. When it comes to fuel filters you should have


a good one that can separate the water and carry


several spare cartridges when you are out on the


water.





When it comes to the fuel itself you should avoid


mixing fuel types. Before adding ethanol be sure you


use up all your old gasoline and clean the tank


completely. Then when you add ethanol, be sure to


limit the fuel you have onboard to only what you need


for two weeks. This is because ethanol fuel has a very


short shelf life when compared to other fuels.

Securing Energy Independence for the Usa

Crude oil prices have reached $140. The US dollar has lost hugely against the Euro and the Canadian dollar. Petroleum prices will continue their unstoppable surge, which is driven by steadily increasing demand, Wall Street speculation, and OPEC refusal to meet demand.



Present and previous US administrations have made no serious efforts to develop effective countermeasures. The attempt of the Bush administration to gain control of oil in the Middle East has failed. Highly subsidized US ethanol production from corn has not made a dent in petroleum demand, but has led to a huge rise in worldwide grain and food prices.



Instead, the administration and many politicians are demanding energy conservation and a failing "Cap and Trade" permit system. Drilling for oil in Alaska and offshore is another request by oil lobbyists.



Countermeasures have not contributed anything to produce supplies. However, ill conceived solutions have made many politically connected people very rich. Greed has trumped patriotism!



For more than twenty years, politicians, industry, media, and citizens are discussing the issue of oil imports and their pernicious effects on the US economy. In May 2008 the US imported 14.2 million barrels of crude oil per day. At $140 per barrel the USA gives away roughly $2 billion every single day to foreign nations! In addition, a substantial amount of refined fuels is imported. This means that the US is approaching a shameful threshold, when it pays $1 trillion dollars for foreign fuel imports annually. These huge funds could do wonders for the US economy, if they would be spent on energy supplies produced by our own industry, inside the US.



The US has a severe energy problem. It possesses huge reserves of coal and oil shale. However, coal, oil, and natural gas emit large amounts of greenhouse gases when burned. Fossil fuel combustion is the cause of global warming. We cannot dare to continue the continuing the use of fossil fuels for more than a couple of decades. Otherwise, too much carbon dioxide will accumulate in the Earth's atmosphere and will lead to an acceleration of global warming. Global warming is responsible for climate change and for mounting damages to nature, worldwide assets, and people. Melting of glaciers and ice in the Polar Regions is already a growing and unstoppable threat.



Electricity and liquid transportation fuels are the lifeblood of our economies. Economic growth is not possible without plentiful, affordable, and secure energy supplies. Economies will fail when supplies of petroleum become scarce, when global warming keeps inflicting damages, and when petroleum prices keep continuing their skyward move.



Are there any solutions that can be developed and implemented before petroleum is depleted and before global warming exceeds the 3 to 4 degree Celsius global warming threshold?



Fortunately, there are many alternate approaches for generating electricity that will not emit greenhouse gases.



Surprisingly, there seems to be only one single concept, which has the potential to produce sufficient substitute supplies of liquid transportation fuels. This concept is the conversion of biomass into liquid petroleum substitutes. Unfortunately, early in 2008, this concept has been discredited by the ill conceived production of fuel ethanol from food crops.



Conversion of biomass into fuel is the one and only option, which we may be able to develop to maturity in the next thirty years. We must learn how to use sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and fertilizer and convert them into biomass. Categorically, food crops are not suited for conversion into fuels. Food crops have been selected, domesticated, and bred to provide storable, tasty, and nutritious foods. Energy crops must be selected based on entirely different properties. Energy crops must have very high energy content, must provide very high crop yields, and must grow very fast. This means that we must find and further breed plants with very high energy yields; i.e. plants with the highest production of energy per acre per year.



Nature has been converting sunlight into biomass for millions of years. In fact, the Earth's generous fossil fuel reserves are nothing else but biomass converted into coal, petroleum, and natural gas. All we have to do is to imitate nature's example. Obviously, there must be a major obstacle. We do not know exactly which processes nature used to make petroleum. And we have a major handicap to overcome. We are allowed only hours for conversion. Nature may have taken her time and may have used thousands or even millions of years for the same conversion.



We have learned the hard way that the conversion of food crops into liquid fuels creates market forces, which cannot be controlled unless the world installs huge regulatory bureaucracies. Instead, we must use a concept for producing petroleum substitutes that cannot be manipulated.



Most sunshine reaches Earth near the equator in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Numerous arid regions, without sufficient precipitation, are located in these lands, too. By placing large, industrial scale biomass plantations into these areas, we prevent the abuse of fertile lands for food production. We can also prevent the further deforestation of rain forests and the abuse of other, primeval lands.



Water is the commodity that is missing in these areas. Lack of water is the reason these lands are arid. Therefore, we must use seawater and use heat from the sun to produce desalinated freshwater.



Finally, the US must establish an autonomous agency with the mission, program, and budget to make the US independent of foreign oil imports! The energy industry does not have the means and incentives.

The Unexpected Expansion of Alternative Fuels

The expansion of the alternative fuel business has exploded these days as people are looking more and more toward improving the environment and perhaps even saving some money in the process. As gas prices continue to skyrocket, gasoline companies know that they must start considering an expansion of their companies to compete in the alternative fuel race if they want to stay afloat.



Alternative fuels are simply those that are not made with any oil products. They are manufactured using products such as corn, vegetable oil, and even garbage! The expansion of the alternative fuel business has its advantages as alternative fuels burn cleaner and have less of an effect on the environment.



As people start to take notice of the issue of global warming, it sparks their interest in alternative fuels as a way to help the environment and keep our world from imploding. That is why oil companies and refineries are finding that they have to keep up with this public interest through an expansion of their alternative fuel divisions.



Another area of expansion in the alternative fuel market is with big car companies. They are starting to make more and more vehicles that are able to run on E85 fuel, ethanol, electricity, and propane. In fact, beginning in 1998, the Ford Motor Company committed 1 billion USD toward the expansion of their alternative fuel vehicle production lines.



In addition, the proliferation of alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles is driving demand for new kinds of technician training. Considerable market expansion has occurred in CNG, propane, ethanol, and biodiesel, with more modest advances in battery-electric power. The expansion in this area of alternative fuel requires new training when it comes to making repairs to vehicles that run on alternative fuels.



Even gas stations are starting to find out that they also have to take part in the expansion of the market when it comes to alternative fuels. As more people start to purchase alternative fuel vehicles, they are also demanding easy accessibility to the fuels that run them. In order to meet the demand for alternative fuels, expansion of gas station facilities is nearly a requirement these days.



There is no doubt about it that the expansion of the alternative fuel market affects all kinds of people and businesses. The good news is that it is affecting them in a GOOD way! Expansion is always good for business, and when it comes to alternative fuels, it is good for the environment and the consumer as well. I say, let the expansion continue!

Every Home An Energy Producer

Imagine this, every home in the US with solar panels on the roof. Each one feeding power into the national power grid. Or, industrious individuals producing biodiesel out on their suburban or rural homesteads. How about wind generators on buildings in cities making power and sending it all into the grid.



Historically energy has been produced by big enterprises that build big facilities to generate power and then sell the power to the consumer. Maybe it made sense at one time but it no longer does. Please do not think I am implying we should scrap our

current infrastructure and start tearing down generating plants, although that might be a worthy goal in the future. But with the technology we have now we should be looking at a differnet model.



Decentralization makes sense. It is far more secure than a big power generating facility because it is safe from terrorist attack or sabotage. Decentralized power generation is also more resistant to weather disruptions. Last winter a transmission line went down in our area during a storm and we were without any power for nine hours while the temperature was below freezing with a blizzard going on.



Local fuel production seems to be worthwhile also. Can you imagine who will work at shooting down this idea. But, why not produce some of your own fuel for your vehicle. I live in the country and could produce my own biodiesel. Interestingly enough, a man in Central Illinois was fined by the Department of Revenue for producing biodiesel. They said he had not paid fuel taxes on his production. Now they want him to fill out a monthly multipage form just like a major refinery.



This idea is not for everyone. Most people do not have the space to make a fuel like biodiesel or ethanol. Especially if you live in a town or city. But, most everyone has a roof of some sort, or, at least their apartment building has a roof. The electric generation would be good for what I think of as the "helpless" members of society. That is those who either think it is too much bother to do something for themselves or they just are too fuzzy brained to understand how to do it.



The power companies could provide the solar panels themselves. They could also do the installation and maintenance. I know there are some utilities that will let you interconnect to the grid with the proper equipment. And the price of that equipment is coming down all the time. The homeowner really would not have to do much of anything which seems to be the standard for too many Americans.



The greatest thing about implementing these approaches to energy production is the reduced need for new massive coal or nuclear power plants. Did you know there are people trying to revive the nuclear power industry on the grounds that it produces no green house gases? They fail to point out that it produces radioactive waste that no one knows what to do with. There have been no new nuclear power plants built for decades and it should stay that way.



What this will all take is individual intitative. Government does not seem to have the will to do much of anything except get re-elected. Industry just seems to have its head in the sand and wants to preserve the staus quo. Do a Google search on some of these ideas or technologies. You can buy cheap solar panels on Ebay. I bought six of them this year to power small fans to blow heat into the house from heat collectors. They make a small contribution to our heating needs in the winter. I will continue to expand this idea to cut down on my heating energy needs.

Verasun, General Motors Bring 1st E85 Fueling Location to Washington

VeraSun Energy Corporation announced in June 28 the opening of the first E85 retail fueling location in Washington, D.C. The inauguration was the result of an ongoing joint effort of VeraSun and General Motors, maker of quality GMC exhaust system, to expand the availability and consumer awareness of E85.





A blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline that is now available at the Georgetown Chevron, VeraSun's branded VE85(TM) is situated at 2450 Wisconsin Ave. N.W., and in Arlington, Va., at the Navy Exchange station near the Pentagon. The addition of two retail fueling locations augments the number of stations selling VE85(TM) to more than 90 in nine states and the District of Columbia.





Don Endres, VeraSun's Chairman and CEO, said their partnership shows the efforts being made to improve the availability of E85 in the nation. He explains E85 has been available throughout the Midwest for years, and several Americans have used it almost exclusively to fuel their vehicles. He extends his gratitude to have worked jointly with their partners to bring VE85(TM) to the D.C. metro zone so that drivers in Washington, D.C. may experience the clean, high-octane product which strengthens the country’s energy independence and helps the environment by minimizing both greenhouse gas and tailpipe emissions.





Since the companies began working together to expand availability and increase the awareness of VE85(TM), the announcement marks the fifth collaboration VeraSun and GM have entered with a third-party retailer. The first initiative was launched in May 2005 with pilot stations in Sioux Falls, S.D. It has widened to include locations in Chicago, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Pittsburgh.





Elizabeth Lowery, GM vice president of environment, energy and safety policy, said they believe renewable fuels like E85 give US the greatest near-term potential to actually minimize gasoline consumption and vehicle emissions.





On this initiative, Enterprise Rent-A-Car joined VeraSun and GM by announcing that it is designating its premier rental location in Washington, D.C., as an official "E85/FlexFuel branch". Owning the world's largest fleet of FlexFuel Vehicles, with over 41,000 cars and trucks, Enterprise committed to fuel 50 GM FlexFuel vehicles from its location at 1029 Vermont Ave. N.W., at the Georgetown Chevron. Moreover, the vehicles will be stocked with materials about VE85(TM) and directions to the fueling location.





Matthew G. Darrah, Enterprise Rent-A-Car senior vice president of North American operations, said they are privileged to work with VeraSun Energy to make it easier for their customers to make sustainable choices.





Chairman of the Senate Energy Committee Sen. Jeff Bingaman said a title that promotes the production, distribution and use of clean, renewable, made-in-America transportation fuels like E85 is an important part of the energy bill the Senate just passed.





The Georgetown Chevron location, owned by Mid-Atlantic Petroleum Properties, marks a vital accomplishment for the fuel retailer in offering E85 at the first of its 23 company- operated locations in the Washington, D.C. metro zone.





Carlos Horcasitas, Chairman and CEO of Mid-Atlantic, said Mid-Atlantic is proud to be the first retail chain in Washington D.C. to offer its customers E85 and, in particular, VeraSun's branded E85, VE85(TM).





Also backed up during the June 28 announcement were the representatives from the District, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.





VeraSun Energy Corporation is headquartered in Brookings, South Dakota, and a leading producer of renewable fuel.

Goodbye Trips To The Gas Station

The Chevrolet Volt is a battery-powered, four-passenger electric vehicle that uses a gas engine to create additional electricity to extend its range. The Volt draws from GM previous experience in starting the modern electric vehicle market when it launched the EV1 in 1996, according to GM Vice Chairman Robert A. Lutz.



"The EV1 was the benchmark in battery technology and was a tremendous achievement," Lutz said. "Even so, electric vehicles, in general, had limitations. They had limited range, limited room for passengers or luggage, couldnt climb a hill or run the air conditioning without depleting the battery, and had no device to get you home when the batterys charge ran low.



"The Chevrolet Volt is a new type of electric vehicle. It addresses the range problem and has room for passengers and their stuff. You can climb a hill or turn on the air conditioning and not worry about it."



The Volt can be fully charged by plugging it into a 110-volt outlet for approximately six hours a day. When the lithium-ion battery is fully charged, the Volt can deliver 40 city miles of pure electric vehicle range. When the battery is depleted, a 1L, three-cylinder turbocharged engine spins at a constant speed, or revolutions per minute (rpm), to create electricity and replenish the battery. According to Lutz, this increases the fuel economy and range.



"If you lived within 30 miles from work (60 miles round trip) and charged your vehicle every night when you came home or during the day at work, you would get 150 miles per gallon," Lutz said. "More than half of all Americans live within 20 miles of where they work (40 miles round trip). In that case, you might never burn a drop of gas during the life of the car."



In addition, the Chevrolet Volt is designed to run on E85, a fuel blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Using E85, fuel economy of 150 mpg would translate into more than 525 miles per petroleum gallon.



General Motors has also announced it has awarded advanced battery development contracts to two suppliers to design and test lithium-ion batteries for use in the Saturn Vue Green Line plug-in hybrid SUV.



One contract has been awarded to Johnson Controls Saft Advanced Power Solutions, LLC, a joint venture between Tier 1 automotive supplier Johnson Controls and Saft. Another agreement was signed with Cobasys, in partnership with A123Systems. Cobasys, based in Orion, Mich., is a joint venture between Chevron Technology Ventures LLC, a subsidiary of Chevron Corp., and Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. A123Systems, based in Watertown, Mass., is a leading manufacturer of high power lithium-ion batteries.



The two test batteries, one from Cobasys A123Systems and the other from Johnson Controls Saft , will be evaluated in prototype Saturn Vue Green Line plug-in hybrids beginning later this year. While both are lithium-ion batteries, the chemistry differs significantly. The suppliers also use unique methods in the design and assembling of the battery packs.

Gm Encourages Use of Renewable Fuels

Brent Dewar, General Motors’ Vice-President of field sales, service and parts while working for General Motors in Brazil in the 1990s got to experience the country’s successful switch from oil-based economy to ethanol. Dewar hopes to see the same changes to happen in the United States and he believes that NASCAR can help. He is urging officials to consider ethanol as an alternative fuel solution.





According to Dewar, “We would embrace it. We think it would be great on a lot of fronts, because obviously it would send a signal to the public. A lot of people don’t understand the benefits of ethanol.”





The use of renewable fuels are already employed by other racing series like for instance the Indy Racing League’s IndyCar Series will race on 100 percent ethanol similarly the American LeMans Series will race on a 10 percent ethanol blend.





And today NASCAR has also expressed its desire to give ethanol a try. Driver Kyle Petty said that NASCAR’s marketing power might drive alternative fuels into the mainstream to help consumers forget the image of hippies terrorizing them by putting vegetable oil in their 1980s Mercedes. “I think once you start seeing alternative fuels show up in places like racing and places where you least expects them, then you think about that guy with the Volkswagen van that runs off of whatever,” added Petty.





NASCAR is once again taking the first step towards the direction of environmental responsibility by taking the lead in utilizing ethanol similar to what it did in the 1980s when it switches from using leaded to unleaded fuel.





Proponents of ethanol are very honest in saying that despite numerous advantages that the ethanol fuel can offer it is not a magic wand saying that it is not as efficient as gasoline. But with the ever increasing danger of global warming caused by harmful car emissions, efficiency has become a trivial issue. The important thing is to save the environment. However, continuous study and research are conducted to make the ethanol as efficient as gasoline.





“I think the global-warming thing, and all the things that are written about that, a lot more people are aware of the fact that we do need to do something,” said Petty.





Most American cars run on 90 percent fuel and 10 percent ethanol blends, in order to function on heavier blends of ethanol, cars have to be specially equipped for it. According to Dewar, technological innovations can help in decreasing the price of ethanol. At present, the ethanol used in the US is derived from corn while the ethanol used in Brazil came from sugar cane. There are some research findings that show certain kinds of grass and even wood chips proving a much better source for ethanol. Researchers are also working to develop enzymes that would break down waste products into ethanol. Dewar said that in five years time we should expect cars to literally run on recycled garbage fuel.





It is inspiring to see that the world’s largest automaker and maker of popular car accessories like GM car covers, General Motors--- is so passionate in its goal to help the environment. Does this mean that we will be seeing more green GM cars in the future?

Toyota Introduces Flex-fuel Corollas in Brazil

With car manufacturers looking for ways to help the environment, new clean car technologies have been developed. These technologies are used by the roving green cars of today. There are various technologies from which to choose from. Car manufacturers have already come up with the gas-electric hybrid, flex fuel vehicles, and those clean diesel vehicles.





The popularity of these types of clean technologies varies from region to region. In the United States, hybrid vehicles such as the Toyota Prius are the most popular of all clean car technologies. In Europe, on the other hand, diesel engines designed to be clean, fuel efficient and of high performance are popular. In Brazil, it is flex-fuel vehicles which are popular due to the abundance of bio-ethanol in the said country. This is the reason why Toyota will be marketing two Corolla variants at the said country - both of which are designed to run on both bio-ethanol and conventional gasoline.





The Japanese company’s Brazilian subsidiary reported that the two Corolla variants will outperform the existing gasoline engine powered Toyota Corolla. The first of the two Corollas is the Corolla Flex which the company hopes to have an initial monthly sale of 2,500 units. The second Corolla model is the Corolla Fielder Flex. For the Fielder Flex, Toyota aims for an initial monthly sale of 750 units. These vehicles are equipped with an engine similar in principle and construction to that of a gasoline engine.





The only difference is that several parts of the engines which run on ethanol need to be fortified still. This is because ethanol is more corrosive than gasoline and to combat this corrosive nature of the alternative fuel, different parts such as fuel lines, valves, cylinder walls, and other parts which comes in contact with the fuel and its emission needs to be reinforced. Other parts such as Airaid cold air intake systems are not affected directly by the corrosive nature of the fuel.





The two Corolla variants according to the company are the first for-market vehicles that can run on pure ethanol that Toyota produces. While there are already many flex-fuel vehicles in the market, the majority of them are not designed to run on pure ethanol. Most of them are configured to run on E10 or E85. The number (10 and 85) pertains to the percentage of bio-ethanol on the fuel. For example, an E85 fuel is 85 percent bio-ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.





One problem though with using pure ethanol as fuel is that a car will be hard to start during the cold weather. To solve this problem some car manufacturers includes a small gasoline reservoir in the car so that gasoline can be sued to start the engine. After the engine is started, it automatically shifts to bio-ethanol. The use of bio-ethanol reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emission which contributes heavily to global warming.





The popularity of ethanol as fuel in Brazil is due to the fact that it is currently largest importer of ethanol in the world. The abundance of sugarcane in the country means that it is suited to producing the alternative fuel. For the past couple of yeas, car companies have been taking advantage of this abundance of ethanol by introducing flex-fuel vehicles in the Brazilian auto market. Given the fact that ethanol is cheaper than gasoline in the country, Brazilian car buyers are quick to shift from pure gasoline cars to flex-fuel cars. Flex-fuel vehicles are so popular in fact that it is reported that eight out of ten new cars sold in the country are flex-fuel vehicles.





With the introduction of the Toyota Corollas to the market, and the fact that the new vehicles are said to be better than the gasoline Corolla, the number of flex-fuel cars on Brazil’s roads will surely increase in the near future.

Vehicles Running on E85 Available in the United States

Due to the increased threat of global warming and the Bush administration’s goal to reduce gasoline consumption, the alternative fuel industry has been booming. There are already pumps in the United States which supplies alternative fuels like biodiesel and bio-ethanol for owners of vehicles which run on such fuels. These alternative fuels are serving a host of flex fuel vehicles already being sold in the U.S.





Vehicles which run on E85, a combination of bio-ethanol and conventional gasoline, are already making their appearances in showrooms and roads across the United States. These vehicles burn cleaner fuel and therefore produce less greenhouse gases which contribute to the protection of the environment.





Vehicles running on E85 are increasing in number. Bio-ethanol powered vehicles which are available in the United States include the Buick Terraza; the Chevrolet Avalanche, Express, Impala, Monte Carlo, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe, and Uplander; the Chrysler Aspen, Sebring, and Town & Country; for Dodge, the Caravan/ Grand Caravan, Durango, Dakota, and the Ram. Two Ford vehicles are also available in E85 fuel configuration - the Ford Crown Victoria and the Ford F-150 Pickup Truck. GMC offers four flex fuel vehicles - the GMC Savana, Sierra, Yukon, and Yukon XL. Other flex fuel vehicles are the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Commander, Lincoln Town Car, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Mercury Grand Marquis, Nissan Armada and the Nissan Titan and the latter two can be fitted with a Nissan cold air intake system for a better performance.





The use of bio-ethanol on engines is unlike biodiesel which does not need modification. Since ethanol is corrosive in nature, different parts of the engine and other auto parts needs to be fortified to withstand the corrosive nature of the fuel. The price of bio-ethanol is lower than that of gasoline but it contains less energy per gallon which means that consumers will consume more fuel to travel a given distance compared when using gasoline.





But the positive thing about the use of bio-ethanol is that it produces 80 percent less greenhouse gas when burned compared to petroleum gasoline. This means that vehicles running on E85 contribute less to global warming. Another advantage that bio-ethanol has over gasoline is that it comes from a renewable source. Bio-ethanol is produced from starch or sugar which is present on a wide variety of crops.





Currently, bio-ethanol as fuel is just entering its development phase and although E85 is already available and vehicles are already being manufactured to run on the fuel, there is still a lot of development that the fuel needs to go through. President Bush recently urged the U.S. Congress to approve the requested fund for the development of ethanol as fuel.





Today, the main source of ethanol is corn although there are also other sources of the said alternative fuel like wood chips. Further development of ethanol will bring the cost of the fuel even lower to make it really practical for consumers.

Automakers Urge Nascar to Switch to Renewable Fuels

Brent Dewar, General Motors’ vice president of field sales, along with other automakers, is urging the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) to switch from gasoline to ethanol and other renewable fuels.





Dewar, while working for GM in Brazil in the 1990s, has witnessed a successful transformation of an oil-reliant economy to ethanol. As such, he intends to see the same transformation happen in the United States. With that in mind, Dewar thinks that NASCAR can give a big hand hence he is lobbying the officials of the racing giant to shift from gasoline to ethanol.





“We would embrace it,” said Dewar, GM’s vice president of field sales, service and parts. “We think it would be great on a lot of fronts, because obviously it would send a signal to the public. A lot of people don’t understand the benefits of ethanol.” Dewar added, “Some research indicates certain kinds of grass and even wood chips might be better suited to making ethanol. Researchers also are working to develop enzymes that break down waste products into ethanol.”





A number of racing series have already shifted to renewable fuels. As a fact, the Indy Racing League’s IndyCar Series will race on 100 percent ethanol starting this season. Also, the LeMans Series confirmed that it will race on a 10 percent ethanol blend. Now, Dewar and other environmentalists in the industry believe that the NASCAR should also shift to alternative fuels to make the commitment more forceful.





Gasoline is about 20 percent more proficient than ethanol. Hence, if ethanol is more than 20 percent cheaper than gasoline, ethanol could be a good alternative, environment and economic-wise. Dewar was in Brazil in December and said that ethanol was 50 percent cheaper than gasoline in the said territory. In five years time, Dewar expects cars to literally run on renewable fuels. As auto parts like the Eagle cold air intake become more advanced, they should also not compromise environmental concerns.





“Without a doubt, I think we should look into it,” driver Jeff Burton said. “Although our impact on environmental issues is probably very, very small from an actual use standpoint, from a marketing standpoint, we could have a major impact.”





Driver Kyle Petty said NASCAR’s marketing horsepower might drive alternative fuels into the mainstream for it is also helping consumers get over the image of hippies tinkering with their 1980s Mercedes to make them run on vegetable oil. “I think once you start seeing alternative fuels show up in places like racing and places where you least expect them, then you don’t think about that guy with the Volkswagen van that runs off of whatever,” Petty said.





NASCAR is taking one step in the direction of environmental responsibility by getting the lead out and catching up with a change most consumers made in the 1980s by switching from leaded to unleaded fuel. Ramsey Poston, the spokesman of the racing giant, said their officials are willing to consider renewable fuels, too. “In terms of looking at the next step, obviously we’re open to options,” Poston said.





NASCAR teams also would have to adjust their cars to run on ethanol, but Dewar said the switch would not be a “major investment.” Dewar added it ultimately would be worth the hassle.





Petty believes the whole country will switch to renewable fuels at some point, so it makes sense for NASCAR and Sunoco, its official fuel supplier, to lead the way. “You would like to think that they would take a leading role in it, especially through Sunoco’s involvement,” Petty added. “Because I know Sunoco’s taken a huge step in that direction.”





Critics and enthusiasts alike believe that it is high time for NASCAR to think about going green. “I think the global-warming thing, and all the things that are written about that, a lot more people are aware of the fact that we do need to do something,” Petty concluded.

Alternative Fuel for Volvo Cars

The increasing harmful effects of greenhouse gases from car emissions are being felt by almost every country in the world. Due to this, effort has been put to the development of cars that will use alternative fuels for it has been proven that such vehicles would be actually able to help produce less or no harmful emissions at all.





The choice of alternative fuels is great but the efficiency of these possible energy sources is still in question. Problems still arise from the use of alternative fuels to which dedicated companies are investing time, effort, and money to find solutions to. One of the first mass produced cars to address the problem is the Toyota Prius which uses an electric motor to drive the car though in a very limited capacity only. Other companies are also developing cars which will not only provide good performance but, at the same time, help in the campaign to protect the environment.





One such company is Volvo - the Ford Motor Company subsidiary based in Sweden which is known for their safety-first attitude towards the production of their cars. The company has developed a Flexi-Fuel system that allows the car’s engine to work on a combination of ethanol and gasoline. This technology is already being employed by some of their car models available in selected European market. These models are the newly unveiled Volvo C30, the S40 sedan and the V50 wagon. Their fuel of choice is the E85 - the 85 denotes the percentage of bio-ethanol in the engine’s fuel with the other 15 per cent being gasoline. The combination reduces the cars’ emission of harmful greenhouse gases by as much as 80 per cent without endangering the cars’ performance level.





The engine of the cars which employs the FlexiFuel technology has been modified slightly to accommodate the corrosive nature of ethanol. The different components which come in direct contact with the fuel have been fortified to increase their resistance to the corrosive effect of the biomass-derived fuel. Parts such as the Volvo valve cover gasket, fuel hoses and different seals have been also modified for use with the ethanol based fuel. The injection valves are likewise reinforced and increased in size due to the fact that E85 has lower energy content than gasoline. Hence a larger amount of fuel needs to be burned to give the engine the same power produced by gasoline-only engines.





The use of ethanol as fuel is a good step towards harnessing alternative renewable sources of energy but it has its drawbacks. Problems experienced by ethanol powered vehicles includes, but is not limited to, the negative effect it has on electric fuel pumps by increasing internal wear due to the fuel’s corrosive nature. E85 is also not compatible with capacitance fuel level gauging indicators which may result on erroneous fuel quantity indications. Another question on the ethanol’s use as fuel is the manner by which it is produced. While cars which use this kind of fuel decrease our dependency on fossil fuels, the process to produce ethanol actually means having to use fossil fuels.





Whether the decrease in the emission of car is greater than the release of harmful greenhouse gases from the process of producing ethanol remains to be seen. While ethanol is priced lower than gasoline, the ethanol’s energy content is lower than that of petrol which means that the engine will need larger amount of fuel in every intake stroke. This fact poses a question whether using E85 will increase the cost incurred by the consumer on their fuel consumption.





The use of ethanol on a mass produced car is just a small step in harnessing alternative sources of energy. This technology alone cannot single-handedly resolve the global community’s dependence on the fast-depleting reserve of fossil fuels but it is a significant step forward.

Nanotechnology May Help Improving Fuel Ability

As we are facing the uncertainly in supply of crude oil, as well as affluent prices, other fuel source is a happening and hot topic. An interesting option could be ethanol, now made out of plants like corn and sugar cane. Companies and universities are eagerly working to grow this process of making ethanol from many other kinds of plant substance; that might considerably augment the amount of ethanol accessible as fuel. Nanotechnology might be to assist this important effort.





Presently ethanol that is used in fuel in the United States is made out of corn especially. The starch in the corn kernels is rehabilitated to sugar using enzymes. This starch is further fermented to shape up ethanol. Any how, in order to make a necessary reduction in the United States consummation of crude oil, we require up that production by a long way. The goal prepared recently by the United States government is to make 35 billion gallons of ethanol a year within the next ten years.





Researchers at Michigan State University are trying nanotechnology in a neat trick. They are heritably engineering corn to comprise the required enzyme. The plan is to make the enzyme unmoving until activated by high temperatures. When the cellulous part of the corn, like stalk, is procedures, the high giving out temperatures might set in motion the enzyme and change the cellulous to starch. This would avoid the added cost of creation the enzyme separately.





Researchers at the University of Rochester are as well studying how bacteria select an exacting enzyme, or enzymes, to break at specific kind of plant or other bio mass. They expect to make enzymes, which could change cellulous to ethanol in one step, other than the two steps used by the accessible processes. The advantage of cars that could be filled up with either fuel or ethanol has been verified in Brazil, they use much of its sugar cane crop to make ethanol. Using nanotechnology / genetic engineering to make ethanol from cellulous has the latent to make a serious dent in our use of crude oil. However we do require keeping an eye on some safety issues.

Cleaner Cars From Volvo

Environment consciousness in the global community is growing as a result of unrelenting campaign of environmentalist for the people to protect Mother Earth. In connection with this, car manufactures are in a position to help alleviate the problem with pollution, one of the primary reasons of which is the emission from vehicles.





Different companies have been developing ways to decrease the emission of their cars and at the same time lower fuel consumption. Lowering the amount of fossil fuel based products consumed by automobiles will greatly help in preserving the world’s fossil fuel reserve. Car manufacturers, most notably Toyota and Honda, have come up with hybrid vehicles which use electricity to power their car but the fuel savings is not nearly enough to protect our natural reserves of fossil fuel.





Volvo has come up with a way to help in the protection of the environment by using alternative fuel on some of their car models. FlexiFuel models are now being produced by the Sweden-based car manufacturer. These are the Volvo C30, S40, and the V50 models. These cars use an alternative fuel called E85 which is a combination of ethanol and petrol. The combination of which is 85 per cent bio-ethanol and 15 per cent gasoline. Use of the E85 alternative fuel reduces emissions of fossil carbon dioxide which is harmful to the environment by as much as 80 per cent compared to cars using gasoline only.





The models equipped with the FlexiFuel technology are equipped with a four-cylinder engine which can produce 125 horsepower. The usage of the alternative fuel does no harm to the engines’ performance. The bio-ethanol and gasoline combination is stored on the models’ 55 liter tank. To accommodate the corrosive properties of ethanol, changes have to be made to the engine’s construction. Fuel hoses, valves, and gaskets have been modified and fortified to take on the corrosive nature of ethanol. Injection valves have also been modified and made larger since a larger amount of fuel needs to be injected to the combustion chamber. This is due to the fact that ethanol has a lower energy content compared to pure gasoline. Aside from these changes, the engine is basically the same just like the Volvo spark plug wires which will not be affected by the corrosive nature of the fuel.





The development of the technology is just a small step but a significant one in terms of protecting our environment for future generations. Since ethanol is a renewable source of energy, the use of it as a fuel will decrease the world’s dependency on the fossil fuel reserves all over the world. Ethanol can be produced from a wide range of biomass source such as corn, wheat, sugar-beet and cellulose among others. And with increasing number of facilities that produce ethanol, the technology developed by Volvo may soon be used all over the world. Aside from using ethanol as fuel, there are also a range of renewable energy resources that are waiting to be enhanced for possible use as duel for automobiles.

Do you own a Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV)?

Do you own a Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV)?

What in the world is a Flexible Fuel Vehicle? It's a car or
truck that is capable of burning certain alternative fuels. Now
we're not talking gasoline vs. diesel engines here, we're
talking about gasoline engines that can also burn ethanol,
natural gas, propane, hydrogen, methanol, and p-series fuels.
According to some chemist at the U.S. Department of Energy,
p-series fuels are "a unique blend of natural gas liquids
(pentanes plus), ethanol, and the biomass-derived co-solvent
methyltetrahydrofuran" just in case you were wondering.

Anyway, if you own one of these flexible fuel vehicles, and you
could own one without realizing it, then you might be able to
save yourself a whopping amount of money now that gas is nearing
the price of gold.

Although some of the more exotic alternative fuels may not be
flowing out of the pumps at your neighborhood service station,
there is a good chance that ethanol is.

Ethanol is alcohol-based and it's made by fermenting and
distilling corn, barley, or wheat. It can also be made from
"cellulosic biomass", which is just a fancy phrase for "chunks
of trees and grass", except that this version is called
"Bioethanol" instead of plain "Ethanol".

E85 is an Ethanol/Gasoline product that's being sold at a lot of
gas stations. It's a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. E95
is a 95/5 blend of ethanol and gasoline. Both blends are capable
of being burned by most Flexible Fuel Vehicles.

Some service stations are selling an E10 (10/90 ethanol/gasoline
blend), that doesn't really qualify as an alternative fuel. Its
primary purpose is to reduce carbon monoxide levels, and it can
be burned by most any engine that burns gasoline.

Unlike Hybrid Vehicles, flexible fuel vehicles are not
necessarily more expensive because of the alternative fuel
option, and they aren't anywhere near as rare. In fact, there's
a chance that you're driving one right now. If the salesperson
didn't tell you, and you're not the kind that reads owner's
manuals, and you're ignoring the sticker that's probably on the
inside of your gas tank cover, you could be in for a cash-saving
surprise.

If you're not sure if you own an FFV, or you're planning on
buying a new car soon, then visit the U.S. Department of
Energy's Flexible Fuel Vehicle
(http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/afv/models.html) list.

If there isn't a FFV in your life, there's still hope. You can
have an aftermarket conversion done. When you do a conversion,
your gasoline-only engine ends up being able to burn some
particular alternative fuel such as compressed natural gas (CNG)
or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG, or propane), or Ethanol. You
have three conversion choices; "dedicated", "dual-fuel", and
"bi-fuel". Dedicated means that your engine only burns one fuel
after the conversion. Dual-fuel engines can burn two different
fuels, and with a bi-fuel conversion, your engine burns two
different fuels at the same time. So, if you think that you have
no choice but to continue paying through the nose when you're
paying at the pump, look into getting a Flexible Fuel Vehicle or
an aftermarket conversion

Biofuels, Hybrids or Herbivores

South Park parodied hybrid car owners creating clouds of ‘smug’, but do they really have anything to be smug about? In the battle against man-made global warming and reducing pollution ethanol powered cars, not hybrids, are touted the way to go and politicians and the environmentally conscious alike are jumping on the bandwagon.





There is no doubt that ethanol burns far more cleanly than diesel or petrol – we could radically reduce the pollutants in our atmosphere by switching. Or can we? You see, to create ethanol, crops need to be grown. Because ethanol is not as potent as petrol, more ethanol is burned per kilometre. It takes between 75-90% of the energy yielded from ethanol to actually grow it – ploughing, harvesting, processing and shipping all add up – and ethanol still releases a lot of carbon dioxide. Then there’s the environmental destruction caused by the conversion of land to biofuel production. This either takes forests or fallow land, or removes land from the general agriculture pool which pushes up food prices. Both of these reduce biodiversity. Add to that the increased erosion, fertiliser pollution and waterway silting and the argument for ethanol is fizzling rapidly.





Even if we manage to eek out a saving using hybrids as opposed to ethanol, at best these cars get only marginally better fuel economy than, for example, a diesel VW Polo, and they take as much if not more toxic metals and fossil fuels to produce. The most we can hope for is a fraction of a percent reduction.





There is one radical change we can make, though. Cows, sheep, pigs and chickens account for a whopping 9% of GHG emissions, but 18% of the GHG effect (methane from farts is over 20 times more damaging than carbon dioxide in terms of its global warming potential). So, would a better solution to reduce greenhouse gases be to change to a diet of lentils and beans? Our own emissions might then match those of the livestock! It’s a no-win situation, then, so where’s my chicken sandwich.





To see more motoring articles and new car reviews visit Car and SUV

An Introduction Into Biomass Energy

As fuel prices propel upward around the world and further concerns mount over global warming, many researchers and policy makers are looking toward renewable energy sources. For the most part, power made from natural sources is low-impact because biological material can be quickly restored through natural processes.

Large markets are starting to shy away from fossil fuels and embrace more responsible biomass alternatives. The field is gaining momentum and there are thousands of newly viable ways to create planet-friendly energy.

What is biomass energy?

Even though it is only now gaining credibility and market share, biofuel is not new. In fact, early humans created biomass energy by burning wood. Biomass is any biological material that can be used for industrial purposes. Coal and petroleum are not considered biomass because they were transformed from organic material into fossils by geological means. When something organic, like wood, is used as fuel, the heat it generates is biomass energy.

The State of Biomass Energy

Continuing instability in global oil markets and the predicted depletion of fossil fuels has created a new interest in biomass energy in recent years. The concept of biofuel is not a new one, but it has always been dismissed in the past as less than cost effective. The rising cost of gasoline and heating fuel has narrowed the price gap. In light of these record prices, adding biomass infrastructure has become more attractive. Proponents of biofuel argue that wider distribution will eventually lead to lower prices.

One of the ripest areas for biomass energy development is the personal vehicle market. The United States is facing record gas prices, and many citizens are having to change their travel habits. Biofuels such of bioethanol, biodiesel, and vegetable oil can all be used to power specially outfitted vehicles.

The Popularity of Bioethanol

Ethanol, in particular, is now used throughout the world to supplemental gasoline usage. Ethyl alcohol can be synthesized from a number of common crops like sugar or corn. Most consumer cars in the United States can use fuel that is 10% ethanol. Flexible-fuel vehicles have engine modifications that allow them to use much high concentrations of the fuel.

Brazil, the second largest producer of ethanol in the world, is said to be the first sustainable ethanol economy. The country is well-known for its sugarcane production and uses its large reserves to produce fuel. E20 (20% ethanol and 80% gasoline) gas mixtures are mandated throughout the country. This system has allowed Brazilians to grow, process, buy fuel, and improve their economy while slowly reducing their dependence on other countries.

The United States uses its significant corn crops to secure its place as the largest worldwide ethanol producer. Most state governments require the usage of E10 in order to reduce pollution and replace the need for MTBE in gasoline.

The use of ethanol is still controversial. Some argue that it raised the cost of fuel mixtures and that extra harvest and production energy negate any environmental benefit. They also cite the tendency of ethanol speculation to increase the price of staple crops and thus taking food away from lower classes priced out of the market.

Producing Heat and Electricity

Biomass fuels are not only in use on the highway. One of the most popular remedies for the rising cost of heating fuel over the past few years have been pellet stoves. These units provide heat to spaces by burning pellets made from compressed sawdust. They are highly efficient and provide a cheap alternative to furnaces and electric systems. Other renewable byproducts from industrial processes can also be burned off. This biomass and other biofuels can be used to produce electricity, but no large scale proof-of-concept has yet been implemented.

The Future of Biomass Energy

As fossil fuels rapidly deplete, governments around the world have recognized the need to harness biomass energy. Since it can be used in existing car engines without minimal changes, biofuels are currently a popular option to replace gasoline and diesel. Solar, hydroelectric, wind, nuclear, and geothermal energy options still outpace biomass with regard to producing electricity, but researchers hope that improved infrastructure will close the gap.

In the rush to find a new way to power the world, scientists are reviewing all available options. Biomass is attractive because it is completely renewable and collection is easy. As research continues, the ways to produce and use biomass energy continue to grow. It is unlikely that it will be the ultimate solution to current energy problems, but it will certainly play a part in the coming transition from fossil fuels.

Forestry Wastes to Fuel Up our Cars in the Future

In the rural part of Georgia, a man named Devon Dartnell is paving a way for world fuel economy. Devon Dartnell, Biomass program manager for the Georgia Forestry Commission is leading a construction of a plant that will work on converting forestry wastes to the car fuel, ethanol.





The facility will test the economic viability of lumber and agricultural by-products rather than corn or sugar cane to be used in ethanol production.





The plant will be financed by prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist, Vinod Khosla and Range Fuels headed by a former Apple executive.





Dartnell is aspiring for a $76 million Department of Energy grant that will eventually lead to more plants and a new industry in the state.





"This gives us energy security and it keeps all the money in-state," said Dartnell, "Today, if we buy a tank of gasoline, a lot of money ends up with the oil reserve owners and refiners, and it's spread all around the world."





The plant to be built is about to generate cellulosic ethanol, a modern biofuel that the investors expect to meet the oil demands of the federal state and consequently lessen the reliance of oil exports.





On the other hand, like any advanced biofuel tested and introduced, there are also expected pitfalls of this biofuel like long-standing technology hurdles and other environmental concerns.





"Just because the technology can be done right doesn't mean we will use it right or develop it in a smart way; that's the real challenge," said Nathanael Greene, senior policy analyst at the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC).





"Biofuels, in particular, can be anywhere from very good for the environment to very bad."





According to the cellulosic ethanol promoters, it will not undergo the same intensive farming and labor of corn ethanol. It also offers more advantage than the latter.





Cellulosic ethanol will be generated from the wood of the trees. Even the wood from natural disasters and fires can be used. The wood will undergo a multi-step thermochemical process.





The Range plant will be completed sometime next year and it claims the possibility of producing 20 million gallons of the cellulosic ethanol per year, intending to expand the production to 100 million gallons annually. According to Darnell, the United States has enough wood residues from milling and farming that they can even produce 2 billion gallons of ethanol each year.





What effect will this fuel bring to our internal combustion engines and emission control systems? We just have to wait and see. They have to test the compatibility of this fuel to engines of different car models and its parts, for example parts like Lincoln oxygen Sensor and converter.

Volvo Expands Green Model Range

Volvo is delivering FlexiFuel cars powered by renewable bioethanol on some European markets this coming autumn. Also, Volvo's green model range will be extended to include the new C30. The latter will also be offered with FlexiFuel power.



"Interest in ethanol as a vehicle fuel is growing in Europe," said Gerry Keaney, senior vice president market, sales and customer service of Volvo Cars. "We are therefore expanding our range with additional models on a total of 9 markets. First to get Volvo's FlexiFuel cars outside Sweden will be Britain, Ireland, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Norway. It's very encouraging that the market is expanding and that political initiatives are being taken."



France announced that it will put up 500 fuel stations for E85 next year. E85 is a combination of 85 percent renewable ethanol and 15 percent petrol. Said fuel will be generated from local agricultural products. So far, there are 23 plants that are producing ethanol in Europe. This number is anticipated to increase to more than 60 plants by 2008. In Europe, about 1.8 million liters of ethanol are produced every year. The ethanol produced came primarily from sugar-beet and other grains in Europe. The produce is also expected to soar threefold in the year 2008.



The expanded green model range includes 3 Volvo models C30, S40 and V50. They are all available with optimized FlexiFuel alternative. The C30 is marketed as a groundbreaking hatchback that is especially designed for the new generation of drivers. S40 and V50 are both compact luxury cars. They belong to the second generation of Volvo compact cars. Volvo S40 upgrade parts are built on the Volvo P1 platform. Last year, the car was nominated for the World Car of the Year. V50 is a station wagon version of S40. Its interior highlights soft 'theatre' lighting.



Now, C30, S40 and V50 are powered by a 4-cylinder naturally aspirated engine generating 125 horsepower. They are also equipped with modified fuel hoses, valves and gaskets to withstand ethanol's more corrosive properties. They also use an updated version of the software calibration, which is specifically designed for ethanol. Also, the engine management system accurately supervises the mix of bioethanol and petrol in the fuel tank and suits ignition and injection automatically.



"A renewable fuel will not on its own be able to replace today's fossil fuels, and the range of alternative fuels will probably be far wider in the future. Many different fuels and technologies will therefore be developed in parallel. Ethanol reduces dependency on fossil fuels and Volvo's FlexiFuel programme thus makes a vital contribution to our strategy of environmental sustainability," concluded Gerry Keaney.

Ethanol And Hybrid Cars

Hybrid cars are starting to gain a modicum of popularity in the world market and this popularity seems to be growing. Current fears regarding climate change combined with rising costs of gasoline have led to great public interest in hybrid cars although this interest has not entirely yielded huge sales at present. This has led to many people wonder about the future of hybrid cars and this future is based on a variety of factors.

The future of hybrid cars will always center on the state of ethanol as ethanol remains the active component within the internal combustion engine process that makes hybrid cars possible. Since ethanol derives from corn, the status of corn farming will always have an impact of the future of hybrid cars. This can be a somewhat curious status to predict because corn is also an important food source for many people and if corn supplies are directed towards fuel production there is a possibility that an unexpected negative impact can result from reduced food supplies. For example, in Latin America civil unrest almost developed when the production in ethanol threatened to cause food shortages. Because of this, ethanol production was slowed down. This is not to say increased production of ethanol will always cause food shortages because a process can always be set in motion to correct any potential hazards.

Ultimately, the future of hybrid cars will be based on marketplace demand. In other words, if there is adequate demand in the market place for increased production of hybrid cars and these cars sell and continue to sell strong, then the future of hybrid cars will be strong. Of course, there will always be a number of factors that will contribute to the success or failure of hybrid cars in the marketplace. One of the factors will be cost. This includes the cost of the car itself and the fuel costs associated with the car. At present, a hybrid car would save people a great deal of money in both those areas so this is a huge positive for the potential of the cars. The other area that will contribute to the success or failure of hybrid cars is sales and promotions. In other words, a solid advertising campaign would need to be set in place in order to stimulate public interest in the cars. Considering the skill of many ad companies, this should not be a problem and the future of these cars will look bright.

For information on buying and selling new and second hand cars and bikes visit http://www.bharathautomobiles.com/index.php

About the Author

James Gunaseelan writes for India's Leading Automobile Portal to buy and sell second hand and new automobiles

Ethanol Still - Discover How to Make an Ethanol Still

Many people want to learn more and more about how they can make their own ethanol.

Basically, you will only need two very important things. Corn and an ethanol still. Of course there are other grains that you can use aside from corn but corn just happens to be grown in more places and so is a little easier to access. With gasoline prices reaching all time highs once a month it seems, the thought of having your own ethanol still to make ethanol just seems like good logic.

People have been making ethanol for centuries in ethanol stills that they constructed out of what they had. The ethanol that we know today was actually created way back in 1796 by filtering distilled ethanol through charcoal. Johann Tobias Lowitz discovered this process and if he knew what he would be doing for so many people two hundred years later, I bet he would be thrilled. Actually he probably would have celebrated by drinking a little of his creation after it went through his ethanol still. Ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, has been made in backyard ethanol stills for decades. But it had a different name then. Then it was referred to as moonshine, or by some, white lightening. Moonshine was illegal in the days of prohibition but that didn't stop those who loved their brew. They would make an ethanol still and hide it in the woods so that it wouldn't be discovered. Some were lucky and never got caught while others had to face jail time. Men of all ages would make moonshine runs with cars that had to be fast so that they could outrun the law if need be. How times have changed. And people always said that you could run a car on moonshine, I just thought they were joking. Who's laughing now?

An ethanol still is a very important part in the making of ethanol. In days gone by people would put together any type of contraption they could so that they could make their homemade ethanol. Now ethanol stills have been perfected so that they do just what is needed. There is still some disagreements as to which material is better to use. A lot of people prefer to use copper for the ability it has to heat evenly all over. Others like to use stainless steel for its corrosion resistance with each party assured that their way is the best. A lot of commercial stills are made out of copper as they want the uniform heating ability that is necessary to make it the same each and every time.

The ethanol still is necessary to heat the corn mash mixture but once its job is complete the mixture will then be transferred to a fermenter that will allow the mash to ferment. This is the place that the ethanol is made. Fermentation is necessary for proper ethanol production.

Having an ethanol still is going to be something that more and more people will see necessary. Many are starting to feel the crunch of the high gas prices and soon will have to do something different in order to live like they have been accustomed to.

About the Author:
Allen Walker is a hard working american man who decided to do something about the high costs of gasoline that was affecting his life and family. He constructed his own ethanol still and now manufactures his own fuel from his backyard. You too can save money on gas by visiting his website http://www.ethanol-earth.com\">www.ethanol-earth.com" target="_blank">www.ethanol-earth.com">http://www.ethanol-earth.com\">www.ethanol-earth.com to learn how to make ethanol fuel.

Home Ethanol Production And What Is Involved

The words home ethanol production is creating a buzz all of the USA, because of fears of fuel shortages and price increases, plus global warming and pollution, people are getting more interested in home ethanol production. One thing to take into consideration with the production of ethanol, is safety, so it would be a good idea to get as much information as you can before starting. If your intention is to run your car on it you will probably need to check ethanol conversion kits. Relating to

Home Ethanol Production:

Home ethanol production is considered essential a major deal in the renewable energy debate, and in regards to the issue of homespun ethanol production, there are some facts that should really be known relative to an acre of US corn yielding approximately 7,100 pounds of grain for processing into 328 gallons of ethanol; the energy economics get worse at the processing plants, where the grain is crushed and fermented, as many as three distillation steps are needed in order to separate the 8% ethanol from the 92% water. When adding up the energy costs of grain production and its following conversion to ethanol, it has been found that 131,000 BTUs are needed in order to be able to make just 1 gallon of ethanol; one gallon of ethanol only has an energy value of 77,000 BTU, which is considered as being clearly not good.

Possible negatives with ethanol production:

Figures show that US grain production today erodes the top soil about 12 times faster than it can be reformed or replaced, with irrigated grain using groundwater 25% quicker than it can be naturally be replaced by rain etc. If you add to these figures that corn ethanol costs approximately $1.74 a gallon to produced, in comparison to the 94 cents per gallon that gasoline costs, its clear that more investigation is required before committing more and more remorses to ethanol production.

Therefore, there are so many questions with regards to the production of ethanol and the environment and with regards to life in general, as to whether or not ethanol is the proper choice as renewable energy source; there are actually so many positive factors that stem from it, and yet many negative ones as well, and so this is a matter which is almost certainly going to take some serious time and consideration to accurately figure out. However, there are some top-notch brilliant people in the world who are looking closely into the ethanol situation at this moment, this will also include home ethanol production, and so we can rest assured in knowing that the problem will be taken care of properly.

EcoHolistic.com for articles and tips about environmental and holistic issues.

For more information about Home Ethanol Production go to
http://www.ecoholistic.com/ethanol/ethanol-fuel/home-ethanol-production.html

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Is it Possible to Build a Cellulose Ethanol Plant Using Hemp?

Not long ago, a gentleman noted that hemp would be an excellent source for an ethanol plant. If it could be grown in large quantities and harvested, then it could assist the US in her addiction to Middle Eastern Oil. The man who came up with this scheme from Santa Barbara, CA stated:

My Dream is to Build a Hemp Ethanol Plant"

Indeed, hemp is extremely high in cellulose, perhaps four or five times higher than what they are using now. It might be nice to use the sage brush along the coastal mountain range where you are, by harvesting some of it, you could prevent fires, if you did not take too much you would hurt the erosion problems there. Hemp makes sense of course but in Santa Barbara there is a water situation too, so it might be tough to build a plant there.

Ethanol Plants use lots of water at ratios of 8:1 or 8 gallons of water for one gallon of Ethanol in the refining process. This does not include growing the crop itself, however in the case of Hemp, it can grow in the wild like the "Switch Grass" scheme that a University in Texas came up with not long ago.

Therefore the Online Think Tank asked the individual;

1. Do you have any preliminary studies, information, drawings of the plant design?
2. Do you have investors, backing, supporters for this concept?

Using the highest cellulose plants to make cellulose ethanol makes the most sense and for those plants that grow in the wild, helping them along a little bit, means we are not sacrificing farm land for food in trade for fuel. So, perhaps it is worthy of more inquiry?

"Lance Winslow" - Online Blog Content Service. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance Winslow's Bio

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