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  • Essay / Ethanol as an Alternative Fuel - 546

    Alternative fuels are becoming more important than ever in today's society, with different forms of ethanol being the most common. It is now common to see E10 at the pump, a mixture of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline, because all modern cars can use it. Today, ethanol makes up 10% of the U.S. gasoline supply. The reliability and effectiveness of ethanol are often questioned, primarily the production of CO2 during the process of manufacturing and using ethanol, as well as the difference in mileage between gasoline and ethanol. However, some types of ethanol do not produce as much CO2 as gasoline, both in their process and in their actual use. Ethanol is clean and affordable, lowering gasoline prices, saving money at the pump and in the economy. Although ethanol has many advantages, it still has some disadvantages, namely CO2 production in ethanol production and mileage rate. According to Nikhil Swaminathan, corn as a fuel actually generates more fossil fuel emissions when transformed into ethanol than it avoids as a fuel. This has become the biggest controversy in the alternative fuels debate. Ethanol also has lower fuel economy than gasoline, causing cars to get slightly less mileage. The Environmental Protection Agency says E10 reduces mileage by about 3 percent. It also absorbs water, which is a problem in classic cars and recreational vehicles such as boats, planes and other outdoor vehicles. Some also worry about growing corn for ethanol because it would replace food crops with energy crops. Despite these drawbacks, the number of benefits of ethanol far outweighs the negatives. Ethanol itself emits fewer greenhouse gases than gasoline, both during its use and during the production of certain fuels. Ethanol has lower emissions... middle of paper ...... Improved public health. " SugarCane.org. UNICA and Apex-Brasil, nd Web. March 9, 2014. Meyers, Glenn. "Top Eight Alternative Fuels." CleanTechnica. Sustainable Enterprises Media, Inc., March 8, 2012. Web. March 9, 2014. The Renewable Fuels Association. “40 Interesting Facts About Ethanol.” Western Farm Press, February 27, 2013. “Sustainability” UNICA and Apex-Brasil, nd. Web, March 9, 2014. “Amber Gas Waves?: An Alternative to Gasoline Can Be Found in Prairie Grass.” Global Nature America, Inc., December 7, 2014. Weaver, Lori. You Need to Know About Ethanol." About.com Hybrid Cars & Alt Fuels. March 16, 2014. Wilson, Tom. "How Does Ethanol Impact Fuel Efficiency?" Road & Track Hearst Communications, Inc., June 23, 2011. Web.. 2014.