|
In our world today, oil and gas reserves are permanently declining and scientists are searching for alternative liquid fuels. During the recent Canadian Renewable Fuels Summit, ethanol was recognized as a very valuable biofuel. The reason being that ethanol is a clear, clean burning, and biodegradable alcohol.
Based on the many benefits of ethanol, the government of Canada plans to use ethanol blended gas in all gas that it sold by 2010. Canada's estimated requirement is about 1.5 billion liters by 2010. Ontario is our country's greatest fuel consumer.
Ethanol is not a fossil fuel and burning it or manufacturing it does not increase the greenhouse effect. In fact, according to Department of Natural Resources, Government of Canada: ethanol is playing a key role in helping Canada and the world meet its climate change objectives.
However from a social position the use of food grains for making ethanol is causing rise of food prices. For example, in late 2007 thousands of Mexicans took to the streets in a "tortilla protest" against the 400% rise in corn prices due to increased demand for corn to make ethanol! The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations reported that by 2015, the total number of undernourished people in the developing countries would be about 582 million.
Sugar cane and fruits are considered as an alternative to corn for producing ethanol. However, the question remains the same: food or fuel?
Therefore, we need to find out what is so special about ethanol and what are its properties that make it an environmentally ¨Cfriendly fuel.
Properties of Ethanol
Ethanol is being manufactured worldwide from different and locally available resources. For example, Sugar cane rich Brazil's ethanol program is sugar cane based, 95% of US ethanol program is corn based; in Japan it is based on forest produce; in Canada both wheat stock and corn are being used to make ethanol; in Australia research is in programs to make ethanol from barley and other grains; in Thailand ethanol is being made from rice and grass.
Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, drinking alcohol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless chemical compound, and is best known as the alcohol found in thermometers and alcoholic beverages. In common usage, it is often referred to simply as alcohol.
After the use of fire, fermentation of sugar into ethanol is perhaps the earliest organic reaction known to humanity, and the intoxicating effects of ethanol consumption have been known since ancient times. In modern times ethanol intended for industrial use has also been produced from byproducts of petroleum refining.
Ethanol has widespread use as a solvent for substances intended for human contact or consumption, including scents, flavorings, colorings, and medicines. In chemistry it is both an essential solvent and a feedstock for the synthesis of other products. Ethanol has a long history as a fuel, including as a fuel for internal combustion engines.
Non-food crop Based Sources of Ethanol
Based on the many properties of Ethanol and benefits to reduction of greenhouse gases, research is being done to explore possibility of making ethanol from non-conventional sources such as forest waste, wood chips, saw dust, household waste, fast growing prairie grasses that grow on low quality soil or even algae.
The key benefit of making ethanol from non-foodcrop based sources will be that prices of gasoline may get reduced and most certainly our environment will not be harmed.
 Back to Top
|
