Energy Question: The Ethanol as a Transportation Fuel (Essay Sample)

Ethanol as a transportation fuel
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Ethanol as a transportation fuel
Human society has been using the limited reserves of fossil fuels for more than 100 years. Due to its scarcity, dwindling stock, and rising fuel prices, the endless search for a better alternative source has resulted in several suggestions. These suggestions include a fuel cell, rechargeable batteries, and alcohol fuel. One alternative is ethanol and has recently become an important part of United States energy policy.
Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, has the chemical formula C2H5OH. Ethanol is produced by fermenting sugar crops (sugarcane, sorghum, maize, and wheat), cornstalks, vegetable leftover, starch, and fruits after distillation. Ethanol is colorless liquid is flammable and is consumed by human known as beer, wine, alcohol, and hard liquorIt is similar to the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, but it makes an effective motor fuel. There have been years of automotive fuel use experience in the United States and other countries with the use of ethanol.
Advantages of ethanol fuel is that it has high flame speed and higher heat of vaporization. It contains 35% oxygen which limits nitrogen oxides emissions from combustion. The fuel is environment friendly which saves the environment against the problems caused by fossil fuels. It decreases by 50% butadiene and benzene which causes cancer. Consequently, all petrol engines can use mixtures of ethanol and does not need any alterations. Also, there will be a reduction in the production of hydrocarbons, especially carbon monoxide, by about 25 – 30% therefore conserving the environment.
Disadvantages of ethanol as transport fuel is that it has a lower energy content than fossil fuels. For example, one needs one-third more ethanol than gasoline to travel the same distance. Also, the production of ethanol is higher than the production of fossil fuels. Also, large tracts of land is required to produce plants needed to obtain ethanol, resulting in issues like deforestation, soil erosion, and salinity.
The U.S. policy regarding ethanol are several. In the Energy Policy Act of 2005, there was enactment of Renewable Fuel Standard, which mandated 7.5 billion gallons of...