Q . What is ethanol?
A . Ethanol is a
clean-burning, high-octane fuel; E98
for off road and racing 98% Ethanol and
2% gas, 120 octane).
E98 or E100 can be used for
off-road and racing.
At its core, ethanol
is grain alcohol, produced from crops
like corn. In Brazil, ethanol producers
use sugar cane, which is a more
efficient source. Although Brazil is a
low-cost producer of ethanol, tariffs
discourage imports from there into the
United States.
Q . What are
the benefits of using ethanol blends?
A .Ethanol is
an American-made fuel that lessens the
dependence on foreign oil.
Clean-burning fuel,
which improves air quality. Ethanol is
an oxygenate; oxygen helps the
fuel burn
more cleanly and more completely.
Ethanol has a higher
octane rating than regular gasoline,
which allows for more horsepower and
torque.
Increased production of
ethanol benefits grain farmers and
creates good-paying jobs with the
development of ethanol refineries,
especially in rural areas where
manufacturing jobs have been few.
Q
. How easy is it to find E85?
A
. Depends on where you live. Contact us
for an assist in find race fuel.
Q
. Will ethanol fuel solve America's
dependence on foreign oil?
A
. It can help. Lawmakers, politicians
and automakers concede that ethanol fuel
is only part of the solution.
Everyone agrees the best
fuel alternative is cellulosic ethanol,
assuming technology can produce it on a
cost-effective basis. Among its
advantages over corn-based ethanol: It
doesn't require fertilizer and care;
farmers use waste products like
cornstalks or grass lining highways.
With aggressive research,
the National Resources Defense Council
believes more than half of the nation's
fuel supply could come from cellulosic
ethanol by 2050 -- or 7.9 billion
barrels a day.
"Our country is on the
verge of a dramatic change for our
power," said Stephen L. Johnson, an
administrator for the Environmental
Protection Agency. "Twenty-five years
from now, we can make foreign sources of
oil go the way of the typewriter and the
Walkman."
You can reach David
Shepardson at (202) 662- 8735 or
dshepardson@detnews.com.
