2002/37 (a)
BACKGROUNDER
ETHANOL AS A TRANSPORTATION FUEL
The use of ethanol produced from biological feedstocks as an automotive fuel
is not new. Henry Ford designed his Model T cars so they would run on ethanol
and other fuels. Ethanol was quickly replaced by gasoline and diesel as the
fuels of choice. However, in the 1970s and 1980s, when concerns arose about
the sustained availability of light crude oil supplies and the increasing dependence
on offshore petroleum, there was a resurgence in interest in ethanol and other
renewable fuels.
Fuel ethanol is a high-octane alcohol produced from the fermentation of sugar
derived from the starch in grains (corn and wheat). "Bioethanol" is
fuel ethanol made from the fermentation of sugars derived from the plant fibre
in renewable feedstocks such as wood and agricultural residues. Produced in
this fashion, ethanol is a sustainable domestic energy choice.
The environmental benefits of ethanol as a transportation fuel are real. A
10-percent blend of ethanol gasoline provides a three to four percent net reduction
in carbon dioxide emissions.
In addition to its environmental benefits, fuel ethanol has economic benefits.
With the developed world becoming increasingly dependent on crude oil from more
remote and/or expensive sources, the competitive position of fuel ethanol should
progressively improve. It also represents an important new market for agricultural
crops, aiding in rural development, and a viable solution to waste management
in the forestry and agricultural sectors.
Revised April 11, 2002
For more information, contact:
Bill Cruickshank
Manager, Biochemical Conversion
CANMET Energy Technology Branch
Natural Resources Canada
Ottawa
(613) 996-8732
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