Some Alcohol Fuels Facts
Some Alcohol Fuels Facts
Alcohol fuels are made from renewable resources such as locally grown crops and even waste products such as waste paper or grass and tree trimmings. Methanol and Ethanol are two types of alcohol fuels used in cars. Ethanol can be produced from a variety of renewable resources, most commonly corn and sugarcane. Methanol can be made from renewable resources also, but today, methanol is primarily made from natural gas.
Alcohol fuels burn cleaner than regular gasoline and produce less carbon monoxide and have high octane.
Local production of fuel, from Michigan-grown crops, supports agricultural jobs. Supporting local business keeps dollars in the state and contributes to a healthy state economy. Production of fuels in-state provides energy self-sufficiency.
Did you know?
* Methanol has been used as a racing fuel at the Indianapolis 500 Motor Speedway (for reasons of safety and performance) for the past 20 years!
* Ethanol was the fuel preferred by Henry Ford back in the early days of the Model T.
* "Flexible fuel" alcohol vehicles have an on-board fuel sensor that monitors the percentage of alcohol present in the fuel mixture and automatically adjusts the engine.
* There are flexible-fueled vehicles capable of operating on 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, 100% gasoline, or any combination in between. The on-board fuel sensor determines the ethanol/gasoline mixture, sends the information to the engine’s computer, and the air-to-fuel ratio and timing are instantaneously adjusted. There’s even a digital readout on the dashboard that shows the driver what the alcohol fuel percentage is at that moment!
* Alcohol fueled vehicles are available for the same price as gasoline vehicles.
* Chrysler makes ethanol flexible-fueled Town & Country, Caravans, and Voyagers.
* Ford makes ethanol flexible-fueled Ranger trucks and Taurus sedans.
* Mazda makes ethanol flexible-fueled B3000 pickup trucks.
Biodiesel from algae may not be as green as it seems
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) - Two companies in Huntsville are helping Alabama A&M University with a project to convert used vegetable oil into biodiesel fuel to help run campus buses.Toyota Motor Manufacturing'Read more
Alabama A&M Looks to BioDiesel for Buses
Two companies in Huntsville are helping Alabama A&M University with a project to convert used vegetable oil into biodiesel fuel to help run campus buses.'Read more
Ala. A&M gets help to convert cooking oil to fuel
Dozens of bioengineering laboratories are trying to create superalgae that can be used to make diesel or jet fuel.'Read more
Exploring Algae as Fuel
Associated Press - July 27, 2010 11:04 AM ET HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) - Two companies in Huntsville are helping Alabama A&M University with a project to convert used vegetable oil into...'Read more
Ala. A&M gets help to convert cooking oil to fuel
In a laboratory where almost all the test tubes look green, the tools of modern biotechnology are being applied to lowly pond scum. Different strains of algae are pitted against one another in survival-of-the-fittest contests in an effort to accelerate the evolution of fast-growing, hardy strains.'Read more
Exploring Algae as Fuel
A trial over a set of lawsuits involving the NextDiesel plant in Adrian was delayed to January after a new claim against the biodiesel company for nearly $2.9 million was filed in Lenawee County Circuit Court.'Read more
New $2.9 million claim delays trial over NextDiesel suits
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today the selections of six projects that aim to find ways of converting captured carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial sources into useful products such as fuel, plastics, cement, and fertilizers.'Read more
Secretary Chu Announces Six Projects to Convert Captured CO2 Emissions from Industrial Sources into Useful Products
Two companies in Huntsville are partnering with Alabama A&M University to convert used vegetable oil into biodiesel fuel to help run campus buses.'Read more
Alabama A&M University partners with Toyota plant, Willbrook Solutions in bioenergy project
The following editorial first appeared in the Chicago Tribune:'Read more