What is Ethanol?

  • Ethanol  (CH3CH2OH)is made by fermenting any biomass high in carbohydrates (starches, sugars, or celluloses). So, ethanol is an alcohol, the same as in beer and wine.  Just to let you know that the ethanol used as a fuel is modified to make it undrinkable.
     
  • Ethanol is mostly used as blending agent with gasoline to increase octane and cut down carbon monoxide and other smog-causing emissions.  A new class of vehicles that can run on a mixture of gasoline and up to 85% ethanol are commercially available.
     
  • Ethanol made from cellulosic biomass materials instead of traditional feedstocks (starch crops) is called bioethanol.

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