What is E85?
E85 is environment-friendly,
non-toxic, water soluble and bio-degradeable. It has the highest oxygen
content of any fuel available today, allowing it to burn more completely
(cleaner) than conventional gasoline. Ethanol is 35% oxygen. Ethanol
is 105 Octane. Adding oxygen to fuel results in more complete combustion thus
reducing harmful tailpipe emissions. The
more oxygen in gasoline the cleaner it burns. Ethanol also displaces the use of
toxic gasoline components such as benzene, a carcinogen. E85 contains 80% less
gum-forming compounds, like the olefins found in gasoline. The production and
use of E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline without additives) results in a nearly
30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from transportation. Many
major
U.S.
cities suffer from unhealthy levels of smog (ground-level ozone). The use of
E85 fuel will significantly reduce the pollution coming out of our cars and
trucks. E85 is a clean, renewable
fuel. We can grow more.
Ethanol also yields hydrogen. Hydrogen
fuel cells will need an energy source and ethanol is that renewable source down
the road. Ethanol is predominantly
made from corn and sugar. In the near future, approximately 5 years out, the
technology to produce cellulostic ethanol will be commercially cost effective
from cellulostic biomass feedstocks [corn stover (corn stalks and cobs), MSW,
switchgrass, wood chips, forest wastes, leaves, other waste materials, etc].
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency reports that high-blend ethanol fuels (E85 or E100) can significantly
reduce harmful exhaust emissions such as carbon monoxide by (-40%) and
smog-forming pollutants (-15%). The US EPA is in the process of
certifying an E85 conversion kit so that every gasoline internal combustion
engine can switch to E85.
E85 will sell for significantly
less than regular unleaded gasoline.
National Ethanol
Vehicle Coalitition Press Release:
How E85
Reduces Emissions
Ethanol adds oxygen to gasoline—helping it burn more completely, thus
significantly reducing tailpipe emissions. Ethanol is a clean-burning renewable
fuel that helps reduce emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and smog-forming
volatile organic compounds (VOC's).
Use
of ethanol in E85 achieves:
.
94-96% reduction in petroleum use,
.
30-32% reduction in GHG emissions, and
.
54-52% reduction in fossil energy use.
Use
of ethanol in E95 achieves:
.
93-95% reduction in petroleum use,
.
33-35% reduction in GHG emissions, and
.
53-55% reduction in fossil energy use.
The CARB
(California Air Resource Board) concluded that using ethanol in high blends, such as E85 is a
much better way to go to reduce local air pollution and reduce petroleum
consumption than low blends of ethanol.
California
is now in process of building five (5) ethanol plants and they import all their
corn from the
Midwest
for feedstock.
In California, they concluded that the main benefit of using E85 instead of
gasoline in flexible fuel vehicles is that it displaces petroleum, increasing
energy independence and reducing global warming pollution. A UC Berkeley
analysis shows that producing ethanol from corn uses much less petroleum than
producing gasoline (about 95% lower petroleum inputs.)
A CEO Summit on Alternative Energy was held in California
in October 2006
They concluded that our dependence on foreign oil is a
threat to our economy and national security. It affects our business, our
customers and consumers. Business leaders and politicians from across the
nation attended. More than 85 CEO’s signed a declaration to (1) reduce
dependence on foreign oil (2) reduce consumption (3) spur innovation (4) measure
the results. We cannot remain hostage to foreign oil.
Burning
E85 in vehicles, instead of gasoline, reduces the amount of pollution released
by 10-80%.Pollution Reduction - E85 Versus
Gasoline
Drivers
Want A Clean Air Choice
At The Pump and Dealership
ALA
survey illustrates
strong interest in E85
and flexible fuel vehicles
A new
survey shows consumer awareness of the ethanol-based alternative fuel E85 is relatively high at 60% and more than 80% of the drivers polled would prefer an
E85-capable flexible fuel vehicle (FFV) and E85 fuel brand recognized by the
American Lung Association.
Findings of the consumer research study are released just as E85 fuel is
enjoying a surge in popularity with owners of flexible fuel vehicles—and as
concerns persist over rising gasoline prices and U.S. dependence on petroleum
imports.
92%
of respondents preferred a Flex-Fuel Vehicle
The
survey shows Americans are looking for choices that are cleaner, environmentally
friendly and renewable, and that they look to the American Lung Association's
third-party credibility in recommending these choices.
Conducted by Phoenix Automotive, a Birmingham, Michigan-based division of
Phoenix Marketing International, www.phoenixmi.com/automotive
on behalf of the American Lung Association of Minnesota, the survey sampled the
opinions of 1,651 vehicle owners.
