Camden High School
Camden, Tennessee
Teacher: Wanda Allen
Corn, Wood, and Vegetable Oil Give Me Gas
By: Justin Russell
12th grade
The fuel and oil prices just keep going up. What can we do though? Well we can look to other methods such as alternate fuels. There are a few ethanol fuels that we have been experimenting with already such as ethanol, methanol, and bio-diesel.
Our country started working with alternate fuels in the late 1970’s. Probably because we had very high gas prices and were looking for another way to not be dependent on other countries for oil. In 1988 President Ronald Reagan signed the Alternate Motor fuels act. In 1990 President George W. H. Bush signed the Clean Air Act Amendments. By the mid to late 1990’s this all fizzled out. We had the initiative to start alternate fuel programs but didn’t have the drive to really try and finish what we started. Let’s look at some of these fuels.
Ethanol is produced from many diverse items such as corn, sugar cane, trees, grasses, etc. just about anything that can be turned into a sugar. They start by grinding up all this feedstock and stuff so the sugar can dissolve out of the plants. The sugar is then fed into microbes that use it for food and that then creates ethanol and carbon dioxide. After this they purify it. Ethanol can be blended in gas to create E85. They use 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. [This can be used in certain vehicles.] We call these Flexible Fuel Vehicles or FFV for short.
Methanol was pushed heavily in the mid 1980’s and late 1990’s by a few states but the major one was California. In 1988 the CEC had gas stations voluntarily sign to a 10-year lease to put a few methanol tanks in. The fuel was M85. It was similar to E85 but can be used with more things. It contained 85% methanol and 15% gasoline. Methanol is corrosive to many metals so they had to make stainless steel tanks and lines and have special rubber gaskets and seals for the cars. From the mid 1980’s to the late 1990’s only 15,000 FFV’s were made. … [In the nineties] four types of flexible fuel vehicles were made they were the 1993 -1998 Ford Taurus, 1993 –1994 Dodge Spirit and Plymouth Acclaim, Chrysler Concord and Intrepid. By 1996 the Ford Taurus was the only Methanol fueled vehicle left. [This fact plus] the car companies weren’t really pushing this cause didn’t help the campaign any….
New technology will allow methanol to be produced at $0.25 per gallon. Methanol is the cleanest and best liquid for fuel cell cars. It can equal or exceed the range a regular gas car can go. Some places are getting methanol gas from old landfills. In Utah they use hog manure and turn it into methanol. Methanol can also come from wood. It can be blended into gasoline [for] heavy or light vehicles.
Bio-diesel can be made from new and used vegetable oil and animal fat. It is nontoxic, biodegradable, and renewable. The fats and oils are mixed chemically with methanol or another alcohol substance, which produces a compound called fatty acid methyl esters. Bio-diesel is what they call it when you use it for fuel. About 55% of all bio-diesel industries can make this out of any fat and oil. The rest is limited to only vegetable oil. Blends of 20% bio-diesel with 80% regular diesel fuel called B20 can be used in regular diesel engines without modifying anything. It can also be used in the purest form which is B100 but that may entail a little modification. This type of alternate fuels burns the cleanest and it reduces air pollution.
Alternate fuels [not only have the capacity to drop] gas prices, they also get us out of having to depend so much on Middle Eastern countries…. Best [of all,] most of these alternate fuels are good for the environment. [The use of alternate fuels] will clean up the air and use up resources we’re not able to dispose [of easily]. It also gives us a chance to use things, like vegetable oil, more than once. Yes it will entail more money for certain cars and additions to factories, but it will help us in the long run. Making changes to our way of making fuel will give us more jobs in America. You need factories to make this stuff and you need bigger factories to make these new types of cars. It can give…farmers more money for their crops. [Even though] most [crops] will go for food, some percentage will go to alternate fuels.
See, doing this not only helps our pocket books, it does so much more overall. Some countries like Brazil and China have already started and are very successful and making lots of money for their countries. We can to if the people decide they want this. It is up to us to get our politicians’ attention and vote. I know I’d vote yes. It helps my country out in every way.
Answers To Questions
Q1- Gasohol is a byproduct exclusively from gasoline and ethanol whereas cellulosic ethanol can be produced from agricultural waste such as prairie switch grass, wood chips and cornhusks.
Q2- Why did auto makers produce cars that could operate using ethanol as well as gasoline before there was an adequate number of service stations that could provide ethanol?
Many car companies do that to lessen the cost of production. Some oil companies are doing to help out with the testing of them and others are doing it for future investments.
Q3- When were the first cars produced that were capable of using ethanol?
When
Henry Ford built the model T
Q4- In a paragraph, describe Brazil’s experience with ethanol. What
did the Fortune article claim was Brazil’s key to success?
They have the best stuff to make ethanol with. They have sugar cane growing right up to their doorsteps and what they don’t use for fuel they burn for electricity. Their annual GDP rises 2.6%. Flex Fuel Vehicles really helped them out. They can use gas and ethanol they have a choice.
Q5- What is the significance of a yellow gas cap?
It signifies GM cars that are E85 capable. It really helps the alternate fuel campaign.
Q6- Describe bio-diesel.
It is a diesel substitute made from vegetable oils and animal fat. It runs cleaner and doesn’t pollute air as bad as regular diesel fuel. It has problems though in cold climates.
Q7- Explain the term “flex-fuel engine”. What American auto manufacturer introduced the first prototype of a flex-fuel engine?
It is able to run on gasoline and alternate fuels like ethanol. Ford
Q8- Trace the progress of H.R. 6 for viewers to our web site. (dates introduced, amended, pass or rejected) http://www.eei.org/industry_issues/electricity_policy/federal_legislation/index.htm
It was introduced August 8,2005. It was passed in the House of Representatives by 275 for and 156 opposed.
Q9- What is the purpose of the fuel hybrid vehicle commercialization initiative?
They want us to buy the vehicles because it’s better for our world. It will help our country financially if we can find better ways to get gas.
Q10- What is the nation's largest renewable energy resource?
Hydroelectric dams
Q11- What is the purpose of the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative?
Well one thing is it is better for our environment to have vehicles that produce no emissions. It is a source of energy that will never run out.
Q12- List seven items mentioned in the 2005 energy tax bill that taxpayers can claim as credits against their tax bills.
1.disposition of electric transmission property to implement FERC restructuring policy
2.production tax credit for advanced nuclear power facilities
3.electric transmission property treated as 15-year property
4.nuclear decommissioning
5. 5-year net operating loss carryover for electric transmission equipment
6. credit for investment in clean coal facilities
7. 84-month amortization for pollution control facilities