Maria
Carrillo
High
School
Santa
Rosa,
California
Teacher:
Patrick
Ryan
Ethanol:
The
Fuel
of
the
Future
By
Yanran
Lu
9th
grade
Brazil is best known for its endless Amazon jungle, fascinating animals and colorful festivals, but few know that it is also at the forefront of a new revolution – the energy revolution. It has the highest percentage of ethanol-driven cars in the world. Ethanol is an alcohol based fuel that is made from sugarcane or other vegetative materials, a plentiful resource in Brazil. Organic material is broken down into sugar by special bacteria. Then a ferment process turns the sugar into alcohol. This year, over 50 percent of Brazilian cars sold were of Flex-Fuel Cars. These cars run on any combination of ethanol and petroleum, significantly reducing oil use.
In [the] last few years, we have seen the world crude oil prices skyrocket. Long gone are the days of $20 a barrel. Now the price is hovering around $60-$70. At the pump, people are paying $2.5 to $3 for a gallon of gas and wondering when the prices will go down. The fact is that the gas prices are much more likely to go up in [the] future, a result of soaring demands from industrializing Asia, dwindling supplies around world and the turmoil in the Middle East.
Even the vast oil reserves of Saudi Arabia will not last long at this rate. Very soon, Americans will have to trade in their gas-guzzling, macho-man SUVs for hybrids, which combine electricity and petroleum, or other cars that use alternative energy. It may seem unthinkable, but the next generation will not be driving Hummers or even plain Toyotas. At least, not [the] same design that they have now.
The future of transportation may lie with ethanol, or similar products. Most cars, even today, can use ethanol without major engine modifications. While there may be some downsides to using ethanol (most gas stations do not provide it), there are major long-term benefits. First, it is produced here in United States. When gas prices soar beyond $3 — which they have and they will — more people will find that it is also economical to use ethanol.
President Bush warned in the 2006 State of the Union Address that America is addicted to oil. Indeed, we have been hooked on cheap gas for far too long. Even today, the gas prices are still much cheaper in the U.S. than in Canada or Europe. The old habit is hard to shake. Even if gas prices rose to 4, 5, or even 10 dollars, we probably would pay up. Though Americans seem open to changes in many aspects, our car culture is not one of them.
While gas prices are soaring, many Americans justify their reluctance to get a hybrid car or use alternative fuels by saying that they are more expensive. This is partially true. Hybrid cars have better mileage, but are usually priced around $4,000 more than normal cars. People can calculate that it would take years to get even with the deficit from buying a hybrid. However, giving a tax credit of $2,000 or so to hybrid car buyers can significantly cut down on ‘recuperation time’ and lure many more into buying the cars.
Hybrid cars are not the whole solution to our oil problem because they still use petroleum. Ethanol, on the other hand, is a completely renewable [form of] energy. There is plenty of corn in the US to start generating ethanol. If we need more, we can just grow more corn or other plants like stalks and switch grass. For added benefits, if we buy ethanol, the money goes to hardworking American farmers; whereas if we buy gas, a significant chunk of the money goes to mullahs of Saudi Arabia.
Are we going to allow Brazil and Colombia to beat us in the era of new energy? I hope not. There will come a day when gas reaches sky-high prices, the US will not want to be left in the dust.
After years of hesitation, politicians finally [took] some actions on renewable energy. The Energy Policy Act which was passed by Congress in 2005 has a specific provision to increases the amount of bio-fuel (usually ethanol) that must be mixed with gasoline sold in the United States to triple the current requirement (7.5 billion gallons by 2012).
In his State of the Union Address of 2006, President Bush called for more funding for researches on renewable energy. “Our goal is to make this new kind of ethanol practical and competitive within six years,” Bush said. It is vital for our national interests to be the leader in renewable energy technology. It will not only reduce our reliance on Middle Eastern oil but also enable us to regain the lost car market share from Japan and Europe.
Brazil’s ethanol effort started some 30 years ago after [the] oil-crisis of 1970. Thanks to ethanol, Brazil is well on its way to becom[ing] self-sufficient [regarding] oil. Hopefully, more Americans will see the feasibility of ethanol-driven cars. The sooner that we [curtail our] dependency on oil and the Middle East, the better off our economy will be. That is what everyone wants. Americans need to get over [their taste for gas-guzzling] cars and start thinking about [new kinds of] renewable energy. It is for our own good and the good of the world.
References
"Energy Policy Act of 2005." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
MediaWiki. 2 Apr. 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_Policy_Act_of_2005
Somewhat informative
"Alternative Fuels Data Center." Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy. 8 Mar. 2006. U.S. Department of Energy. 2 Apr. 2006 <http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/>.
Very informative
“State of Union Address by the President”, George Bush.
< http://www.whitehouse.gov/stateoftheunion/2006/>
Somewhat informative
“The Brazilian Ethanol Program”, Prof. Emilio Lebre La Rovere.
< http://www.renewables2004.de/ppt/Presentation4-SessionIVB(11-12.30h)-LaRovere.pdf>
Very informative
“More Brazilian Drivers Turn to Ethanol”, Todd Benson,
The New York Times: October 20, 2004. <http://www.fsa.ulaval.ca/rdip/cal/lectures/Bresil_ethanol.htm>
Very informative
“How to Beat the High Cost of Gasoline. Forever!”, Adam Lashinsky and Nelson D. Schwartz
Very informative
Answers To Questions
1. Gasohol is a by product exclusively from_________ and _________ whereas cellulosic ethanol can be produced from agricultural waste such as ________ and _________.
corn and sugar cane, wood chips and corn husks
2.
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?
To get a break from fuel-economy standards
3.
When
were
the
first
cars
produced
that
were
capable
of
using
ethanol?
The Model T cars produced by Henry Ford in 1908
4.
In
a
paragraph,
describe
Brazil’s
experience
with
ethanol.
What
did
the
Fortune
article
claim
was
Brazil’s
key
to
success?
Brazil has one of the best climates to grow sugar cane. A shortage of gas caused widespread of scares in Brazil. Since then they have been making ethanol, and now they can be self-sufficient on fuel needs. In addition, it keeps the money in Brazil instead of going to other countries such as Saudi Arabia.
5. What is the significance of a yellow gas cap?
It means that the car is E85-ready.
6.
Describe
bio-diesel.
Renewable fuel for diesel engines derived from natural oils. Bio-diesel is also biodegradable and non-toxic.
7. Explain the term “flex-fuel engine”. What American auto manufacturer introduced the first prototype of a flex-fuel engine?
Vehicles that let drivers switch between ethanol and gasoline and any combination of both. Ford first created these vehicles in 2002.
8. Trace the progress of H.R. 6 for viewers to our web site. (dates introduced, amended, pass or rejected)
The energy bill ensures electric system liability. It extended the service date for renewable energy to December 31, 2007. It funds $5.1 billion for low-income energy until 2007.
9. What is the purpose of the fuel hybrid vehicle commercialization initiative?
To improve technologies for the commercialization of hybrid/flexible fuel vehicles. It is intended to reduce petroleum consumption by bringing new clean technologies to the market faster.
10. What is the nation’s largest renewable energy resource?
Hydroelectric dams.
11.
What
is
the
purpose
of
the
Hydrogen
Fuel
Initiative?
To develop the technology to produce, store, and distribute hydrogen for use in fuel-cell vehicles.
12. List seven items mentioned in the 2005 energy tax bill that taxpayers can claim as credits against their tax bills.
1) Tax credits will be given for energy efficient offices and homes. 2) A tax deduction equaling the cost of the energy saving equipment if it cuts the consumption by half. 3) There will be tax credits for the purchase of equipment that achieve certain energy levels. 4) There will also be one for manufacturers who produce highly efficient dishwashers, clothes washers, and refrigerators. 5) You can receive a thirty percent tax credit for purchasing solar, photovoltaic, and fuel cell properties in residences. 6) Gives tax credits for the purchase of alternative-fuel and hybrid vehicles. 7) Provides $2.7 billion in production tax credits to encourage the production of clean renewable energies.