GreenEngines
Egan Riordon Automotive
Alternative fuels...Sustainable Planet
Oregon's technical resource for Full Flex conversion products
Alternative fuels...Sustainable Planet
Oregon's technical resource for Full Flex conversion products
An industry leader providing conversion systems allowing nearly any car to run on ethanol mixes.
DrivingEthanol.org WebsiteExcellent source for information and resources to anyone with questions about ethanol.
Cellulosic Ethanol (from zFacts.com)The environmental case for ethanol will be bolstered by a new refining process that converts the entire biomass of a plant such as switchgrass into ethanol. Ethanol users must advocate for these types of refineries.
The US Department of Energy's Renewable Energy websiteKeep up to date about what the Federal governement is doing to support technologies such as celluosic ethanol production and other biomass conversion projects.
National Ethanol Vehicle CoalitionNEVC is another excellent information source about ethanol.
Ethanol is a clean-burning, high octane grain alcohol made from renewable crops. Because it is produced here in the U. S., it reduces our dependence on foreign oil. Pure ethanol has an octane rating of 113 - much higher than gasoline. Your car has probably been running on an ethanol blend for the past several years. Many states mandate a blend of 7 - 10% ethanol with 90 - 93% non-leaded gasoline.
E85 is a blend containing 85% ethanol. Why the interest? The short answer is: gas costs, economic security, and the environment. (1) As gasoline costs continue to rise people are seeking less costly fuel alternatives. E85 ethanol costs less at the pump! (2) Ethanol is produced in the U. S. It reduces our dependence on foreign oil. (3) E-85 is a clean-burning, high octane fuel that produces less harmful exhaust emissions.
Some years ago, car manufacturers were incented to produce flex fuel vehicles (FFVs.) These are cars that run on gasoline or some other type of fuel. The most common "other type" is a gasoline-ethanol blend with 85% ethanol. The first FFV was produced in 1993.
Most major car manufacturers have been producing FFVs for some years. The best way to find out whether your car is flex fuel vehicles (and already capable of using E85) is to use the Driving Ethanol website's Flex Fuel Vehicle Identifier.
For most cars, a conversion kit costs anywhere from $350 - $500. Typical labor costs for installation usually run less that $150. Both the conversion kit and the installation cost qualify for an Oregon tax credit.
This is a complex question. On the positive side, E85 is extremely clean-burning - it produces fewer harmful exhaust emissions. Also, it is highly biodegradeable; so spills are less harmfull to groundwater. Currently, however, most ethanol produced in the U. S. is made from the sugars found in corn. Producing, transporting, and refining corn has a high "carbon cost." But recently, several companies have lauched ventures to refine the entire cellulosic mass of plants such as switch grass or even wood chips to produce ethanol. The U. S. Department of Energy is supporting these efforts. (See links to the right.) Ethanol produced with these technologies will yield 4 - 7 times the energy required for production.