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Introduction

Introduction. Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 2005 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) 7.5 billion gallons renewable fuel in gasoline by 2012 Expand from 9 billion gallons to 36 billion gallons Reductions in GHG emissions Encourage development of renewable fuel sector

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Introduction

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  1. Introduction • Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 2005 • Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) • 7.5 billion gallons renewable fuel in gasoline by 2012 • Expand from 9 billion gallons to 36 billion gallons • Reductions in GHG emissions • Encourage development of renewable fuel sector • Ethanol – recognized alternative fuel with the immediate potential to reduce consumption of gasoline

  2. Lesson 1: Introduction to Ethanol

  3. Objectives • Describe what ethanol is and how to identify it • Explain the basic history of ethanol • Describe how ethanol may help public health • Explain how ethanol may help stimulate the economy • Describe what energy security is and how to use ethanol to attain it

  4. Definition of Ethanol • Ethanol is made from corn, sugarcane, wheat, other agricultural products • Ethanol can be formed through: • Biochemical conversion • Thermochemical conversion Figure 1 (left): Sugarcane stalks, a primary source of ethanol. Source: NAFTC. Figure 2 (right): Sugar beets, another source of ethanol. Source: NAFTC.

  5. Corn = carbohydrate = high in sugars • Corn = 95% of current U.S. ethanol production • Ethanol from cellulose (woody fibers) = cellulosic ethanol Figure 3 (left): Corn is a primary feedstock in ethanol production. Source: NAFTC. Figure 4 (right): Wood fibers for cellulosic ethanol. Source: NREL.

  6. Chemical Properties of Ethanol • Ethyl alcohol – contains hydroxyl group • Distilled from fermented sugars • Also known as “grain alcohol”

  7. Ethanol Color • Pure ethanol is colorless • When mixed with gasoline, ethanol will take on straw yellow color Ethanol Smell • Pure ethanol is odorless • As it is mixed with gasoline, ethanol will begin to smell like gasoline Figure 6: Inspecting a sample of ethanol. Source: NREL.

  8. Figure 5: Ethanol facts and figures. Source: NAFTC.

  9. Ethanol Blends • Gasoline is added to ethanol to: • Ensure stability of the fuel system • Improve cold-start characteristics • Allow first responders to see the flame in case of a fire • Most FFVs run on E85 Special Note: Ethanol-blended fuels currently in the market – whether E10 or E85 – must meet stringent federal and state tailpipe emission standards.

  10. Ethanol = 35% oxygen by weight • 8.5 million FFVs on U.S. roads today • E10 can be used in gasoline vehicles with no modification Figure 7: E10 blends are found at most fueling stations. Source: NAFTC.

  11. Basic History of Ethanol • First used as a fuel in the late 1800s • Nicholas Otto used ethanol in 1860 • Henry Ford used ethanol in “Quadricycle” Figure 9: The “Quadricycle” was fueled by ethanol. Source: The Henry Ford Museum. Figure 8: Nicholas Otto. Source: EIA.

  12. Ethanol was used as lamp fuel in the U.S. as early as 1840, but a tax levied on industrial alcohol during the Civil War made this use uneconomical. The tax was repealed in 1906. Source: EIA.

  13. Model T could operate on gasoline or ethanol • Model T = first FFV in U.S. • 1930s = more than 2,000 ethanol stations • Reduced petroleum prices led to its decline in the 1940s Figure 10: Ford Model T. Source: NAFTC.

  14. Ethanol Today • All manufacturers approve ethanol blends up to 10% • 97% of all U.S. gasoline contains some ethanol • Common blend for FFVs = E85 Figure 11: E85 fueling pump. Source: NAFTC.

  15. Comparison to Gasoline • Higher octane rating than conventional gasoline • Burns more completely – reduced emissions • More volatile than conventional gasoline • Pure ethanol contains no carcinogenic compounds

  16. The personal care products industry is one of the largest users of industrial ethanol, or ethyl alcohol. Hairspray, mouthwash, aftershave, cologne, and cleaning products all contain large amounts of alcohol by volume. Source: American Coalition for Ethanol, 2011.

  17. Basic Properties of Ethanol • High octane = resistance to auto-ignition • Lower energy content than conventional gasoline • E85 octane = 95; pure ethanol octane = over 99

  18. Figure 12: E85 stations by state. Source: AFDC.

  19. Why Consider Ethanol? • Ethanol is: • Renewable • Nontoxic • Biodegradable • Sulfur-free • Use produces fewer harmful emissions • Ethanol production = U.S. job opportunities • Can be produced from domestic crops

  20. Figure 13: Emission reductions by type. Source: DOE Biomass Program

  21. Advantages • Energy self-sufficiency • Creation of U.S. jobs • Major reductions in petroleum consumption • Promotion of U.S. agricultural sector • Higher octane rating

  22. Figure 14: Ethanol compared to conventional gasoline. Source: Fueleconomy.gov.

  23. Ethanol Benefits • Major benefits to • Health • Environment • Economy • Energy Security • Renewability

  24. Health Benefits • Carbon monoxide emissions are responsible for up to 20% of smog formation • Ethanol/ethanol blends burn more completely, produce fewer carbon monoxide emissions • Ethanol is nontoxic, water soluble, quickly biodegradable • Ethanol use reduces both carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions • Ethanol for fuel and distillers grain

  25. The American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago credits ethanol-blended reformulate gasoline with reducing smog-forming emissions by 25% since 1990. Source: American Coalition for Ethanol.

  26. A bushel of corn weighs 56 pounds and will produce at least 2.8 gallons of ethanol and 17 pounds of distillers grain. Source: American Coalition for Ethanol.

  27. Environmental Benefits • Ethanol is highly biodegradable • Ethanol used as vehicle fuel reduces harmful emissions • Plants used to create ethanol absorb carbon dioxide during growth • Ethanol does not contain sulfur Figure 15: Sugarcane. Source: NAFTC.

  28. Corn ethanol reduces GHGs by 20% to 52%, while cellulosic ethanol reduces GHGs by as much as 86%. Source: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

  29. After the sinking of the Bow Mariner off the Virginia coast in February 2004, the U.S. Coast Guard officials noted the cargo of 3.2 million gallons of industrial ethanol had dissipated quickly and did not pose an environmental threat to humans or marine life. In contrast, the impacts after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon – BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico are still being seen and discovered today. Source: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

  30. Economic Benefits • Creation of domestic jobs • Growth within U.S. agricultural sector • In 2011, ethanol industry added more than $42 billion to U.S. GDP, supported more than 400,000 jobs

  31. Energy Security Benefits • U.S. = one of the greatest exporters of agricultural products • About half of U.S. oil used in 2010 was imported • Ethanol can be produced from domestic resources • Domestic production lessens dependence on foreign oil

  32. Renewable Benefits • Ethanol’s energy balance • Ethanol can be produced from renewable biomass resources • Biomass resources can be grown within the U.S. Special Note: The U.S. Department of Energy and Agriculture’s Billion Ton Study found that we can grow adequate biomass feedstocks to displace approximately 30% of current gasoline consumption by 2030 on a sustainable basis – with only modest changes in land use.

  33. For every barrel of ethanol produced (1 barrel = 42 gallons), 1.34 barrels of petroleum are displaced at the refinery. Source: Information Resources, Inc.

  34. Upon completing this lesson, can you: • Describe what ethanol is and how to identify it? • Explain the basic history of ethanol? • Describe how ethanol may help public health? • Explain how ethanol may help stimulate the economy? • Describe what energy security is and how to use ethanol to attain it?

  35. Test Your Knowledge • True or False: Pure ethanol is both odorless and tasteless. • True or False: Henry Ford used ethanol as a fuel for one of his first automobiles. • True or False: All conventional gasoline-powered vehicles can use E10 as a fuel. • True or False: Ethanol is made from sugarcane, corn, and rubbing alcohol.

  36. Lesson 2: Ethanol Manufacturing, Infrastructure, and Sustainability

  37. Objectives • Describe what ethanol is made from – feedstock • Explain how ethanol is manufactured and produced • Describe how ethanol is transported • Explain how ethanol is distributed • Describe the sustainability of ethanol – its future and cost efficiency

  38. Renewable Fuel Sources • The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy identifies the following as renewable fuels: • Biomass • Geothermal • Hydrogen • Hydropower • Ocean • Solar • Wind Figure 16: Renewable Fuel Sources. Source: NAFTC.

  39. Renewable Fuel Sources • Feedstock – any preliminary product that can be made into a fuel • Biomass – biological or organic matter available on a renewable basis • Bioenergy – the fuels that are created as a result of converting biomass into usable energy

  40. Figure 17:Primary uses of U.S. corn (billions of bushels). Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.

  41. Renewable Fuel Sources • Corn • One of America’s most abundant agricultural products • Makes up more than 90% of current ethanol production • Sugarcane • High sugar content = high fuel yield • Typically grown in South America and Asia due to climate Figure 18: Sugarcane, often grown in Hawaii and South America, is an ideal feedstock for ethanol. Source: NAFTC.

  42. Renewable Fuel Sources • Grains • Various grains can be used to produce ethanol • Grains do not possess as much sucrose as other sources Figure 19: Various grains are also used to produce ethanol. Source: NAFTC.

  43. Manufacturing and Production • Agricultural products that are used to make ethanol are harvested, transported, fermented, distilled, and delivered Figure 20: Harvesting sugarcane to produce ethanol. Source: NAFTC.

  44. Dry Milling • Feedstock is ground up, mixed with water • Mixture (mash) is heated • Yeast is added • Product is distilled and denatured Figure 21: Dry milling process. Source: ICM, Inc.

  45. A modern dry-mill ethanol refinery produces approximately 2.8 gallons of ethanol and 17 pounds of highly valuable feed co-products called distillers grain from one bushel of corn. Source: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

  46. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the last byproduct from dry milling. Soda companies often buy this byproduct to use for carbonation in their beverages. Source: American Coalition for Ethanol.

  47. Transportation and Distribution • More than 200 plants in U.S. alone • Most located in Midwest • Usually not transported via conventional pipelines • Denaturant is added • 90% transported by train or truck Figure 22: Ethanol plant. Source: NAFTC.

  48. U.S. Department of Transportation Placards • Required on all bulk shipments • Same handling requirements as conventional fuels • Avoid contact with skin/avoid inhaling fumes/vapors Figure 23: Hazard class 3 flammable placard for ethanol. Source: USDOT.

  49. Infrastructure • Ethanol Fueling Stations • More than 2,500 E85 stations in the U.S. alone • Nearly all stations use E10 blends • Ethanol must be kept in tanks made from certain materials • Ethanol Fueling Safety Features • Ethanol stations utilize the same features conventional stations use Figure 24: Ethanol fueling station pump. Source: NREL.

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