Why ethanol?

[Rachel Russell 4B]

The book says that the new fuels scientists are developing are mostly organic compounds like ethanol. Why are we researching fuels like these if they still contribute to global warming and require significant amounts of energy and water to produce? Why aren't we pursuing clean energies like solar and wind more?

[Chem_Mod]

viewtopic.php?f=137&t=11858&p=29314&sid=f3f505bdc51b72d99f83e0265421bb58#p29314

[Emily Burghart 1k]

Ethanol is a byproduct of the fermentation of plants, which makes it readily available. We will always have a fuel source if we are producing plants. Although they still contribute to global warming, our society cannot immediately switch to fuel sources powered by solar, nuclear or wind/water because they are not always efficient and take massive amounts of energy. Not to mention, ALL forms of energy currently contribute to global warming to some degree because of their mechanic production and upkeep of infrastructure. We are better off having a segway into better forms of fuel, which I believe is why scientists are leaning towards ethanol fuel.

[Ruth Glauber 1C]

It's far more readily available!

[Jasleen Kahlon]

It is said to be somewhat of a stepping stone, because it is less harmful than petroleum, coal, or natural gas in many ways, but still worse than solar or wind or other renewables. However, I do strongly feel that there is a lot more that the world can do in terms of investing straight into other renewables, even though ethanol is a readily available form. The reason why it's so difficult is also due to the oil & gas industry, and how they actively want to prevent renewable markets like solar and wind from being competitive with their market, so they gain more profits and don't have competition. There is so much corruption within the industry itself that what should be done is rarely what is actually being done. In the US, there are federal regulations for ethanol to be mixed with gasoline until 2022 due to certain mandates, so the oil & gas industries still profit from it. I personally think that there is much more that can be done in terms of energy use, unfortunately corruption and the nature of the industry makes it extremely difficult.

[Thomas Gimeno]

Compounds like ethanol specifically are significantly cleaner than other non-renewables because when combusted they only produce CO2 and water compared to others which produce much more potent green house gasses. Also, the sun and wind are intermittent forms of energy and we do not have the energy storage capabilities necessary to harness them efficiently. Also, renewables like solar and wind take up large areas of space that are unrealistic for many places and could result in deforestation and habitat destruction. All this to say that there is really now perfect end clean way to produce energy so most scientists are just looking for the optimal way to.

[305607822]

Also another major benefit is that ethanol can be used in reaction with waste food oils to produce fuels.

[706069481]

Hi!

Ethanol also has a higher octane number than gasoline, which provides premium blending properties. It’s also made out of plant materials, or biomass, which makes it renewable. While the switch will still cause environmental problems, it will reduce harmful emissions and is more affordable.