Tag: ethanol

Ethanol and Yeast. Reducing the cost of e85?

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Here is an article that is pretty interesting. Its not quite information for e85 but it can help the common problem of ethanol based fuels not having the same miles per gallon as petroleum.

Washington, Dec 8 (ANI): Scientists from Whitehead Institute and MIT have engineered yeast that can improve the speed and efficiency of ethanol production, a key component to making biofuels.

Currently used as a fuel additive to improve gasoline combustibility, ethanol is often touted as a potential solution to the growing oil-driven energy crisis. However, there are significant obstacles to producing ethanol, the major being that high ethanol levels are toxic to the yeast that ferments corn and other plant material into ethanol.

But now, a research team comprising of Hal Alper, a postdoctoral associate in the laboratories of MIT chemical engineering professor Gregory Stephanopoulos and Whitehead Member Gerald Fink, have by manipulating the yeast genome, engineered a new strain of yeast that can tolerate elevated levels of both ethanol and glucose, while producing ethanol faster than un-engineered yeast.

The team targeted two proteins belonging to the class, transcription factors. These proteins typically control large groups of genes, regulating when these genes are turned on or shut off.

When the researchers altered a transcription factor called the TATA-binding protein, it caused the over-expression of at least a dozen genes, all of which were found to be necessary to elicit an improved ethanol tolerance. As a result, that strain of yeast was able to survive high ethanol concentrations.

In addition, this altered strain produced 50 percent more ethanol during a 21-hour period than normal yeast.

The findings appear in the December 8 issue of Science.

Information on Fuel Blends and the current strategy

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Blending relatively low levels of alternative fuels with conventional fuels is an important option for reducing petroleum use and an important strategy in the Clean Cities Program portfolio.

Examples of blends include E10 (10% ethanol/90% gasoline), B5 (5% biodiesel/95% diesel), and B2 (2% biodiesel/98% diesel). Blends can also consist of two types of alternative fuels, such as hydrogen and compressed natural gas (HCNG), which might be a combination of 20% hydrogen and 80% CNG, for example. Many coalition stakeholders use blended fuels in their fleet vehicles.

Blending low levels of alternative fuels with conventional fuels is an important option for reducing petroleum
consumption. Clean Cities supports the use of ethanol and biodiesel fuel blends (such as E10, B2, B5, and blends of hydrogen and natural gas). Program strategies to promote fuel blends include:

  • Training coordinators on the benefits of blends and teaching them how to determine which blends make sense locally or regionally.
  • Encouraging coalitions to develop outreach plans to educate heavy-duty fleets about the fuel blend benefits.
  • Working with state and local governments to explore opportunities to expand mandates and other programs for increasing fuel blend use.
  • Forming partnerships to establish fuel standards for blends.

Clean Cities also plans to partner with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Initiative to fill gaps in regional assessments of feedstock availability and identify opportunities for enhanced production.

Ethanol benefits the environment and Nation

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Ethanol

Are you already using a domestically produced alternative fuel in your vehicle? If you live in a major U.S. city, you probably are.

In the United States, one out of every eight gallons of gasoline sold contains ethanol. Most of this ethanol is purchased as blends of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline, known as gasohol or E10, and is used as an octane enhancer to improve air quality.

If you are driving a flexible fuel vehicle, you have the opportunity to fuel with E85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. For more information on E10 and other low-level ethanol blends, read on.

Ethanol is a colorless liquid that is distilled from agricultural crops, usually corn. Most ethanol is produced in the grain-growing states of the midwestern United States. The U.S. Department of Energy is also exploring ways to make ethanol from crop wastes like corn stover and switchgrass.

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 mandated the use of oxygenated gasoline in areas with unhealthy levels of carbon monoxide. At the time, the primary oxygenates were ethanol and MTBE. Subsequently, MTBE has been found to contaminate ground water supplies, and the demand for ethanol has increased significantly. The Renewable Fuels Standard, mandated by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, calls for the gradual escalation of biofuels use in the United States. This legislation should stimulate the use of biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel from 4 billion gallons in 2006 to 7.5 billion gallons by 2012.

Benefits of Ethanol
  • Ethanol is domestically produced and allows us to reduce our use of imported petroleum
  • Ethanol emits less carbon monoxide than gasoline
  • Adding oxygenates like ethanol to gasoline reduces carbon monoxide emissions
  • Ethanol production supports U.S. farmers and creates jobs
Ethanol’s Performance

All auto manufacturers approve the use of low-level ethanol blends. Ethanol blends (10% or less) are successfully used in all types of vehicles and engines that require gasoline. From a consumer perspective, there is no noticeable difference in vehicle performance when low-level ethanol blends are used. Because there is a slight difference in the energy content of ethanol and gasoline, there may be a slight reduction in vehicle fuel economy when using ethanol.

Availability of Ethanol

Fuel ethanol blends are sold in every state, and ethanol blends make up nearly 100% of the gasoline sold in carbon monoxide and ozone nonattainment areas during certain months of the year.

Cost of Ethanol

Although ethanol is more expensive to produce than gasoline, federal tax incentives reduce the price to a competitive level. Ethanol prices tend to vary regionally due to availability and promotional efforts by retailers.