Ethanol – an innovative fuel for hybrid cars
Ethanol- the term is familiar in the auto industry now. Thanks to the new hybrid fuel technology that works on a mix of ethanol (ethyl alcohol) and petrol/diesel. Different combinations of these fuels such as E85, E70, etc., are in market. E85 stands for 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline whereas E70 has a 70:30 ratio of Ethanol to gasoline.
Advantages of this technology are multifold. As the world is witnessing a severe scarcity of fossil fuels, the scope for a renewable fuel such as ethanol is promising. Ethanol can be extracted from different agricultural products such as sugar cane, wheat, corn, and many fruits and vegetables. The economic constraints of extracting and refining the fuel are also considerably lower than those of the fossil fuels. Moreover, the biodegradable nature of the fuel gives a sigh to the environmentalists who are anxiously looking at its environmental aspects. Ethanol is a recyclable fuel; that means the CO2 emission from the ethanol-run engines can be in turn absorbed by the crops which produce ethanol and thus maintains the natural cycle of the ecosystem. Due to its clean and highly combustible nature, it does not leave much residue as fossil fuels do.
How does the market react to this technology? Is there a rising demand for this fuel? These are the grave concerns of analysts who are working on the success of such a new technology. To the surprise of all, Ford Motor Co. unveiled the first ethanol hybrid model, Escape Hybrid, in January 2006. Ford is planning to produce about 250,000 ethanol-hybrid vehicles this year including Ford F-150 pickup truck, Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car large sedans. In another significant initiative, Ford has also collaborated with VeraSun Energy Corporation for a project aimed at supplying E85 at the retail fuel filling stations.
The joint attempt by President Bush and Californian Governor Schwarzenegger to promote the green fuel marks the significance of this technology. The National Research Council, the arm of the National Academies, who advises Washington on scientific matters, has reminded the government on the value of investing money in biofuels and hybrids.
Eventhough hydrogen is talked about as the best fuel in terms of its efficiency, a quick comparison of the different aspects of hydrogen and ethanol reveals that ethanol is cheaper and safer. The hydrogen hybrid mainly works on fuel cells, a technology which is entirely new for the existing auto engines. Moreover, the cost of installation of hybrid hydrogen engines and fuelling stations will require a lot of investment in the infrastructure and other amenities.
The research is progressing on increasing the percentage of ethanol in the hybrid fuel, sources say that the technology has been developed which can utilize up to 85% of ethanol. The US automobile market is excited with this news. Come to the real statistics, the experts say that if only 5% of the US vehicles on the road are equipped with technology which runs exclusively on E85, they can reduce the import of petroleum by 140 million barrels a year.
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