GC: n
CT: Ethanol is an alternative fuel produced from starch contained in grains such as corn, grain sorghum, barley and sugarcane through a fermentation and distillation process that converts starch to sugar and then to alcohol (ethanol). Most ethanol in the U.S. is made from corn because it is a relatively low-cost source of starch that can easily be converted into sugar, fermented and distilled into ethanol. Federal subsidies that encourage the production and consumption of corn-based ethanol are also a major factor. Ethanol can be blended with gasoline to create E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Flex fuel vehicles are designed to run on any mixture of gasoline or ethanol with up to 85 percent ethanol.
Ethanol can also be produced from cellulosic biomass such as wheat straw, corn stalks (called stover), sawdust, rice hulls, paper pulp, wood chips, energy cane, sorghum, miscanthus grass and switchgrass, all of which contain cellulose and hemicellulose, which can be converted into sugars and then fermented into ethanol.
The rapid rise in ethanol production is providing an economic stimulus for U.S. agriculture because corn makes up 90% of the feedstock used to produce ethanol. By 2013 the price of corn is projected to be up about 30 cents per bushel, or 12 percent, and the estimates that net farm income will increase by approximately $1.4 billion (2.3%) over that same period.
S: http://seco.cpa.state.tx.us/energy-sources/biomass/ethanol.php (last access: 11 January 2015)
N: 1. “ethyl alcohol,” 1900, contracted from ethane, to which it is the corresponding alcohol, + -ol, here indicating alcohol.
2. A clear, colorless liquid rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and distributed throughout the body. It has bactericidal activity and is used often as a topical disinfectant. It is widely used as a solvent and preservative in pharmaceutical preparations as well as serving as the primary ingredient in ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.
Also known as: ethyl alcohol, alcohol, Methylcarbinol, grain alcohol, Ethyl hydroxide, Ethyl hydrate.
3. Ethanol is a renewable fuel made from corn and other plant materials. The use of ethanol is widespread—almost all gasoline in the U.S. contains some ethanol. Ethanol is available as E85—a high-level ethanol blend containing 51%-83% ethanol depending on season and geography—for use in flexible fuel vehicles. E15 is defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as a blend of 10%-15% ethanol with gasoline. It is an approved ethanol blend for model year vehicles 2001 and newer.
S: 1. OED – http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=ethanol&searchmode=none (11 January 2015). 2. http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/ethanol (last access: 11 January 2015). 3. http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/ethanol.html (last access: 11 January 2015).
SYN: ethyl alcohol, alcohol.
S: GDT (last access: 11 January 2015)
CR: bioethanol , biomass, biomass energy, fermentation
