HW #12

List the advantages and disadvantages of bioethanol as a fuel.

Explain whether this is a "good" fuel from an energy perspective. (You can support your
argument with some simple calculations....some were discussed in class and some were
discussed in the ppt presentation presented by Prof. Realff).
Having bioethanol as a fuel has many advantages. First of all, since the process of ethanol
combustion is more complete, the exhaust gases are much completely. Bioethanol also has the
possibility of reducing greenhouse gas emissions when used in a blend with gasoline (E85). Raw
product is also widely available since you can technically use any plant with sugar and starch.
Bioethanol is carbon neutral and also considered renewable since it is a product of the sun’s
conversion of energy (since plants require photosynthesis to grow). It allows countries without
crude oil to have an alternative. Corn/sugar cane is a sustainable resource and the conversion
process is technologically feasible. Bioethanol has a high octane number and allows for a
supplementary/new income source for farmers.
Bioethanol also has many disadvantages. First, the vapor pressure is too low for fuels in colder
climates. Bioethanols also cannot be pumped through pipelines like oil. There is also competition
with food supply in regards to how much of the feedstock should be utilized for food vs. fuel
(since fuel may initially result in better profit yields, more farmers will use their crop for fuel and
in turn food prices may be driven up). The energy balance in the conversion process is also
barely positive. Bioethanol also do not have the same energy efficiency as petrol (34% less).
Bioethanols also present a lot of problems in terms of integration with vehicles since engines
created for working with bioethanols or blends cannot use petrol/diesel. It is also hygroscopic
and not compatible with capacitance fuel gauges seen in most vehicles.
From an energy perspective, bioethanol is not a good fuel since the energy balance is 1.3 so it is
barely positive. Bioethanol is drastically less energy efficient than petrol which means that
blends reduce fuel economies of cars by a significant amount. Its difficulty/energy requirement
to vaporize makes starting cars in cold weather very difficult.