What is ethanol?
Ethanol is an alcohol derived from plant feedstocks rich in starch, like sugar cane, corn and wheat.
When blended with regular unleaded petrol, ethanol fuel can be used in compatible cars, trucks and motorcycles. Unlike biodiesel (derived from fatty plant and animal feedstocks) ethanol can't be blended with petroleum diesel.
Caltex promotes the use of ethanol blended fuel in response to climate change issues. Unlike traditional fossil fuels, ethanol is renewable and may help reduce greenhouse gas and carbon emissions and decrease our dependency on non-renewable fossil fuels.
Stages of ethanol fuel production
Ethanol production involves a fermentation process called saccharification.
The process starts with raw grain containing starch being ground into a fine powder, called meal. This meal is combined with water and an enzyme, then heated to convert the starch into liquid. After this liquid has cooled, another enzyme is added to convert the liquid starch into fermentable sugars. The final product is ethanol, which is a form of alcohol.
Australian ethanol
Australian ethanol is widely available for use as a transport fuel. Government regulations currently limit the proportion of ethanol blended with unleaded petrol to 10% (E10 ethanol).
According to the Biofuels Association of Australia (BAA), Australian ethanol production capacity was 152 megalitres (ML) as at 1 January 2008. By the end of 2008, this is expected to rise to 270 ML with new and expanded plants in Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia.
Ethanol production in Australia relies predominantly on the by-products of sugar (C-molasses) and wheat (starch waste) processing. Therefore, it often supports employment and local businesses in regional Australia.
Effect on emissions and carbon
Caltex believes biofuels, like ethanol, can play a role in reducing greenhouse gas and carbon emissions. However, the extent of carbon reduction depends on the feedstocks used to produce it.
According to 'Biofuels in Australia – issues and prospects (CSIRO, May 2007)' E10 ethanol produces lower tailpipe emissions of chemicals such as carbon monoxide, benzene and butadiene, but higher levels of aldehydes – which appears to have little overall affect on smog.
The same reports cites that choosing ethanol petrol (like E10) over regular unleaded petrol can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1% to 4% based on a life-cycle analysis (LCA). This analysis (also ‘full fuel-cycle') considers every stage of production to determine its true impact on the environment – from the chain of feedstock production, feedstock transportation, ethanol production, distribution and vehicle use.
Ethanol and my car
You may be wondering if it's safe to use ethanol in your car.
The good news is that most new and used cars, trucks and motorcycles sold in Australia since 1986 can run on ethanol blends without affecting the manufacturer's warranty.
Check your car compatibility.