Category: ethanol

The burning of transportation fuel accounts for the greatest source of air pollution in our nation. These pollutants range from allergy irritants to carcinogens. Because of the nature of gasoline and the emissions it produces, researchers are trying to find cleaner sources of energy. On source of energy that is readily available and considered renewable is ethanol, which comes from corn, sugar and other bio-wastes. From this has stemmed a grate relationship between Honda and ethanol. Read below for the plans for Honda and ethanol as well as the vehicles Honda already has that will operate on a 10% ethanol and gasoline mixture.

Honda and its Ethanol Plans

Many people are familiar both with cars produced by Honda and with ethanol options available to consumers. Honda, however, has new plans for ethanol that are very promising for the future of ethanol fuel. These plans include using bio-wastes or discarded plant wastes to produce ethanol. Not only has Honda worked hard to find places other than corn to derive ethanol, but it has also developed a microorganism that allows for more efficient production of ethanol. In addition, Honda and ethanol are planning to tie the knot in 2008 with Honda s first bio-refinery.

Ethanol Available Vehicles

Even though Honda is working diligently toward better ethanol options, several of their vehicles are already able to handle a 10% ethanol mix, known as E10. Honda and ethanol work together in several of its vehicles. These include the Honda Accord and Honda Accord Euro from 2003 onwards, the Civic from 2004 onwards, and the CR-V 2003 onwards. In addition, the Honda Integra 2002 on, Honda Jazz 2004 on, the Honda Legend 2007 on and the MDX 2003 on are also able to handle this mixture. Finally, the Odyssey and S2000 2004 onwards also can use E10. These vehicles range from compact cars to mini-vans and are appropriate for many different families.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that there is a push among automakers to develop more fuel efficient and cleaner vehicles. Honda and ethanol appear to be moving in the same direction toward technologies that will make our environment cleaner and our dependence on foreign oil lessened. With Honda s creation of an ethanol refinery and current vehicles that handle E10, it seems that Honda is a leader in the movement from gasoline to ethanol. Watch for more from Honda and the future of fuel.

In the United States, much of the ethanol produced comes from corn or other plant wastes. Ethanol is in high demand, its benefits could be used a lot more than we actually use it. In other areas around the world, ethanol is derived from sugar cane. Two such nations that are turning this crop into transportation fuel include India and Brazil. Read below about this transportation technology used by these two nations, and the possible socioeconomic impacts that this process may have on them.

India is the largest sugar producer in the world, and in terms of sugarcane, it stands head to head with Brazil. India is currently facing an overhaul of their sugar cane and molasses producing industry to incorporate the distilling of sugar cane ethanol. The goal is to take this ethanol and blend it with gasoline to produce a cleaner burning fuel and lower the country s current dependence on oil.

While India is well on its way to the increase in sugar cane ethanol production, Brazil is already there with plans to become self-sufficient in regards to energy. Brazil is already to the point where some pumps put out only alcohol while others pump out only gasoline. This achievement did not come to Brazil easily, but rather took tens of years of research, mistakes, and billions of dollars to accomplish.

The Politics of Ethanol

Fuel economy, availability and usage drive many of the political discussions, debates and wars in our current world. One of the concerns facing the nations producing sugar cane ethanol is that of foreign trade. Will the pressure placed on these nations by outside countries be equivalent to that placed by oil producing countries today? While the answers are uncertain, it is clear that other nations around the world are beginning to see the success that these two lands have had and wish to replicate it.

Currently, the tax levied on sugar cane ethanol imported from Brazil is 54 cents a gallon by the United States, hindering the involvement of Americans in the building of the industry. On another big business note, there are two industries that will dramatically be affected by the use of ethanol in automobiles including the oil industry and the automobile industry. Automobile companies are being challenged to produce cars with flexible fuel engines. These run on gasoline, a mixture of ethanol and gasoline, or on ethanol alone.