Ethanol, an organic product of microbial fermentation of sugars, has risen in production over the years in the United States. By the beginning of the year, two thousand and seventeen ethanol productions scaled to upwards of one million barrels daily which translates to about fifteen billion gallons annually (Hill, 2017). The entire operable ethanol plants increased by an overwhelming four percent, in the period between January 2016 and January 2017, which saw an additional five hundred million gallons more of ethanol injected into the market (Hill, 2017). This essay shall give reflect on reasons that warrant such a massive production of ethanol in the US.
Ethanol production has risen due to the increase in demand for biofuels. Ethanol consumption has significantly increased since the renewable fuel standard mandate was enforced in 2007 ( Goldemberg, 2007 ). Vehicle manufacturers have since developed cars that use a blend of gasoline and ethanol. The recent increase in the cost of petrol has motivated the further production of liquid ethanol since more of it is used together with gasoline to run most new generation engines. Scientists maintain that a continuous use of E85 ethanol-blended fuels could reduce by thirty-seven percent the net emission of greenhouse gases annually in line with the renewable fuel standard objectives ( Goldemberg, 2007 ). Indeed, blended ethanol fuels are also much cleaner since they combust more efficiently compared to contemporary gasoline. Ethanol is cheaply produced from a wide variety of plants provided the plant contains the optimum requirement of starch and sugars. Given the overwhelming demand for ethanol, and a readily available raw product base, ethanol production plants continue to mushroom in all parts of the United States.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The demand for ethanol-blended gasoline has risen as a result of the relatively low cost that this fuel retails. Indeed, ethanol blended fuel has a margin of up to half the price conventional gasoline. This has motivated more people to purchase vehicles that accommodate such fuels. Ethanol blended fuels range from E10, which contains ten percent ethanol, and E85, carrying a paltry fifteen percent gasoline. Ethanol is carbon- neutral. This is to say, in both the production and the consumption process; ethanol produces the same carbon content absorbed during photosynthesis ( Goldemberg, 2007 ). Indeed also, the emissions produced during combustion of ethanol are less reactive with sunlight as compared to those generated as bi-products of gasoline combustion. Consequently, ethanol blended fuel results in a significant decrease in the formation of the ozone layer. Traditionally, gasoline was combined with high octane components to improve in combustion. The high octane components however only worsened the environmental hazard of ozone formation. However, this challenge is facing eradication given that gasoline is now blended with the ecological friendly ethane. Above all, ethanol dilutes gasoline to non-toxic concentration in the event of an oil spill. The energy and motor vehicle industry are receiving a significant boost from ethanol production. The incentives received by ethanol producers also encourage the installation of more plants as the demand by far surpasses the supply. For this reason, ethanol production shall increase until the optimum threshold is attained.
Despite a relatively low domestic usage, ethanol exports account for an essential market for ethanol producers. Before the incorporation of ethanol in gasoline, ethanol production exceeded its consumption by 0.5 billion gallons (Hill, 2017). Today, the demand for ethanol from outside the US is overwhelming. The Energy Information Administration projects a daily production of up to three hundred million barrels given the massive production of flex-fuel cars, which has caused a high demand for ethanol. With latest innovations in the ethanol production sector, ethanol can be economically prepared from other crops which reduced the threat to food security.
References
Goldemberg, J. (2007). Ethanol for a sustainable energy future. Science , 315 (5813), 808-810
Hill, S. (2017, July 21). TODAY IN ENERGY. Retrieved November 30, 2017, from US Energy Information Administration: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=32152
