• Grain ethanol: made from corn, sorghum, barley, etc. (typical of US, Europe)
• Sugar ethanol: made from sugar cane (typical of Brazil)
• Cellulosic ethanol: made from plant fiber, wood, switchgrass, crop residues, etc.

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• Proponents of ethanol mandates often point out that its usage provides a direct benefit by reducing the nation’s dependence on foreign oil imports.
• The TRUTH is that increasing ethanol production would not significantly reduce U.S. oil imports or provide any significant energy security benefit:
  - Each gallon of gasoline blended with ethanol has less energy in it, reducing the amount of petroleum product displacement.
  - There also are refinery volume losses associated with ethanol-ready blendstocks in RVP-controlled areas.
  - Significant fossil fuel use is required…

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A recently completed study by Global Insight showed that higher levels of ethanol production lead to a greater degree of continuous corn planting, resulting in a greater need for weed control, more insect problems, and additional nitrogen fertilizer and insecticide use. 

Significantly higher fertilizer and pesticide use associated with higher corn crop-induced ethanol production levels will increase the likelihood of additional nutrient run-off and increased adverse environmental impacts on water resources.
U.S. corn production causes more total soil erosion, uses more herbicides,…

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• EtOH has about two-thirds of the energy content of gasoline.
  - Lower fuel economy
• EtOH increases gasoline volatility when blended at low levels.
• At 2-10 vol%, ethanol increases gasoline Reid Vapor Pressure by 1 psi (is greater than 1.0 psi at lower RVPs.)
  - Leads to greater evaporative emissions.
  - Increases the permeation of fuel hydrocarbons through the fuel storage and delivery systems of motor
    vehicles contributing to the inventory of atmospheric ozone precursors.
• EtOH increases emissions of some air toxics - notably aldehydes.
• A 1999 National Research…

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Ethanol is a name for ethyl alcohol which is made by fermenting and distilling simple sugars.  Fuel ethanol must be rendered undrinkable by the addition of a denaturant (usually 2-5 percent gasoline by volume).

Fuel ethanol is often classified by its water content:
- Hydrous ethanol (typical of fuel ethanol produced for dedicated ethanol vehicles in Brazil) contains at least 5% water.
- Anhydrous ethanol (typical of fuel ethanol in the US) is manufactured using additional processing to further dehydrate the product to…

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