http://www.webconx.com/fuelcell.htm
Steve Spence Subscribe to the Renewable Energy Newsletter: http://www.webconx.com/subscribe.htm Renewable Energy Pages - http://www.webconx.com Palm Pilot Pages - http://www.webconx.com/palm X10 Home Automation - http://www.webconx.com/x10 [EMAIL PROTECTED] (212) 894-3704 x3154 - voicemail/fax We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. -- ----- Original Message ----- From: "aztov" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <biofuel@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2001 6:40 AM Subject: Re: [biofuel] Environmental impact of ethanol fuels debate > hello friends. I need some help with my fuel cell project. I will appreciate > any kind of advise info links that deals with fuel cell and its accessories. > thank you amnon > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Keith Addison" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <biofuel@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Monday, July 16, 2001 3:20 PM > Subject: [biofuel] Environmental impact of ethanol fuels debate > > > > "The short answer is ethanol is both good and bad for the > > environment," said Daniel Becker, director of the Sierra Club's > > global warming and energy program. > > > > I guess the same could be said for Club Sierra (they do do some good, > > don't they?). - K > > > > > > http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=11564 > > Planet Ark > > Environmental impact of ethanol fuels debate > > > > USA: July 16, 2001 > > > > WASHINGTON - Supporters of ethanol like to describe it as a > > cleaner-burning fuel additive that helps keep the air clearer, but > > critics say its environmental drawbacks may outweigh some of the > > benefits. > > > > While ethanol made from corn gives a boost to the incomes of American > > farmers, the alternative fuel poses complex trade-offs for US oil > > refiners, environmental groups and federal regulators trying to find > > cleaner gasoline to curb pollution. > > > > "The short answer is ethanol is both good and bad for the > > environment," said Daniel Becker, director of the Sierra Club's > > global warming and energy program. > > > > Ethanol is in the spotlight because Congress and the administration > > of President George W. Bush are grappling with US energy problems, > > and supporters of ethanol tout the fuel as one of the solutions. > > > > Unlike other fuel additives, ethanol does not contaminate ground > > water supplies but it produces more smog in some circumstances and > > tiny amounts of sulfur result when it is blended into gasoline. > > > > "The benefits are that ethanol does reduce carbon monoxide when used > > in the winter time, but it increases smog when used in the summer," > > Becker said. > > > > That's because a key drawback to ethanol is that it evaporates more > > quickly in certain conditions, which results in higher emissions of > > smog-forming compounds, according to the US Energy Information > > Administration. > > > > When compared to conventional gasoline, ethanol yielded lower > > emissions of carbon monoxide than motor gasoline but higher emissions > > of nitrogen oxide that causes smog, EIA said. > > > > "We are more concerned about solving the smog problem than about > > solving the carbon monoxide problem," Becker said. > > > > Ethanol is a renewable resource that the Bush administration wants to > > help reduce US dependence on foreign oil imports. It also can raise > > octane in gasoline and prevent annoying engine "pings." > > > > Ethanol is one of the main so-called "oxygenates" or oxygen booster > > added to reformulated gasoline to meet federal clean air > > requirements. The extra oxygen helps the fuel burn cleaner. > > > > The Environmental Protection Agency requires most major US cities to > > use the cleaner-burning gasoline with more oxygen by weight during > > the hot summer months to reduce smog and air pollution. > > > > Ethanol is the second most popular oxygen booster for fuel among > > refiners - ranking only behind MTBE, which is now used in almost 9 > > out of every 10 gallons of reformulated gasoline. > > > > However, Ethanol use will soon soar now that a dozen states have > > decided to ban MTBE because that fuel additive can leak from > > underground storage tanks into drinking water supplies. > > > > ETHANOL AND SULFUR PROBLEMS? > > > > Separately, finished fuel-grade ethanol contains small amounts of > > sulfur, between 2 and 8 parts per million, to help distinguish it > > from drinkable alcohol, according to EIA. > > > > This could become a problem for refiners when they begin meeting new > > federal low-sulfur requirements in a few years, EIA said. Beginning > > in 2006, the sulfur content of gasoline must be reduced to an average > > 30 parts per million. > > > > In addition to environmental concerns, ethanol blended gasoline is > > more complicated to transport to markets. > > > > The additive poses logistical problems because gasoline containing > > ethanol cannot be shipped in the nation's vast network of multi-fuel > > pipelines. > > > > Moisture in pipelines and storage tanks causes ethanol to separate > > from gasoline. > > > > As result, the petroleum-based gasoline components must be shipped > > separately to a terminal and then blended with the ethanol when the > > product is loaded into trucks. > > > > Those higher shipping costs, which would likely be passed on to > > consumers, are a major reason California sought a federal waiver from > > having to use ethanol after the state banned MTBE. > > > > The Bush administration denied the request last month, even though > > environmentalists insisted the White House decision would spew > > additional smog-forming pollution into the state's air. > > > > "This will mean dirtier air and price hikes at the pumps in > > California," said Frank O'Donnell, executive director of the Clean > > Air Trust. > > > > The ethanol industry defends the environmental benefits of its product. > > > > The Renewable Fuels Association, the industry's trade group, > > acknowledged that when ethanol is blended with gasoline it slightly > > raises the volatility of the fuel that can lead to increased > > evaporation of smog-forming emissions. > > > > However, blending ethanol reduces carbon monoxide tailpipe emissions > > that are responsible for 20 percent of smog formation, the renewable > > fuels group said. > > > > TRADE GROUP SAYS ETHANOL CUTS OZONE > > > > In addition, ethanol-blended fuel cuts tailpipe emissions of volatile > > organic compounds, or VOCs, that form ozone in the atmosphere, > > according to the trade group. > > > > "Thus, the use of ethanol plays an important role in smog reduction," > > the association said. > > > > However, some of ethanol's VOC reduction benefits have been scaled back. > > > > Last week, the EPA finalized a rule allowing ethanol-blended gasoline > > sold in Chicago and Milwaukee to contain larger amounts of VOC > > pollutants. > > > > The VOC standard was raised to 0.3 pounds per square inch Reid vapor > > pressure - a measurement of the volatility of fuel - from the > > previous 0.2 pounds. The EPA move was intended to reduce the cost of > > gasoline in the two cities, which depend almost exclusively on > > ethanol-blended motor fuel. > > > > Environmentalists are also concerned over the amount of energy, and > > therefore the pollution, needed to make ethanol from processing corn. > > > > The industry's trade group said ethanol generates more energy that > > used during production, and cites an 1996 Agriculture Department > > report that found ethanol contains 34 percent more energy that is > > used in the production process. > > > > Story by Tom Doggett > > > > REUTERS NEWS SERVICE > > > > > > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: > > http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html > > Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. > > To unsubscribe, send an email to: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > > > > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: > http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html > Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. > To unsubscribe, send an email to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
