Bioethanol And Significant Commercial Consequences

Ethanol is a colorless flammable liquid that has had great economic value for thousands of years. Well before the industrial age it was fermented from available resources and used for various purposes. It has long been used to raise the spirits by way of a tipple, but also has significant utility as a source of fuel, light and medication, among other things.

Ethanol can be made from the sugars that are present in various plants such as corn, sugarcane and timber. Even grass can be used. Whatever crop is used involves different economic factors because the costs of production are different in each case.

The use of biofuels instead of fossil fuels would have substantial benefits for the environment. Carbon emissions would be reduced and since these are a significant cause of the pollution that is said to contribute to global warming it would appear to be the obvious course of action to follow. In the 1950s ethanol was commonly used to supplement petrol but for some reason the technology that would make biofuels more viable has been slow to develop.

In the process of biofuel production crops must be planted, grown and harvested. In the case of fossil fuels these steps took place eons ago. The fuels exist as non-renewable resources that simply have to be extracted from underground or undersea deposits. The economics of harvesting the sun’s energy are very different in each case. Even though the use of biofuels might be economically sustainable in the long term, the short term economic benefits of fossil fuels are undeniable.

Biofuels have determined the twisted shape of the industrial world. Oil and coal made very few people obscenely rich whilst the vast majority of economically valuable people remained poor. Geo political events were influenced by the people who could pump oil from beneath their feet. Their vested interests in motor vehicles being powered by oil probably diverted research into alternative fuels for many years.

When it was finally acknowledged that the move away from fossil fuels was inevitable valuable time had been lost. The human population and number of cars in existence made any switch to biofuels problematic. Production capacity was limited and the technology inadequate. There was an imbalance between economic needs and abilities.

The shift to ethanol and similar products is probably inevitable, but the process seem to be unnecessarily tortuous. The huge human population constantly stimulates the demand for cars and oil so that the oil industry is stimulated despite tacit admissions that the party cannot go on for ever. Meanwhile the production of biofuels is impeded by the fact that alternative energy is available at manageable prices. All these factors combine to make the transition process very laborious.

More and more people are wanting to know about Ethanol for various reasons. One reason is because bio ethanol could power new cars.