The Benefits Of Ethanol

Ethanol is a much cleaner fuel than gasoline:

• It is a renewable fuel made from plants
• It is not a fossil-fuel: manufacturing it and burning it does not increase the greenhouse effect
• It provides high octane at low cost as an alternative to harmful fuel additives
• Ethanol blends can be used in all petrol engines without modifications
• Ethanol is biodegradable without harmful effects on the environment
• It significantly reduces harmful exhaust emissions
• Ethanol's high oxygen content reduces carbon monoxide levels more than any other oxygenate: by 25-30%, according to the US EPA
• Ethanol blends dramatically reduce emissions of hydrocarbons, a major contributor to the depletion of the ozone layer
• High-level ethanol blends reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 20%
• Ethanol can reduce net carbon dioxide emissions by up to 100% on a full life-cycle basis
• High-level ethanol blends can reduce emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) by 30% or more (VOCs are major sources of ground-level ozone formation)
• As an octane enhancer, ethanol can cut emissions of cancer-causing benzene and butadiene by more than 50%
• Sulphur dioxide and Particulate Matter (PM) emissions are significantly decreased with ethanol.

Source: Journey to Forever (http://journeytoforever.org)