Ethanol Fuel Basics
Ethanol is a renewable fuel made from various plant materials collectively known as "biomass." More than 98% of U.S. gasoline contains ethanol to oxygenate the fuel. Typically, gasoline contains E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline), which reduces air pollution.
Ethanol is also available as E85 (or flex fuel), which can be
used in flexible fuel vehicles, designed to operate on any
blend of gasoline and ethanol up to 83%. Another blend, E15,
is approved for use in model year 2001 and newer light-duty vehicles.
There are several steps involved in making ethanol available
as a vehicle fuel:
• Biomass feedstocks are grown, collected, and
transported to an ethanol production facility.
• Feedstocks are converted to ethanol at a
production facility and then transported to a fuel terminal or end-user by rail, truck, or barge.
• E10 is sourced from fuel terminals
whereas E85 is sourced from a terminal or
directly from an ethanol production facility.
• E15 is available from fuel terminals or
through a blender pump dispenser that draws from
E10 and E85 tanks at a station.