Ethanol is a clean-burning, high-octane motor fuel that provides superior engine performance and is produced from renewable sources. At its most basic, ethanol is 200 proof grain alcohol, produced from crops such as corn. The production of ethanol from corn is the conversion of starch to sugar, and then sugar to ethanol. The fermentation process is the same that is employed in many industries, such as winemaking, and the production of distilled spirits.

While the 2007 Indy Series uses 100% ethanol, pure 100% (200 proof) ethanol is not generally used as a motor fuel; instead, a percentage of ethanol is combined with unleaded gasoline. This is beneficial because the ethanol decreases the fuel's cost, increases the fuel's octane rating, and decreases gasoline's harmful emissions.

History of Ethanol
Ethanol has been used as a transportation fuel since Henry Ford and other transportation pioneers began developing automobiles. In 1908, Henry Ford designed the Model T to run on ethanol, as well as petroleum. Mr. Ford thought that biofuels were the "fuel of the future" and believed ethanol would become the most commonly used fuel source. Ford envisioned an America that would grow its own fuel, making it out of everything from potatoes to sawdust. With more people willing to consume agricultural goods, he believed, farmers' produce would have more market value and boost the rural farm economy. Forces were beyond his control, however, and the economic crisis affecting farming only increased with the onset of the Great Depression.

In fact, during the 1930s, more than 2,000 service stations in the Midwest sold corn ethanol, but the ethanol industry closed down in the 1940s with onset of low-priced petroleum. During World War I and II, alcohol fuels supplemented supplies of oil-based fuels in both the United States and in Europe. Also, during World War II, the government even commandeered whiskey distilleries for alcohol fuel production. In recent history, public interest in alcohol as a transportation fuel has changed with periods of war and the fluctuating supply and price of oil.

When the oil crisis in the 1970s raised the price of oil and gas, gasoline was extended with the addition of 10 percent ethanol and gave birth to the gasohol era. As gasoline became more plentiful, ethanol was blended with gasoline to increase the octane rating, and the name gasohol was replaced with names reflecting the increased octane. Unleaded plus or super unleaded are two examples of names used today.

Ethanol Blends
Any amount of ethanol can be combined with gasoline, but the most common blends are:

E10 - 10% ethanol and 90% unleaded gasoline
E10 is approved for use in any make or model of vehicle sold in the U.S. Many automakers recommend its use because of its high performance, clean-burning characteristics. As of March 2008, about 64% of America's gasoline contained some ethanol, most as this E10 blend.

E85 - 85% ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline
E85 is an alternative fuel for use in flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs). There are currently more than 10 million FFVs on America's roads today, and automakers are rolling out more each year. In conjunction with more flexible fuel vehicles, more E85 pumps are being installed across the country. When E85 is not available, these FFVs can operate on straight gasoline or any ethanol blend up to 85%.

It is important to note that it does not take a special vehicle to run on "ethanol". All vehicles are "ethanol vehicles" and can use up to 10% ethanol with no modifications to the engine. Often people confuse E85 for "ethanol", believing incorrectly that not all vehicles are ethanol-compatible.

Blends of ethanol beyond 10%
The industry is leading efforts to attend to any technical or regulatory hurdles to using ethanol blends above 10%, such as E20, E30, or E40. If these higher percentages of ethanol could be used in standard automobiles, the U.S. could use a dramatically higher amount of renewable fuel, thus significantly decreasing our dependence on petroleum.

► The process of Making Corn Ethanol...