Ethanol is made by converting corn starch into a sugar form through a fermentation process. Actually many crops can produce the necessary starches that make up ethanol.
Throughout the United States, there is a big government push for ethanol. Most of the big agricultural states already have ethanol initiatives in effect. The federal government already requires that only "clean" gasoline to be sold in areas with high pollution.
Why ethanol is important:
- Reduces dependence on foreign oil
- Fuels burn cleaner, meaning cleaner air
- Completely renewable
- Revitalizes American farming
Ethanol is a very good thing for rural America. As demand for corn flattened in the last decades, government initiatives promoting ethanol boosted corn prices again. Making ethanol and using ethanol both are environmentally-healthy. Plus, foreign cartels such as OPEC have less power in controlling United States energy usage.
Why ethanol is bad:
Transporting and adding ethanol to gasoline isn't free from costs. California, which is suffering quite an energy crunch lately, recently asked President Bush to discontinue federal requirements for cleaner fuels. California officials estimate removing ethanol requirements would reduce gas prices by 5 ¢ a gallon.
Despite this, ethanol use is getting bigger all the time. It's definitely a fuel for the future: environmentally and economically.