What Is Ethanol And Where Does It Come From

Ethanol is a form of alcohol that is used for beverages and fuel. It is produced from agricultural products such as corn. Since it is produced from plants and vegetation it is considered a renewable resource. There still remains the question of what is ethanol. Ethanol is simply alcohol; a clear liquid that is highly flammable, very volatile and for the most part odorless.

This form of alcohol is produced from starches found in grains and corn. The starch is extracted and used to produce beverages, fuel and energy. Ethanol is also known as pure alcohol, grain alcohol and ethyl alcohol. It is a very potent substance therefore making the actual quantities used small in comparison to other ingredients. Pure alcohol is a very volatile substance and should be handled with caution.

The starches used to create this substance are extracted from corn and grain using either wet milling or dry milling. The main difference between the dry and wet milling is the form in which the initial extraction processes is started; all other processes are the same. Once the starch is extracted the byproducts can be used in the production of feed for animals. Therefore, there is not a lot of waste since the byproduct is usable.

Another means of producing this form of alcohol is called cellulosic biomass. This type of production is much more costly and takes longer to process. However, using this means of production allows the use of wood and other vegetation. The inedible and unused portions of wood, free growing plants and vegetation are used by collecting the lignocellulose and processing it into biofuel.

With the use of ethyl alcohol, economic and agricultural growth is stimulated and the dependency on petroleum is lessened. Not to mention this type of alcohol is cleaner, cheaper and more efficient than petroleum products. This pure alcohol is also safer for the environment because it omits the carbon monoxide emissions produced from petroleum.

Increasing the usage of this alcohol creates jobs, increases the demand for crops and lessens the petroleum having to be imported. The alcohol is a renewable resource because of the vegetation and agricultural products used unlike petroleum. When used as a source for fuel, it is considered a flexible fuel source and has been found to be more efficient than petroleum when it comes to the operation of fuel powered products.

Reducing pollution, helping the environment, using renewable resources, becoming more efficient and stimulating economic growth are all benefits related to using ethanol. When there are so many benefits why not promote the use of this product and move over to using something cheaper and comes from plants and other vegetation.

It is absolutely amazing that something as simple as corn, grain and other agricultural products can produce something so powerful and potent. It is even better that is can stimulate the economy, runs cleaner and is more efficient to use than petroleum products. What is even more amazing is that this product can be used for both fuel and drinking. Benefits galore and a renewable resource; ethanol is the way to go so support the usage and production.

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