Ethanol Fuel History.

Ethanol, both a liquor and a fuel, has been around in the form of Moonshine Whiskey since 15th Century Scotland.

In 1908, Ford Motor Company's first car, The Model T, used ethanol corn alcohol gasoline as fuel energy.

Since 2003, ethanol has grown rapidly as the oxygenating factor for gasoline. Ethanol replaced MTBE for oxygenating fuel, since almost all states now have banned MTBE, due to groundwater contamination, health and environmental concerns.

Ethanol blend fuels for gas powered engines have been around for about 180 years; Ethanol is now found at most public gas stations nationwide, sue to mandates/laws and recommendations in the Alternative Motor Fuels Act (1988), Clean Air Act (1990), Energy Policy Act (2005) and most importantly - The Renewable Fuel Standard Program (RFS) - Signed September 2006.

ETHANOL HISTORY TIMELINE

1826 Samuel Morey developed an engine that ran on ethanol and turpentine.

1850's During the Civil War, a liquor tax was placed on ethanol whisky, also called Moonshine, to raise money for the war.

1876 Otto Cycle was the first combustion engine designed to use alcohol and gasoline.

1896 Henry Ford built his first automobile, the quadricycle, to run on pure ethanol.

1920's Standard Oil began adding ethanol to gasoline to increase octane and reduce engine knocking.

1908 The first Ford Motor Company automobile, Henry Ford's Model T, was designed to use corn alcohol, called ethanol. The Model T ran on (ethanol) alcohol, fuel or a combination of the two fuels.

1940's First U.S. fuel ethanol plant built. The U.S. Army built and operated an ethanol plant in Omaha, Nebraska, to produce fuel for the army and to provide ethanol for regional fuel blending.

1940's to late 1970's Virtually no commercial fuel ethanol was sold to the general public in the U.S. - due to the low price of gasoline fuel.

1975 U.S. begins to phase out lead in gasoline. MTBE eventually replaced lead.

Note: Later, between 2004 to 2006, MTBE banned in almost all states, due to groundwater contamination and health risks.

1980's Oxygenates added to gasoline included MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether - made from natural gas and petroleum) and ETBE (Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether - made from ethanol and petroleum).

1988 Denver, Colorado, mandated ethanol oxygenates fuels for winter use to control carbon monoxide emissions. Other cities followed.

1990 Clean Air Act Amendments - Mandated the winter use of oxygenated fuels in 39 major carbon monoxide non-attainment areas (based on EPA emissions standards for carbon dioxide not being met) and required year-round use of oxygenates in 9 severe ozone non-attainment areas in 1995.

1992 The Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct) was passed by Congress to reduce our nation's dependence on imported petroleum by requiring certain fleets to acquire alternative fuel vehicles, which are capable of operating on nonpetroleum fuels.

The Clean Air Act (1990) and Alternative Motor Fuels Act (1998 & 1992) contain provisions for mandating oxygenated fuel (RFG =Ethanol and MTBE). Requirements set for 2 types of clean-burning gasoline, RFG Federal Reformulated Gasoline and Wintertime Oxygenated Fuel.

1995 The EPA began requiring the use of reformulated gasoline year round in metropolitan areas with the most smog.

1995 EPA issues public bulletin warning for Boaters called...

1989 - 2000: Summary - Selected Environmental Regulations Affecting the Product Quality of U.S. Motor Gasoline:

June 1989 Phase 1 Summer Volatility (RVP) Regulation

May 1992 Phase 2 Summer Volatility (RVP) Regulation

November 1992 Oxygenated Gasoline

December 1994 Reformulated Gasoline Phase 1

January 2000 Reformulated Gasoline Phase 2

1999 Some states began to pass bans on MTBE because traces of it were showing up in drinking water sources.

2003 California began switching from MTBE to ethanol to make reformulated gasoline.

California was the first state to completely ban MTBE, effective January 1, 2004.

Late 1990's to Present Major U.S. auto manufacturers begin selling Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFV's), that can run on up to 85% ethanol. About 5 million FFV's/AFV's are on the road today.

2003 to Present Almost ALL states have followed California's lead, banning MTBE, (a few states still have lawsuits pending with the EPA for exemption from MTBE ban), resulting in MTBE being replaced by ethanol nationwide.

2005 The Energy Policy Act of 2005, written by the EPA is responsible for regulations to ensure that gasoline sold in the United States contains a minimum volume of renewable fuel (ethanol is a renewable fuel).

April 2005 Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP - OMC) is the first marine manufacturer to receive the EPA "Clean Air Excellence Award", for their newly re-designed outboard engine called the Evinrude ETec.

Spring 2006 Many outboard owners report marine damage and severe engine failure from use of ethanol blend fuels - Investigations reveal gas they used had ethanol content of 15-40%, well about the safe legal limit. See 1995 EPA warnings to boat owners.

September 7, 2006 The Renewable Fuel Standard Program (RFS) is signed. This national renewable fuel program is designed to encourage the blending of renewable fuels (ethanol) into our nation's motor vehicle fuel. The nationwide Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), will double the use of ethanol and biodiesel by 2012.

ETHANOL USE - HISTORY BY INDUSTRY

AIRCRAFT:

FAA banned ethanol a long time ago (around the 1960's) for use in aircraft. - 2006 FAA and EEA issues statements to the public, warning never to use ethanol in aircraft, since ethanol blends are now widespread at (non-aircraft) gas pumps.

MARINE:

Late 1990's - Present: Marine Manufacturers, who once advised against using alcohol in marine engines, now change the instructions in owner's manuals to allow 10% fuel blends in most marine engines.

Modifications were made to most outboard engines 1990's - present to allow the safe use of ethanol 10%.

FARMING EQUIPMENT

Continues to be exempt from ethanol fuel use, government issued, due to known damage it can cause their engines, expected to last 40-50 years.

Read about important engine precautions, when using ethanol blend E10 fuels.

Over 99 percent of the ethanol produced in the United States is mixed with gasoline to make E-10, the gas found at most public fuel pumps.

About 50 percent of America's gasoline now includes some amount of ethanol.

Source: American Petroleum Institute (API) http://www.api.org/Newsroom/cavaney-renewable.cfm

Ethanol production and use is going to keep growing in the years ahead.

Research information sources include:

http://www.eia.doe.gov/ EIA - Energy Information Administration - Official Energy Statistics from the U.S. Government.

http://www.energy.gov/ U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Clean Cities Fact Sheet- Low Level Ethanol Fuel Blends April 2005

EIA Kids Timeline - Ethanol History

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