Background for Debate Topic 2: Ethanol E85 Requirement for Delaware Drivers
The second debate topic is, "Delaware residents should be mandated to use ethanol E85 Flex Fuel in their cars." Ethanol is an energy source known as biomass, a material derived from plant matter. Most of the ethanol produced in the United States comes from corn but it can also be produced from other plants such as sugarcane and grasses. Typically ethanol is used to oxygenate fuel which reduces air pollution. Ethanol is becoming more widely used in the United States, in 2001 Americans used 1.7 billion gallons and in 2012, American used 12.9 billion gallons. Ethanol comes in low-level and high-level blends; most usage of it in the U.S. is considered a low-level blend. Ethanol E85 contains 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline and significantly reduces air pollution as compared to using gasoline in its pure form. 35
Ethanol can be created using crops grown in the United States whereas gasoline is dependent on fossil fuels from the Middle East. Ethanol is renewable, more corn, sugarcane, and grasses can be grown as needed. This type of fuel reduces carbon emissions, when ethanol is burned it releases CO2 but this is CO2 that already existed in the atmosphere. To grow plants use CO2, taking carbon from the atmosphere as they grow and then the CO2 is released back in to the air as ethanol is burned. Ethanol reduces imports of oil and increases jobs in the United States. Finally, the cost to convert a car to using E85 ethanol is relatively low. 36
Growing corn and other crops used to produce ethanol takes up arable land that could be used for growing crops to feed people. If a farmer is growing corn for fuel, it cannot be used to grow crops for food. It takes energy to grow, harvest, ferment, and distill the corn. When the conversion process is completed, the ethanol must be transported to where it will be sold, this also requires energy. Ethanol is mostly mixed with gasoline in the United States; this is because most cars are not equipped to run on ethanol in its pure form. There is limited availability of ethanol in its finished form. When using ethanol, the automobile gets fewer miles per gallon, generally 3-5% fewer miles per gallon. 37
Comments: