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Ethanol


Six UK teens rushed to hospital after drinking ethanol

Ethanol can be used in ICE engines, can be made from renewable resources and, depending on whether it's been denatured or not, can technically be drunk. John McCain's 2007 joke aside, this is a bad idea. Physics Forums lists a few reasons why. Nonetheless, six teenagers in the UK thought that an episode of the BBC1 drama Waterloo Road portrayed a good idea when a young female character drank ethanol. So, sadly, the five girls and one boy (all either 14 or 15) copied the fictional character's action. They were then taken to the hospital, where ... Read more →

Dacia launches ethanol-fueled version of Logan MCV Sam Abuelsamid

Renault's low-cost, Romania-based brand, Dacia, has introduced a new flex-fuel version of its Logan MCV people mover. The E85-capable wagon uses a 105 hp version of the Renault 1.6-liter four ...

China turns to methanol for flex-fuel cars Sebastian Blanco

Methanol is an unusual alcohol. For one thing, it can be used in fuel cells instead of hydrogen. It is also used by homebrewers to make biodiesel. Alternatively, it can be used in internal ...

Not Done Yet: Hummer H3, H3T get biofuel capability, new colors for 2010 Jeremy Korzeniewski

Can a Hummer be green? The brand that most obviously represents American excess in the minds of environmentalists – though Hummer's vehicles aren't actually any worse than any other large ...

BP prepares output of new biofuels - algae diesel and butanol - starting in 2010 Sam Abuelsamid

BP could become the first major energy company to start commercial scale production of cellulosic ethanol in 2010 if all goes according to plan. BP has been partnering with Verenium Corporation to ...

5 mpg = green in NASCAR 21 days ago on Autoblog Green

NASCAR has already gone solar and wants to help you (not themselves) use less fuel, but the cold hard reality is that those ovals are being made in cars that get around five miles per gallon. Not exactly hybrid SUV territory there. So, to reduce the amount of fossil fuels used in each race, race ...

VIDEO: Argonne National Lab developing Omnivorous Engine 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

Gasoline, ethanol, methanol, butanol, natural gas... there are a ton of choices when deciding on what fuel is best suited for automotive use, and each of them offer at least some reason to recommend them over another. Which to choose? Here's a better question: What if you didn't have to choose ...

Lists? Yeah, electric vehicles get on lists. Hopeful, hopeful lists 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

Here are five technologies that "could change everything": Advanced car batteries Carbon capture and storage Space-based solar power Utility storage Next-generation biofuels This is the list culled by the Wall Street Journal, and we note that plug-in vehicles benefit/are tied to ...

Ethanol will get you free parking at Vikings games, sort of 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

Here's the problem with flex-fuel vehicles. Also known at E85-capable, flexfuel rides can burn straight gasoline or a gasoline/ethanol blend that is up to 85 percent ethanol. But, since they don't need ethanol, the reality is that most people fill up with petroleum pure and call it a day (in most of ...

Kansas newspapers calls for end to ethanol subsidy 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

It's no secret that ethanol is a controversial fuel. There are numerous arguments against the use of corn-derived alcohol as a fuel, both economic and environmental. The federal and some state governments have been subsidizing corn ethanol production for many years, but the 2007 energy bill ...

Coskata's new Lighthouse cellulosic ethanol plant, in depth 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

Coskata's newly-opened semi-commercial flex ethanol facility in Madison, Pennsylvania is as small as it can possibly be. Co-located at a Westinghouse facility that also in some fashion uses nuclear energy, the Lighthouse project, as it's called, is running 24/7 to turn wood chips into ethanol. ...

Does a corn-ethanol vehicle beat the Tesla Roadster in lifetime CO2 emissions? 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

What does it take for a car to "beat" the Tesla Roadster? With a 0-60 time that blows away almost anything else on four wheels, there aren't many vehicles that are faster. With an all-electric drivetrain, the car sits at the absolute pinnacle (along with every other EV) for lowest tailpipe ...

CleanFlex Power System finds a way to burn ethanol in diesel engines 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

Diesel engines like to burn diesel fuel. Most, especially older ones, will also run just fine on biodiesel. But ethanol? You can't put ethanol in a diesel engine, right? According to National Corn Growers Association chairman and Nebraska corn farmer Bob Dickey, there actually is a way to mix ...

Coskata opens doors to first semi-commercial flex ethanol facility 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

Coskata caught our attention back in January 2008 with the announcement that GM would take an equity stake in the cellulosic ethanol producer in an effort to bring the biofuel to market at a cost of just $1 a gallon. Since then, things haven't gone quite as smoothly as Coskata executives might ...

What is CAFE? 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

It was big news when the Obama Administration updated CAFE requirements in May to a new and higher national MPG standard of 42 mpg for cars (26 mpg for light trucks) by 2016. The higher standards will start increasing with 2011 model year vehicles. But what is CAFE? And how do these new numbers ...

REPORT: Bentley to delay flex-fuel capability for 2010 Continental Supersports 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

While the environmental merits of any 621 horsepower, twelve-cylinder behemoth that's capable of traveling at speeds of up to 204 miles per hour are, at the very least, debatable, Bentley hasn't exactly been shy about touting the green angle of its upcoming 2010 Continental Supersports. Add ...

BYU research hints at a possibility of a fuel cell powered by sugar 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

When it comes to sugar and cars, there's a type of cellulosic ethanol made from sugarcane, much of which is produced in Brazil. However, researchers at Brigham Young University (BYU) have developed a catalyst that breaks glucose molecules in such a way that electrons, and therefore electricity, ...

Dyson Racing debuts ethanol-biobutanol blend at Petit Le Mans 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

When we spoke with American Le Mans Series CEO Scott Atherton at the Detroit Auto Show last January he revealed that discussions were being held between the series and parties interested in racing with a new fuel. At the time he declined to reveal the nature of the fuel but expected to announce ...

Top Ten "green" cars that met their fate during Cash for Clunkers 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

One rule that all clunked cars needed to adhere to was a maximum rating of 18 MPG from the federal government, right? What wasn't required was that the clunked car be considered dirty. After all, it's pretty clear that CNG vehicles burn clean, but that didn't stop 232 of them from meeting their ...

Frankfurt 2009: Audi A4 and A4 Avant go biofuel in Germany 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

Audi's big green reveal from the Frankfurt Motor Show is undoubtedly the e-Tron electric supercar – especially considering the recent comments about electric cars and diesels made by Audi North America President Johan de Nysschen. But there's another type of fuel/energy that Audi drivers ...

Drunk on the power output? Bugatti Galibier concept runs on ethanol 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

After months of speculation, Bugatti has finally pulled the wraps off its new four-door supercar concept just ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show at an event for past customers and Bugatti-intenders. Up to this point, we've been referring to the French über-sedan as the Bordeaux, but it seems ...

Dakar 2010: Klever Kolberg goes ethanol with UNICA's help 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

The 2009 Dakar Rally was won by a pair of diesel-powered Touareg TDIs. The oil-burners will face a new type of competition in the 2010 Dakar race thanks to a new ethanol-powered vehicle category. For the first time in the rally's 31-year history, a flex-fuel vehicle – a Mitsubishi Pajero ...

VIDEO: The real reason for the failure of ethanol? Bad marketing! 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

Over the last forty years, corn growers and automakers have repeatedly tried to convince America that ethanol was the solution to our ever growing thirst for petroleum. After all, we could just keep growing our own corn, distilling it into alcohol and pouring it in our tanks and say goodbye to ...

Corvette and Acura win first Canadian Green Challenge race 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

This past weekend, the American Le Mans Series headed north of the border for its annual outing at Mosport northeast of Toronto. This is the first Canadian race since the Michelin Green X Challenge debuted last year at the Petit Le Mans. As has been the case several times before this season, ...

DOE invests $300 million in clean fuels, including one lonely hydrogen station 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

What does it cost to displace 38 million gallons of petroleum per year? According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), almost $300 million. That's the amount that DOE head Steven Chu announced last week would go from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into buying about 9,000 ...

Frankfurt Preview: Saab 9-5 wil come with five engine options 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

The new Saab 9-5 sedan that's coming to the Frankfurt Motor Show in a few weeks features a lot of snazzy interior upgrades – heads-up display, adaptive cruise control and lighting and tri-zone air conditioning, to name just three – but will also be offered with a range of engine ...

Can I convert an older vehicle to something more environmentally-friendly? 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

Cash For Clunkers is officially over and helped put almost 700,000 new cars on the road. Now that the easy $4,500 are no longer available to buyers with low-mpg cars, we thought it'd be a good time to answer AutoblogGreen reader Adam's question that he submitted for our Greenlings series. Adam ...

Watermelon juice - the next great automotive fuel? 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

Corn as a source for ethanol has its problems. While there are a number of backers, there are real issues that need to be addressed, including (but not necessarily limited to) the huge amount of corn required to brew large batches of the alcohol fuel and the large quantities of water needed in the ...

Corvette C6.R GT2 wins ALMS green challenge in first race 3 months ago on Autoblog Green

Last weekend, the Corvette Racing team debuted its all-new GT2 class Corvette C6.R at the American Le Mans Series race at Mid-Ohio. The pair of Corvettes didn't quite manage an overall class victory on the track but did finish second and forth. The #3 yellow and black Corvette of Johnny ...

Why is there ethanol in gasoline? 3 months ago on Autoblog Green

Today, we take another look at ethanol for our weekly Greenlings post. You've probably noticed that many vehicles are labeled with a Flex Fuel badge from the manufacturer, indicating that the car or truck is capable of running safely on E85 – a blend of 85-percent ethanol and 15-percent ...

VIDEO: Lazareth creates an E85-powered, 500-horsepower quad 3 months ago on Autoblog Green

French automobile and motorcycle builder Lazareth has managed to shoehorn an entire BMW V12 engine into one of his crazy Wazuma quad-like machines. Admittedly, there isn't much that's environmentally friendly about a 500-horsepower supercharged V12 engine from BMW that's powering a rather large ...

Vinod Khosla stands by lithium ion batteries are "overhyped" statement; sees money to be made 3 months ago on Autoblog Green

Sun Microsystems founder Vinod Khosla has not been shy about making his bets on the automotive future known. Wherever there has been an opportunity to invest in or promote advanced ethanol, it seems Khosla was there, giving it at least a cursory look (see, for example, Coskata, which GM also ...

Corn ethanol industry strikes back against greenhouse gas emission charge 3 months ago on Autoblog Green

Earlier this year, the EPA criticized ethanol because it has a negative environmental balance of lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions when compared to gasoline obtained from crude oil (read their report here). As there's rarely an attack without pushback, the Renewable Fuels Association has decided to ...

After $2.4 billion for batteries, feds give out millions for smart grid, biofuels, more 3 months ago on Autoblog Green

Those who were worried that the U.S. government was picking winners by only spending $2.4 billion on batteries should be pleased with this: Energy Secretary Steven Chu has announced $347 additional million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to an assorted array of projects that aim to ...

GM looked at hybrid for new GT2 Corvette - passed for now, could happen down the road 3 months ago on Autoblog Green

During yesterday's conference call to announce the new GT2 version of the Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, we asked program manager Doug Fehan about using a hybrid or KERS powertrain in the Corvette. The Corvettes race in the American Le Mans Series where the Green Challenge is becoming an increasingly ...

Honda starts building flex-fuel City sedan in Brazil 3 months ago on Autoblog Green

Here in North America, the only non-gasoline fueled cars offered by Honda are the natural gas-powered Civic GX and the hydrogen-fueled FCX Clarity. You can buy diesel-powered Hondas in Europe and, in Brazil, ethanol is the preferred alternative. Honda Automoveis do Brasil Ltda has just launched ...

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