Ethanol Ethanol Page Biomass energy Ethanol, the most widely used biofuel, is made by fermenting biomass in a process similar to brewing beer. Currently, most of the 1.5 billion gallons of ethanol used in the U.S. each year is made from corn and blended with gasoline to improve vehicle performance and reduce air pollution. The benefits of ethanol include increased energy security, reduced agricultural program costs, and cleaner air. Ethanol is the most widely used biofuel today.
Ethanol is used to increase octane and improve the emissions quality of gasoline.
The Chatham plant is located in Ontario and is producing 150 million liters of ethanol per year. They supply the Canadian and North East US market. The major steps in this type of process are outlined, and two co-products created in the production of alcohol are mentioned. There goal is to increase ethanol use, decrease imports, and improve the environment and economy. This web site provides many links to information pertaining to ethanol.