ETHANOL AS A RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE ETHANOL POWERED SHIP ADVANTAGES, CHALLENGES AND DIFFICULTIES

By Mustafa Nejem

Circa 2015 marked the first time when the marine transportation industry woke up to a rude shock, and sudden realizations, pertaining to its operability and its duty towards the aquatic eco-system of planet Earth. Not only did it face immense pressure to reduce toxic emissions in com

• Language: English
• Publisher: maritime
• Release date: Jan 15, 2024
• ISBN: 9781963159592

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Chapter 1

ADVANTAGES OF

USING ETHANOL

Ethanol as a Renewable Energy Source

Ethanol is actually a shorter version of ethyl alcohol, a highly volatile substance which is derived from natural ingredients, and forms the main component of most alcohol-based beverages. When several types of grains are mashed up and the mix is left to ferment, the resulting liquid is ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, and this in turn is quite useful, contrary to what most people think. Alternatives to grains include sugarcane, corn and paper-waste, depending on the ease of availability, but the purpose, however, remains the same, namely production of ethanol.

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While it is common to find this term mentioned on the labels of bottles containing various types of alcohol, what might truly surprise you is the fact that it is often mixed with gasoline to fuel vehicles. Whether it was out of concern for the environment, or the rising trepidation over the availability of fossil fuels that prompted the blending of ethanol with gasoline is still not clear, but the trend surely proved its viability in more ways than one. To begin with, the vehicular emission was relatively lower, which translated into cleaner air for people to inhale. Secondly, the vehicles were found to suffer less wear-and-tear, thus causing a significant reduction in their overall depreciation. It was at this point that the notion of using ethanol to fuel ships took shape, the logic being that if it could benefit road-run vehicles, then it could prove to be beneficial for water transport too, especially the fuel-intensive variations.

These advantages notwithstanding, an aspect that truly caused people to sit up and take notice of ethanol was its renewability. At this point, it is imperative for you as a reader to comprehend what renewability means, and the reason as to why this term is particularly coveted in context of fuel. Human beings capitalize on their natural surroundings for deriving resources that render life easier, and fuel is one such derivative. Fuel provides the energy which powers machines, vehicles and all the other gadgets which render life comfortable, and have facilitated the progress of mankind through the eons.

Given the importance of fuel, one of the most enduring quests of the human civilization has been to identify the various sources, and the available options have come to be broadly classified under two categories, namely renewable and non-renewable. Sources that can continue to provide fuel without suffering depletion come under the renewable category, some examples being the sun, water, wind and ethanol. In sharp contrast, non-renewable sources of fuel are those which are prone to depletion, the most obvious examples being that of fossil fuels since they take ages to form and hence cannot be replaced in a haste.

Is Natural Gas Renewable Or Nonrenewable Why

For whatever reasons mankind has grown to depend heavily on fossil fuels over the decades to power its swift and unprecedented progress, even when it has come at a heavy cost of damaging the environment. It is only when the alarm bell regarding the depleted reserves of fossil fuels began to ring that people started on a quest to look for more viable alternatives, and this is where ethanol came into the picture. While coal and petroleum may have formed the mainstay for development over half a century, they could not be relied upon to cater to the unlimited energy needs in future. As a result, it was time to explore other options which would not just be inexhaustible, but also not harm the natural eco-system as much.

Numerous experiments continue to be conducted in a bid to harness the renewable sources of fuel, and the discovery of ethanol could be attributed to the relentless effort to find a viable and eco-friendly solution. To this effect, although ethanol is a renewable source of fuel, it differs from other renewable sources in certain respects. As compared to the sun, wind and water, all of which exist in nature, ethanol cannot be found in nature and has to be made. So, it is a man-made renewable source of fuel – even though the raw materials are derived from nature, they need to be processed through a certain method in order to transform into ethanol which can then be used.

Biofuels- The Future Of Energy And Their Significance - Inventiva

Intriguing though it sounds, do read on to find out some important facts related to it, how it is made and why it is classified as a renewable fuel.

Fact-check on Ethanol

By now your curiosity pertaining to this natural wonder-liquid will have been sufficiently piqued to dig more, which brings forth the next stage, namely its manner and method of production.

Decoding the Process of Making Ethanol

Fermentation is the process which forms the mainstay of ethanol production and the raw materials used are plant-based and are naturally loaded with sugar. That being said, this is not the only process that manufacturers of ethanol rely on, the alternative being distillation. The objective, however, remains the same, namely breaking down the sugar into starch and cellulose, and then transforming it into usable fuel.

Ethanol production is spread over four stages, the first of which entails collecting sugar-rich plants, and some of the common options include barley, sugarcane, sugar beets and corn. At times wheat is also used, but it is treated as a last resort, and does not feature among the top three choices. Only when barley, sugarcane or corn is not readily available, or is not feasible financially that manufacturers resort to wheat.

Next, the grain/crop in question is squeezed till the last drop of juice has been derived and rendered free of impurities. Most manufacturers rely on refining as the simplest and the most effective method of removing the impurities from the plant extract, and so far it has proved to be worthy, both financially and functionally. In the third phase, the extract needs to be fermented, and yeast is the catalyst which is used to speed up the process. Usually manufacturers determine the duration of fermentation as per the nature of the crop used, wherein corn and barley extracts take longer to ferment as compared to sugarcane juice. Complete fermentation results in the transformation of the plant extract into ethyl alcohol, or ethanol while releasing carbon dioxide and water. Then it is once again distilled and subjected to a last round of purification, after which it is ready for being used on a variety of applications, including serving as a clean and green fuel of all kinds of transport.

From this multi-stage process itself, it is evident as to why people regard this fuel as being renewable and a likely substitute for conventional options like petrol, coal and natural gas. Production notwithstanding, equally contributing towards the viability of ethanol are its attributes as a fuel. 

Ethanol as a Fuel – Main Attributes

There are certain attributes which set this fuel apart from others in this category and grant it an elevated status as a favorable option. These are –

Regardless of the source that it is derived from, the chemical formula of ethanol remains the same, which means that there would be no difference in the product which is obtained from starch/corn in the US as compared to the version which is extracted from sugarcane or woodchips in Brazil;

While gasoline needs to fulfil the minimum octane-number requirement to ensure smooth driving and minimize engine depreciation, ethanol’s octane number is comparatively always on the higher side, which renders it a perfect choice for blending, particularly with low-octane gasoline;

For an engine which is optimized to run primarily on ethanol, the consumption of fuel is relatively lower, thus improving efficiency without any negative impact on performance;

The overall energy required to produce ethanol is more or less the same as that contained in the fuel itself, due to which the balance is maintained;

Because the amount of water required for production is minimal, and the addition of fertilizer is optional, the energy requirement during the process is low, and this in turn reduces the amount of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere;

On translating the impact of these attributes on a reality scale, their cumulative impact is felt in terms of drastically lesser quantity of gasoline, given that one single truck-load of ethanol is equivalent to 60 barrels of conventional fuel;

Discussed as follows are some more facts that further emphasize the viability of ethanol as a renewable energy source –

Cost effective option: A peek down the memory lane would reveal the extent of monetary dent that economies have suffered due to fossil fuels. Not only is it expensive to extract them, but the cost of buying them also puts a severe strain on the micro and macro-economic factors of a country. Contrastingly, every country can afford to cultivate crops which can be utilized to produce ethanol and facilitate development at a fraction of the cost incurred due to fossil fuels.

Eco-friendly: Burn any fuel and there would be emissions into the environment. However, what matters is the toxic nature of those emissions, and this is where ethanol scores over gasoline by several notches. On being burned, gasoline emits toxic greenhouse gases which pollute the environment, and have been stated as being the leading causes for global warming. Since it burns relatively cleanly, ethanol qualifies as a better option as far as the environment is concerned.

Easy availability: Given its plant based origin, ethanol is classified as a bio-fuel, and this in turn implies that it is comparatively much easier to manufacture than its counterparts. Whether it is a hot climate like Africa, a tropical climate like India or a moderate climate like the US, it is possible to cultivate plants, and as long as there are plants, there would be ethanol.

Limits fossil fuels’ reliance: Import of fossil fuels costs a country a large portion of its foreign exchange, and the burden is often borne by taxpayers in form of high fuel prices. Worse still, there is no end to the vicious cycle because the population at large continues to rely on petrol, diesel, and gasoline to operate vehicles and machinery. That being said, the good news is that it is indeed possible to slow down this seemingly endless drainage of foreign exchange, and the solution entails gradually replacing fossil fuels with ethanol. Doing so would save the cost of importing expensive fuel, and the savings could be channeled back into the economy to benefit the people.

Agricultural foundation: For several decades the trend has been to shift from agriculture to industries, with the result that the agrarian sector continues to lag behind. Embracing ethanol is likely to reverse this trend, as it would cause a huge upward spike in the demand for sugar-rich and cellulose-rich plants. Increased production would lead to proactive efforts to develop farming, thus leading the sector towards financial boom.

How Does Ethanol Impact the Performance of Marine and Off-Road Engines?

Much of the impact of ethanol on engine performance is an outcome of its high-octane number, which stands at 113, and ensures that the engines remain cool, deliver more power, and have a longer life-span. Probably this explains why most fuel options available today contain a certain percentage of ethanol, and are suitable for 21st century engines. Contemporary vehicles rely on ethanol-blends to acquire more power while maintaining a sustainable level of fuel efficiency.

When it comes to marine engines, an important aspect that comes into play is the likelihood of oil spills, which not only cause immense wastage but also cause irrevocable harm to the marine eco-system. Gasoline oil spills that have occurred in the past have been nothing short of marine disasters courtesy of the damage that they have caused in terms of destroying the aquatic life and upsetting the delicate balance. Going a step further, gasoline does not break down on its own and continues to float on the water’s surface for a long time, thus permanently altering the marine habitat for the worse.

This is where gasoline comes in. In addition to protecting the users from the dangers of erroneous fuelling, ethanol does not cause any permanent or long-term damage to the environment owing to being biodegradable. So, marine engines that opt for a blend of ethanol and gasoline enjoy a better performance while not having any adverse impact on the air and water quality.

Assuming that marine engines do shift over to using primarily ethanol as a fuelling option, discussed as follows are aspects which would play a seminal role while making a decision –

Safety of the vessel, and in this regard research has proved that ethanol does not pose a greater risk as compared to its gasoline counterparts;

Performance of the engine, which varies as per the percentage of ethanol in the blend vis-à-vis gasoline, wherein a high-blend improves combustion efficiency and delivers a higher output;

Research pertaining to the availability and viability of ethanol as a fuel, as more information and insights are needed before any concrete steps are taken towards its complete adoption;

Summing Up…

With ethanol’s viability as a renewable energy source having been established beyond any doubt, this option can indeed be seriously considered as a replacement for fossil fuels. From monetary savings to easy availability, there are numerous advantages that this option accrues, all of which prove its efficacy as a renewable energy source that can be depended upon for a long time to come. Last but not the least is its positive impact on the environment courtesy of minimal emissions, which translates into cleaner air and a healthier planet.

Sources:

https://growthenergy.org/resources/biofuels-basics/#:~:text=Ethanol%20burns%20cleaner%20and%20cooler,and%20our%20engines%20running%20smoothly.

https://natural-resources.canada.ca/energy-efficiency/transportation-alternative-fuels/alternative-fuels/biofuels/ethanol/3493

https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/ethanol_fuel_basics.html#:~:text=Ethanol%20is%20a%20renewable%20fuel,ethanol%20to%20oxygenate%20the%20fuel.

https://www.iowafarmbureau.com/Article/Ethanol-vs-gasoline-Which-one-is-better-for-the-environment-and-the-US#:~:text=Is%20ethanol%20bad%20for%20the,of%20Energy's%20Argonne%20National%20Laboratory.

https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/263032/1/ICEADR-2021-p129.pdf

https://ethanolrfa.org/ethanol-101/why-is-ethanol-important

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/ethanol-fuel.php

https://www.vedantu.com/biology/renewable-and-non-renewable-resources

https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-renewable-energy#:~:text=Sunlight%20and%20wind%2C%20for%20example,millions%20of%20years%20to%20form.

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2. Examining Ethanol’s Carbon Footprint

So why should you blindly accept ethanol as an eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuels? True though it is that this bio-fuel is a renewable source of energy, its viability as an eco-friendly option can be adjudged only after closely examining the combustion process.

While all fuels need to be burned in order to release energy, what sets them apart is the amount of gases that they emit into the atmosphere, and the impact of those gaseous emissions on the environment. Given the toxic nature of these gases, the lesser the amount, the better it is for the atmosphere. However, not all fuels are born the same as far as gaseous emissions are concerned, and this is where the concept of carbon footprint comes in.

Decoding the Importance of Carbon Footprint

Unless you have been living under a rock, terms like ‘global warming’ and ‘climate change’ will have featured at least once a day in the daily news update, along with a severe warning about deteriorating air quality. In such a situation, have you ever wondered as to how global warming or climate change might be measured? Before raising alarm on a global scale, scientists and researchers use several benchmarks to check the irregularities and deviations, and one of them is the carbon footprint.

Going by the book, carbon footprint refers to the quantity of greenhouse gases which are released/emitted by one or more entities during a specific duration. While the focus is mostly on measuring the amount of carbon dioxide, gases like methane, chloroflouro carbons, and nitrous oxide also attract a lot of attention. The entity in question could be a single person, various modes of transport, or manufacturing entities of varying sizes. Regardless of whether it is one or many, entities engage in activities which emit gases into the atmosphere, which in turn manifest in form of unpredictable climate or unprecedented rise in temperatures. This fluctuation in climate patterns and temperatures represents carbon footprint, and it serves as an index that measures the adverse impact of human activity on the environ.

As per this logic, the more gases emitted through a certain activity, the higher is the carbon footprint of that particular entity. From this point, it is but natural to move on to the next stage, which explains the important role that this index plays in context of planet earth. Being aware of the carbon footprint is one of the surest ways to figure out the amount of excess carbon in the atmosphere and find holistic ways to dispose it. Presence of untreated carbon waste or carbon build-up puts a strain on the natural capacity of the environment to absorb/dispose it,