Ethanol continues to make headlines. What do you know about this alternative fuel? As ethanol production moves into more communities and E-85 becomes widely available at gas stations, you should know the basics. Below are unbiased answers to some common ethanol questions.

• What is ethanol?

  Ethanol is ethyl alcohol-200-proof grain alcohol. Fuel-grade ethanol is blended with gasoline to make motor fuel.

  There are different blends of ethanol and gasoline. Blends of at least 85% ethanol are considered alternative fuels under the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct).

• What is ethanol made from?

  The majority of ethanol is made from corn, but it can also be made from many other crops, such as barley, milo/sorghum, potatoes, and wheat. New technology will allow ethanol to be made from cellulosic crops, including corn stalks, farm waste, grain straw, paper pulp, and switchgrass.

  
• Does ethanol help reduce
  air pollution?

  When ethanol is blended and used with gasoline in automobiles, both carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon tailpipe emissions are reduced.

  According to the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, ethanol-blended fuels reduced CO₂;-equilvalent greenhouse gas emissions by 7.8 million tons in 2005

  
• Will my vehicle run on
  ethanol-blended fuel?

  All vehicles are ethanol-capable in that they can run on a blend of up to 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline, or E-10. Since the 1980s, automakers have covered the use of E-10 under warranty, with no necessary engine modifications. The 10% ethanol in E10 makes the gasoline burn cleaner.

  If your vehicle is not a Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV), use of any higher ethanol percentage than 10% is not covered by warranty.

• What are Flexible Fuel
  Vehicles (FFVs)?

  Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) are cars and trucks that can run on alternative fuels. The flexibility is that FFV owners have a choice whether to use any blend of ethanol up to the 85% (also known as E-85) level [delete comma] or unleaded gasoline. Some models come with FFV as an option, while on others it is a standard feature.

  Most major auto manufacturers currently offer FFVs. FFVs can run on gasoline, E-85, or any combination of the two and qualify as alternative fuel vehicles under EPAct regulations.

  To identify whether a vehicle is flexible fuel-ready, check the owners manual and inside the gas cap.

  
• What is E-85?

  E-85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, can only be used in flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs)

  
• Can I convert my car to use E-85?

  It is possible, but very difficult, to convert a vehicle to operate on E-85. The Environmental Protection Agency has recently approved a conversion kit, though it is expensive and has limited availability. Because automakers are making more FFVs every year, availability is increasing.

  
• Is ethanol content labeled
  on gas pumps?

  An 85% blend of ethanol, or E-85, is always labeled at the pump because it is an alternative fuel only usable in Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs).

  A 10% blend of ethanol, or E-10, is commonly available. While it is usually labeled in Oregon and Washington, it is not always labeled. E-10 can be used in any vehicle; and here labeling requirements are set at the state level. Many states have moved away from labeling ethanol, so it is not always possible to tell if you're getting ethanol-blended fuel at the pump.

  
• Is there an ethanol subsidy?

  There is a federal tax credit available to oil companies as an incentive to blend ethanol with gasoline. This blender's tax credit totals 51 cents per gallon of ethanol, 5.1 cents per gallon on E-10 blends, or 43 cents per gallon of E-85. This tax benefit serves as an incentive for oil companies to blend ethanol with gasoline, and also enables ethanol to compete with gasoline, even when it's priced higher. The tax credit is usually passed on to consumers as lower pump prices for high-octane, ethanol-enriched fuel.

  
• How is corn-based
  ethanol made?

  Corn-based ethanol is produced by taking the starch or sugar portion of corn and fermenting it. The fermented starch is then distilled into alcohol. The excess water is removed so the resulting ethyl alcohol (ethanol) is pure-200 proof.

  Only the starch portion of the corn, which is about 70% of the kernel, is made into ethanol. The remaining portion is used as animal feed and contains all the remaining fats, oils, and proteins.

• How many bushels of corn are
  needed for an ethanol plant?

  An ethanol plant that produces 50 million gallons of ethanol annually would require approximately 18 million bushels of corn.

• How many gallons of ethanol can
  be made from a bushel of corn?

  From 2005 data, one bushel of corn yields about 2.8 gallons of under-natured ethanol. That number is increasing with new ethanol production technology.

• How many gallons are in
  a barrel of oil or ethanol?

  One barrel contains 42 U.S. gallons, be it oil or ethanol.