By the terms bioethanol or agro-ethanol is meant ethanol produced from biodegradable waste parts or biomass for use as a biological fuel. Bioethanol obtained from whole plants, straw, wood or vegetable waste is called cellulose ethanol. In this country will be Bio ethanol mainly made from sugar beets, triticale, wheat, barley, rye, oats, corn and potatoes. The alternative fuel ethanol can be used in combination with other types of alcohol, for example with methanol, as pure ethanol (E100) and as an admixture in various mineral oil variants for gasoline engines as a biological fuel.

Criteria to be considered when using bioethanol as a fuel

Bioethanol Mixtures sold at petrol pumps are named E100, E85, E50, E25, E15, E10, E5 and E2. The figure appended to the letter E indicates the percentage of bioethanol in the fuel. The E50 variant is made up of 50 percent conventional petrol and 50 percent anhydrous bioethanol. The E85 compound improves anti-knock properties and increases engine efficiency. Since the summer of 2007, a tax exemption has been granted for the blending of bioethanol into fossil fuels under EC Directive 92/81 / EEC.

The European standard EN 228, however, allows a blend of bioethanol to fossil fuels to a maximum of five percent. Conventional petrol engines can be used without modification with E5. For specifically designed vehicle models, a fuel blend with 10 percent bioethanol has been available since January 2010. The majority of vehicle types equipped with a regulated fuel system and with a gasoline engine do not detract from the fuel variant E25.

Bio ethanol as fuel

Today chimney-free fireplaces are very popular. They will with Bio ethanol instead of being heated with fossil fuels. These fireplaces, for example, the model Gelkamin ethanol fireplaceArobia can be mixed with liquid bioethanol, for example with the product 6 x 1L bioethanol 96.6% – 6 liters in 1 liter bottles for easy and safe use or with ethanol gel, for example the product Pure Flame 6 x 1L fuel gel for gel fireplaces & gel Fire pits, heated. One with Bio ethanol heated fireplacedoes not require a chimney and does not have to be removed by a chimney sweep before startup. Structural changes are also not required, for example, the design fireplace gel Bio ethanol Biokamin Riviera Black can be easily set up and put into operation after unpacking.

Important additional information about Bio ethanol as a fuel

The alternative fuel boi ethanol generally consists of 95 percent of plant-derived alcohol. However, since the so-called denaturant is added to the bioethanol, the fuel is a flammable, explosive mixture. These properties of bioethanol are also the reason why this alternative fuel is specifically used as a fire accelerator. A further disadvantage of bioethanol is that thickening agents and other additives, for example isopropyl alcohol, are added to the firing medium and therefore no odorless combustion can take place. For this reason, ethanol should only be used as a fuel in rooms that are well ventilated or outdoors, for example in the garden or at the campsite. Bio ethanol gels and pastes are a safe alternative to liquid bio ethanol.

Ethanol in agriculture and industry

How much bio ethanol can be obtained depends on the particular plant. When using sugar beets, the yield is significantly higher than in the production from wheat. The production costs for bioethanol vary greatly in different countries. For the production of one cubic meter of bioethanol costs in Germany amount to 450 to 500 euros, while the same amount can be produced in Brazil for 200 to 250 US dollars. According to some economists, bioethanol as a fuel is only profitable because of state subsidies to industrial companies and farmers. The use of genetically modified plants, higher yields and an intensification of agriculture could make the production of bioethanol more profitable, according to the experts. For this reason, experiments with genetic manipulation and special breeding experiments are performed. Increased oil prices also make other biomass interesting for the production of bioethanol.