Consolidated Reply
Pakistan / Fuel Ethanol / Comparative Experiences
Comparative Experiences
28 February 2006, prepared by Angelica Shamerina and Bethany Donithorn
Original Query: Arif Alauddin, UNDP Pakistan
Pakistan is experimenting with the use of ethanol as a vehicular fuel. In connection with this Pakistan State Oil (PSO) has initiated a pilot project called E-10 Gasoline Pilot Project. PSO has been UNDP’s partner in a number of GEF activities on reducing vehicular emissions and they approached us seeking information on the following.
They want to know if there is experience of this fuel in other countries, and if so,
a) What has been the impact of the fuel on vehicles operation such as start-up quality, acceleration engine knocking etc?
b) If there has been any impact of the fuel on fuel system/ engine parts.
They also seek guidance/experts to help them design programs/methodology to monitor the above. We would be grateful for any experience you could share.
Contributions received with thanks from:
- Stephen Gitonga UNDP/GEF SGP NY
2. Jan Cloin, Energy Adviser, SOPAC - Secretariat of the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission
Summary:
There is a consensus on both car manufacturers and oil retailers that a blend of 10% ethanol and 90% petrol known as E10 has no negative effect on cars. Most manufacturers nowadays are making engines that take E10 and it is the approved percentage for ordinary gasoline vehicles, which has been used for many years in many countries.
However, for higher blends, such as those applied in Brazil, some modifications are required. For example, blends of 85% ethanol with 15% petrol requires a so-called 'flex-fuel' vehicle. These are increasingly popular in the US mid-west and Brazil where ethanol supply is abundant and relatively cheap. A litre of ethanol has 33% less energy than a litre of petrol. Therefore, a litre of E10 theoretically has 3% less energy than a litre of petrol. This difference is hardly noticeable in everyday driving and should not be of any concern. Also, ethanol has a higher octane number than regular petrol. However, this is only an advantage to oil companies as they would sell their petrol as '91' or '95' octane rating after the blending.
The impact of the fuel on vehicles operation
a) Engine knocking
One advantage of ethanol is that it is a very high octane fuel and therefore is used to replace lead as an octane enhancer in gasoline. Increasing the octane rating of gasoline helps the fuel to resist pre-ignition or knocking of the engine. Gasoline in its low rating burns too quickly and makes the engine "knock". Adding ethanol therefore reduces the likelihood of engine “knock”.
b) Start-up quality
In terms of performance, an E10 (up to 10% ethanol) enriched gasoline does as well as regular gasoline and has no difference in start up quality. As adding ethanol to gasoline actually "oxygenates" the fuel, and thus adds more oxygen to the fuel mixture, it actually helps the fuel to burn more completely and may aid starting up.
c) Acceleration
Because the octane rating of gasoline determines the fuel’s ability to resist being ignited by the heat and pressure caused by compression (pre-ignition or knocking can rob the engine of power) ethanol enriched gasoline leads to a higher-performing fuel mixture. Whether this results in better acceleration would depend on many other factors apart from the fuel alone. Blends of E10 and below have no noticeable difference in fuel use or the distance covered per litre.
Impact of the fuel on fuel system/engine parts
a) Enriching gasoline with E10 has no impact on fuel system/ engine parts. In cold regions, ethanol-enriched gasoline can actually help absorb moisture in a fuel system and help prevent frozen fuel lines in the winter.
b) Ethanol-enriched fuel burns cleaner and therefore leaves fewer deposits in fuel systems. A cleaner engine gives better performance.
c) Ethanol blends require an addition of a 'rust inhibitor' which should be included in the standard for E10. This reduces the risk of the slightly corrosive ethanol. There are various products widely available on the world market.
d) The only negative impact of E10 on engines that can be found in literature is that it cleans out the fuel system and therefore could lead to some deposits ending up in the fuel filter, which, in some cases of very dirty fuel systems in old cars, had led to filter blockage. However this can be easily detected and solved by replacing the fuel filter, which doesn’t cost much.
Environmental Impacts
The biggest environmental impact of ethanol relates to the agricultural source from which it was produced. There is wide debate on the 'energy balance' (i.e. energy consumed versus energy produced) of ethanol, but the consensus appears to be that there is a slight gain from corn ethanol (US) and a larger gain from sugar cane ethanol.
Emissions of vehicles become cleaner with ethanol because of the higher oxygen content and therefore produce less smog. It is being used as a replacement of the carcinogenic MBTE in the U.S. where it was blended in petrol as an octane enhancer.
Monitoring options:
UNDP could be of assistance in setting standards for ethanol fuel (quality will be of the utmost importance for consumer acceptability) and the resulting blend of E10. Standards in many countries have been developed; the Australian standard is one example. There is extensive documentation available from the Australian Greenhouse Office.
Another area is to measure emissions under the different operational characteristics to show how the emissions have decreased. These can be measured by the designated land transport authority during the pilot.
UNDP examples:
Since biofuels are not eligible for GEF funding, currently only minimal work is being carried out by UNDP in the area of fuel ethanol, e.g. a project to provide ethanol cook stoves in Ethiopia. However, the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), which works with community-based organizations and NGOs in developing countries implementing small-scale projects to mitigate climate change, is supporting a local Association for Development and Human Resources in Egypt to build a modular prototype for converting domestic solid waste into ethanol to replace lead in gasoline, thereby reducing GHGs emissions. More
Other country experiences & programmes:
Malawi – A project investigating ethanol-based fuels is conducting road tests on an ethanol-propelled vehicle. Supporters of the project argue that a switch to ethanol fuel would not only benefit the environment but also increase employment in the country's sugarcane industry and save on foreign exchange spent on fuel imports. The five-year, US$ 1 million project, backed by the Malawi government, is based at Malawi’s Lilongwe Technical College and conducted jointly with the department of science and technology. By testing a modified Mitsubishi Pajero over 350 km, the project will look at how vehicles previously propelled by petrol can best be modified to use ethanol, and investigate the practicability of flex-fuel vehicles that use either 100 per cent locally manufactured ethanol, or a combination of ethanol and petrol. More
Senegal – Senegal will cooperate with Brazil and India to launch a biofuel production programme by 2007. Through public-private partnerships, Brazil will provide scientific and technological know-how, Indian entrepreneurs will supply the capital, and Senegal will offer land and labour. The project is part of a plan by the Senegalese government to regenerate its rural economy through investment in biofuels to eventually replace the country's daily consumption of 33,000 oil barrels. In an initial pilot project to reduce Senegal's oil imports by 10 per cent, jatropha plants will be grown on 4,000 hectares of land in Touba. The extracted oil will be transformed into biodiesel in production units to be set up in Khelcom, some 100 km from Dakar. More
Latin America – The World Bank is providing technical assistance and organizing seminars to promote knowledge sharing, discuss factors that contribute to successful bioethanol industries, and develop best practices that will help to overcome the challenges. To such effects, please refer to the Publications below.
United States – The Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI) is the multi-agency effort coordinating and accelerating all national-level bio-based products and bioenergy research and development, which was recently boosted by President Bush’s call for an almost fivefold increase in the production of ethanol and other alternative fuels to supplant gasoline over the next decade. Subsequently, a number of bills that have been introduced in Congress seeking to promote the use of biofuels through research, development and deployment grants and incentives as well as through incentives to manufacturers and producers of biofuels related equipment.
Recommended Resources:
Websites and publications:
· Worldwatch – Biofuels for Transportation: Global Potential and Implications for Sustainable Agriculture and Energy in the 21st Century – the first-ever global assessment of the potential social and environmental impacts of biofuels released in collaboration with the German agencies for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and Renewable Resources (FNR). Although oil still accounts for more than 96 percent of transport fuel use, biofuel production has doubled since 2001 and is poised for even stronger growth as the industry responds to higher fuel prices and supportive government policies. The report warns that the large-scale use of biofuels carries significant agricultural and ecological risks. However, biofuels have the potential to increase energy security, create new economic opportunities in rural areas, and reduce local pollution and emissions of greenhouse gases. Read more.
· World Bank – Potential for Biofuels in Developing Countries, ESMAP Technical Paper No. 312, Masami Kojima, Todd Johnson, Oct 2005 – Unlike many renewable energy programs, Brazil’s fuel ethanol industry is not a pilot programme nor is it new. Over 30 years ago, Brazil made a decision to invest in ethanol production as a way of reducing its reliance on imported petroleum, and to diversify its sugar industry by providing a market for both sugar and ethanol. Today, ethanol accounts for over 40 percent of the gasoline-ethanol market in Brazil, compared to only about 3 percent in the U.S., even though the ethanol programmes in the two countries are of similar magnitude. This recent analysis shows that Brazil is the only country that has been able to establish a competitive ethanol industry without significant direct or indirect government support, and that this has been achieved largely due to Brazil's success as the lowest-cost sugar producer in the world. Today, following a period of decline in ethanol consumption, new ‘flex-fuel’ cars—capable of running on varying percentages of ethanol combined with petrol—are revitalizing the sale of ethanol, having allayed consumer fears about ethanol shortages. A World Bank seminar on this topic held in April 2006 discussed the factors that led to Brazil's success and aimed to find out to what extent Brazil’s experience is transferable to other countries, using the following presentations:
- Brazil’s Ethanol Experience and its Transferability
- Ethanol Industrial Processing
- Biofuels: Global Potentials & Implications for Development
See also: The ESMAP Technical Paper above is summarized in this 4-page brief, Knowledge Exchange Series (Feb 2006): More on Biofuels in Developing Countries – This note responds to the increasing number of requests from developing countries to help assess the commercial viability of biofuels for transport in the next 5 to 10 years. This brief draws from the successful Brazil experience and illustrates socioeconomic considerations for establishing biofuel programmes in developing countries.
· The Ethanol Programme in Brazil, by José Goldemberg, a lead author of the UNDP/UNDESA/WEC World Energy Assessment – this article presents the history of Brazil’s Sugarcane Ethanol Programme, from its launch in the 1970s, to today's condition of full competitiveness in a free market. The article also shows how Brazil’s experience can be replicated to other countries, in order to replace 10 percent of the world's gasoline consumption. See also:
o Fuelling the nation: Brazil's booming ethanol market, Nature, Dec 2006 – Key to Brazil’s booming ethanol market are the country's flex-fuel cars, introduced in 2003, which allow drivers to choose their fuel (ethanol or petrol) depending on local prices. These now account for well over half of Brazil's new cars. Producing ethanol from sugar cane has been touted for being greener and requiring fewer inputs — for example fertilizer — than other crops, such as corn. While there are uncertainties about environmental costs and sustainability, but as the market continues to expand, there is increasing interest from other countries to cash in on the advantages of sugar cane.
· Fuel Quality Standards – many countries have developed fuel quality standards, such as the Australia, which has also developed a Biodiesel standard and a fuel quality information standard for ethanol (in petrol) labelling. Wide documentation available from their Greenhouse Gas Office.
Related Consolidated Replies:
| Fiji-Tuvalu / Comparative experiences / How to further the development of a biofuels industry?, | 1 Oct 2005 |
1. Stephen Gitonga UNDP/GEF SGP NY
Dear Arif,
In the GEF SGP portfolio of projects, there has been a lot of experience on biofuel/biodiesel use for transport purposes but less experience in ethanol. However, I have put down some basic facts of common understanding based on lessons from various countries on the use of ethanol that you will find helpful in answering the two questions that he has raised.
Question 1: What has been the impact of the fuel on vehicles operation such as start-up quality, acceleration engine knocking etc?
Answers
a) Engine knocking
One advantage of ethanol is that it is a very high octane fuel and therefore is used to replace lead as an octane enhancer in gasoline. Increasing the octane rating of gasoline helps the fuel to resist pre-ignition or knocking of the engine. Gasoline in its low rating burns too quickly and makes the engine "knock". Adding ethanol therefore reduces the likelihood of engine “knock”.
b) Start-up quality
In terms of performance, an E10 (up to 10% ethanol) enriched gasoline does as well as regular gasoline does and has no difference in start up quality. As adding ethanol to gasoline actually "oxygenates" the fuel, and thus adds more oxygen to the fuel mixture, it actually helps the fuel to burn more completely and may aid starting up.
c) Acceleration
Because the octane rating of gasoline determines the fuel’s ability to resist being ignited by the heat and pressure caused by compression (pre-ignition or knocking) - pre-ignition can rob the engine of power - , ethanol enriched gasoline lead to a higher-performing fuel mixture. Whether, this lead to better acceleration will depend on many other factors apart from the fuel alone. But on the other hand, ethanol has less energy content per litre than does gasoline. In any case, blends of E10 and below have no noticeable difference in fuel use or distance covered per litre.
Question2: If there has been any impact of the fuel on fuel system/ engine parts?
Answer: These days, many manufacturers are making engines that take blends of up to 10% ethanol (E10) with gasoline. It is the approved percentage for ordinary gasoline vehicles. E10 has been used for many years in many countries. However, any percentage that is higher than 10% will require change of the fuel system. Enriching gasoline with E10 will therefore have no impact on fuel system/ engine parts. In cold regions, ethanol-enriched gasoline can actually help absorb moisture in a fuel system and help prevent frozen fuel lines in the winter. As a matter of fact, ethanol-enriched fuel burns cleaner and therefore leaves fewer deposits in fuel systems. A cleaner engine gives optimal performance.
The greatest experiences are from Brazil and a couple of documents of it can found at the LAC regional website of the World Bank
Regards
Stephen Gitonga
Climate Change Programme Officer
GEF Small Grants Programme
Web: www.undp.org/sgp
2. Jan Cloin, Energy Adviser, SOPAC - Secretariat of the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission
Dear Arif,
I would like to assist as I see great potential to partially displace petrol by means of bio-ethanol. We are assisting Fiji for example on implementing E10 on the basis of ethanol made out of molasses, a side product of the sugar industry.
Technical issues with E10
Cars that have problems with E10 blend are very rare. They probably can be found but on the whole there is great consensus on both car manufacturers and oil retailers that a blend of 10% ethanol and 90% petrol has no negative effect on cars. For higher blends, such as applied in for example Brazil, some modifications are required and for 85% blends ethanol with 15% petrol one requires a so-called 'flex-fuel' vehicle. These are increasingly popular in the US mid-west and Brazil where Ethanol supply is abundant and relatively cheap.
Ethanol blends require an addition of a 'rust inhibitor' which should be included in the standard for E10. This will reduce the risk of the (slightly corrosive) ethanol. There are various types and widely available on the world market.
A litre of ethanol has 33% less energy than a litre of petrol. Therefore, a litre of E10 theoretically has 3% less energy than a litre of petrol. This difference is hardly noticeable in every day driving and should not be of any concern.
Ethanol has a higher octane number than regular petrol. However, this is only an advantage to oil companies as they will sell their petrol as '91' or '95' octane rating after the blending. Therefore, no effect on engine knock is to be expected.
The only negative impact of E10 on engines that can be found in literature is that it cleans out the fuel system and therefore could lead to some deposits ending up in the fuel filter, which, in some cases of very dirty fuel systems in old cars, had led to filter blockage. However this can be easily detected and solved by replacing the fuel filter for $10.
Environmental Impacts
The biggest environmental impact of ethanol is the agricultural source from which it was produced. There is wide debate on the 'energy balance' (i.e. energy in versus energy out) of ethanol, but the consensus appears to be that there is a slight gain from corn ethanol (US) and a larger gain from sugar cane ethanol.
Emissions of vehicles become cleaner because of the oxygen content and therefore reduce the creation of smog. It is being used as a replacement of the carcinogenic MBTE in the U.S. where it was blended in petrol as an octane enhancer.
Monitoring options:
Standards
Where UNDP could be of assistance is in setting standards for Ethanol fuel (quality will be of utmost importance to consumer acceptability) and the resulting blend of E10. Standards in many countries have been developed such as the Australian standard. There is a wide documentation available from their Greenhouse Gas office: http://www.environment.gov.au/atmosphere/fuelquality/standards/index.html
Emissions
Another area is the measurement of emissions under different operational characteristics to show to what degree emissions have decreased. These can be measured by the land transport authority during the pilot.
Obtaining GEF funding for these kinds of activities has been very difficult for us in the past as "Biofuels" are not accepted as a Geffable technology due to a number of environmental issues (as referred above).
I hope this is of some assistance. If there are any more specific questions, I would be happy to further assist.
Best regards,
Jan Cloin
(Mr.) Jan Cloin
Energy Adviser
SOPAC - Secretariat of the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission
Address: Private Mail Bag, GPO, Suva, Fiji Islands
Mead Road, Nabua, Fiji Islands
Tel: +679 3381 377 (Ext 225) / Fax: +679 3370 040
E-mail: jan@sopac.org / Web site: http://www.sopac.org
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