Hawaii Ethanol Fuel Information

When trying to trace back the steps made in the advancement of ethanol fuels, particularly in the United States, one finds themselves slightly hard pressed.  The truth is, ethanol fuel was considered well before anyone drove their first Ford.  Unfortunately, many studies through the years have remained mere mutters down dark corridors of conspiracy where the oil companies rule the roost.  While there may be some truth to this, the truth is not much has been done with the technology.  Even as ethanol was first used as a first back in 1826, its invention was easily overlooked due to the success of steam power at the time.

Again, in the 1860s, when the combustible engine came about, ethanol was looked into, but soon over-shadowed by the oil found in Pennsylvania.  In short, ethanol has long been overlooked as a viable alternative to fuel, because there were other, more prevalent ways to go about this.  The sheer amount of work that would have been required, maintaining farms and going through the process to derive large amounts of ethanol was, in the day not only far more than it was worth in labor, but danger.

All things change with time, however, and over a century after ethanol was first discovered as a possible fuel source, we begin to see it come about into US society.  In the 1970s, two things happened that would forever change the US’s outlook on fossil fuel consumption.  As a way to expand the amount of gasoline available during the shortages, ethanol was available to be added to gas.  This helped increase the amount of gasoline available.  But, as a nation, the US also began investigating their quality of life and the effects of that quality of life on the natural surrounding environment.  Since then, the US government has allowed ethanol to be utilized as an additive to fossil fuels as a way to lower the amount of carbon dioxide put into the air.

The US only allows an ethanol mixture of up to 10% to be added to gasoline at this point in time.  Some states actually require 10% or less be added to all gasoline sold within their borders.  A 2006 study shows that 50% of all gasolines with the US contain some amount of ethanol while Hawaii leads the way with an astounding 85%.  That’s gasoline containing any amount of ethanol, not gasoline containing 85% ethanol, as that would be against federal dictates.

Studies are becoming more and more popular in regards to ethanol and other alternative fuels.  Lobbyists are pushing both for more and less ethanol fuel to be used in the gas that drives the nation, but no movement has been made in either direction on a national level in quite some time.  With the current trend of gas prices skyrocketing, however, it cannot be too long before we see some sort of change in the way the nation fuels its vehicles.  With the amount of studies, research and money poured into ethanol, it would be a pretty safe bet to believe we’re going to be seeing more ethanol in more places in a short amount of time.