Perhaps the most common reason used by advocates of ethanol-blended fuel is that ethanol fuel is environment-friendly and has fewer emissions. However, some critics argue that ethanol fuel can actually contribute more carbon gases and other unfavorable effects to the environment. In this article, we will take a look at the effects of ethanol on emissions, groundwater, and vehicles.

Is fuel ethanol the same as the ordinary ethanol?

Fuel ethanol is a type of ethyl alcohol produced from the fermentation of grains and other feedstocks. This is different from the ordinary ethanol because fuel ethanol is denatured with 5% gasoline. In short, people cannot consume it. To date, ethanol in the Philippines is produced mainly from sugarcane although there are also other feedstocks available like biomass.

According to the Biofuels Act of 2006, by February 2011, all gasoline products in the Philippine market should have at least 10% ethanol blend. As early as now, oil companies in the Philippines are starting to comply with this mandate. Last April 1, 2009, Shell Philippines has started offering consumers 10% ethanol-blended gasoline in three variants namely super Unleaded, Super Premium, and V-Power.

All types of gasoline products available in the market contain fuel additives. These additives are blended with the gasoline to enhance its properties. For instance, there are fuel additives that can boost the octane ratings of the gasoline. Some may be corrosion inhibitors while others simply serve as lubricants.

All gasoline products in the market have octane ratings and with the recent release of Seaoil’s Extreme 97 gasoline that boasts of 97 octane rating (the highest, by far, in the Philippine market), a lot of people have probably become more curious now with what octane is.