Ethanol, a pure alcohol made primarily by the corn refining industry, is today's alternative fuel. Henry Ford first suggested running cars on ethanol from corn, but it took the oil shortages of the seventies and the environmental problems of the eighties to turn ethanol into an important component in the American fuel supply. Ethanol-blended fuels account for 12% of all automotive fuels sold in the U.S and is growing in Canada.

Ethanol is made by fermenting sugars produced from corn starch. While they are making ethanol, corn refiners also produce valuable coproducts such as corn oil and corn gluten feed.

Ethanol plays two major roles in today's economy and environment. First, it is an important component of gasoline reformulated to reduce pollution in cities which are not achieving air quality standards mandated by the Clean Air Act. It also provides a major income stream to farmers and rural communities where most ethanol is manufactured. Ethanol, blended with gasoline at a 10% level, is effective in reducing carbon monoxide levels, ozone pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from automobile exhaust

Ethanol is a clean-burning, high-octane fuel made from renewable sources. Essentially, ethanol is grain alcohol, produced from crops, and in the case of Collingwood Ethanol, L.P., commercial corn crops. Since it is produced in North America, ethanol helps reduce our dependence upon international sources of energy.

Generally ethanol is not used as a motor fuel on its own (100% ethanol); instead, a percentage of ethanol is combined with unleaded gasoline. The reason ethanol is added to fuel is to:

• decrease the fuel's cost
• boost the fuel's octane rating
• decrease the amount of harmful gasoline emissions

Any combination of gasoline and ethanol can be used, but the most common ratios are:

E10 - 10% ethanol and 90% unleaded gasoline

E10 is approved for use in any make or model of vehicle sold in the U.S. Many automakers recommend its use because of its high performance, clean-burning characteristics. In 2004, about one-third of America's gasoline was blended with ethanol, most in this 10% variety. Some Canadian gas retailers have sold E10 blend for many years and with the new provincial and federal mandates in place or coming on stream, eventually all gas sold in Canada will utilize ethanol in gasoline.

E85 - 85% ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline

E85 is an alternative fuel for use in flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs). There are currently more than 4 million FFVs on America's roads today, and automakers are producing more each year. In conjunction with more flexible fuel vehicles, additional E85 pumps are being installed, in existing gas stations, across the country. When E85 is not available, these FFVs can operate on gasoline or any ethanol blend up to 85%.

It is important to note that it does not take a special vehicle to run on "ethanol". All vehicles can use E10 with no modifications to the engine. E85 is for use in a flexible fuel vehicle, so some people confuse "ethanol" with the blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.

Click one of the links below to find information on:

• Our Company
• The Process We Use to Make Ethanol
• Ethanol Information
• Co-Products
• Questions We are Frequently Asked
• Benefits to the Environment