About Ethanol

About Ethanol

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About Ethanol

The Ethanol Billboard Promotion Project

Where to Buy Ethanol

What is ethanol

Ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH) is known as ‘ethanol’, or simply ‘alcohol’, and is a colourless liquid with a faint odour.  In Queensland, it is made from sugarcane molasses. It can also be made from wheat and other crop residues.

The story of ethanol

Australian motorists are worried about ethanol. Motorists are saying, “I understand the importance of ethanol for the environment, but I am not sure what it will do to my engine...”

There are no mysteries surrounding the use of ethanol as a fuel overseas. In Australia, the mystery is why isn’t it being used in fuel as a matter of every day life?

Damaging media statements have promoted negative views about ethanol, causing confusion and uncertainty in the community. So here is some helpful information:

• Ethanol by itself burns with 30% less energy than petrol, BUT the extra oxygen it carries makes an ethanol-petrol blend deliver more energy to an engine than petrol alone. A CSIRO study has identified that E10 delivers approximately 97% of the power of standard Unleaded Petrol.
• Ethanol effectively adds more oxygen to the fuel combustion process to produce a cleaner, faster burn.
• Ethanol burns 100% to water and CO2 and leaves no residue or deposits.
• Many high-powered engines use E10 Unleaded because it keeps the engines cooler.
• 10% ethanol blend in cars is completely safe and has been approved for use in new cars by most manufacturers.
• There is no difference in how an ethanol blended fuel interacts with your car. Ethanol will be more likely to clean up old deposits in your engine and improves the nation’s balance of trade and GDP.

Ethanol keeps fuel systems clean and eases cold weather starting

Why do we need it?

Air quality and health issues

The major factor now influencing the introduction of alternative fuels worldwide is a growing concern, and in some cases alarm, about air quality and future oil reserves.

An extensive American study attributes 1 in 5 lung cancer deaths to fuel emissions.

The June/July 2003 edition of The Road Ahead report: “The latest Air Emission Inventory Report has revealed that drivers are the major air polluters in Queensland’s south-east. Based on EPA and Brisbane City Council (BCC) monitoring, the report shows motor vehicles cause more than 60 percent of oxides of nitrogen and carbon monoxide in the region. BCC estimates travel could increase by 60 percent by 2011.”

“The Australian transport sector accounts for about 20% of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions, a figure which is expected to increase.” (Ecos April-June 2003)

In South East Queensland air quality is a growing concern and drivers are the major air polluters.

There is currently no legislation to address this concern. “Queensland’s 3,187,000 registered vehicles are estimated to have belched out a record 14.1 million tonnes of carbon monoxide in the past 12 months.” (Courier Mail 11 June 2003)

Asthma is a growing health concern in Australia. In 2001 in Australia, 37,000 men, women and children were admitted to hospital suffering symptoms of asthma. This is an extraordinary figure and does not include those suffering quietly in their own homes. It is known that certain particles emitted form petrol can trigger asthma.

What does the science say?

The science says that greenhouse gases, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions are poisoning the earth’s atmosphere. The science says that increasing average global temperatures, arising from an increase in greenhouse gases from industrial activity and population growth, contribute to the Greenhouse Effect.

The science also says that under current conditions, use of ethanol-blended fuels as E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) can reduce the net emissions of greenhouse gases by as much as 37.1%. Ethanol blended fuels such as E10 (10% ethanol and 90% gasoline) reduce greenhouse gases by up to 3.9%.

Where does it come from?

Ethanol is made from clean, green, raw materials

Fermentation ethyl alcohol is produced from three types of raw materials:

Sugar based feedstocks – mainly molasses, sugarcane juice, sugar beet, Jerusalem artichoke

Starchy products or cereals – mainly corn, wheat, maize, potatoes

Cellulose sources – mainly waste or biomass such as wood, rice straw, plant material left over from logging, or other plant waste.

There are no economically viable industries as yet, but research is continuing and these may become important sources of ethanol in the future.

These raw materials can be replenished each year by the sun, thus making ethanol a renewable energy source! 

+e    ethanol powered by nature 

Billboards promoting ethanol were erected in early March 2007 in five locations around Queensland. 

• Cairns South
• Ingham South
• Townsville South, Giru
• Mackay North
• Maryborough South, South Tiaro 

This is part of a broader campaign CANEGROWERS is developing to promote ethanol as a clean, safe fuel to its members, communities in cane growing areas and to visitors to the beautiful parts of Queensland in which cane in grown.

CANEGROWERS supports the development of ethanol as a fuel for a number of reasons. 

• Use of ethanol blended fuel has the potential to reduce greenhouse gases, to improve community health, to create regional employment, to improve Australia’s fuel security and to provide the basis of a sophisticated bio-economy based on fermentation of renewable resources.
• CANEGROWERS has supported the development of the ethanol fuel industry and has worked closely with Government and industry to progress this agenda.
• By linking with the Queensland Government’s +e campaign, we can work together to heighten both the +e message and the impact of the CANEGROWERS campaign.

REASON FOR THE PROJECT

The erection of billboards is part of a broader campaign CANEGROWERS is developing to promote ethanol as a clean, safe fuel to its members, communities in cane growing areas and to visitors to the beautiful parts of Queensland in which cane in grown. 

CANEGROWERS is using the newly released +e ethanol branding released by the State Government, to help drive home consistent, simple, clear messages that inform cane farmers, local communities and visitors to sugar regions that ethanol is supported by the agricultural community.

One of the best ways to maximise exposure to the ethanol message is to make it visible. Billboards have been shown to be one of the most cost-effective forms of advertising, proving more successful because of repeat exposures to a receptive audience. 

As part of the same promotional project, Senior Policy Manager Bernard Milford, will publish a monthly ethanol column in the Australian Canegrower.  The column will be branded with the +e logo, incorporating the messages from the campaign.  CANEGROWERS will also introduce a special ethanol promotional section on its website, promoting the +e logo and also be themed to the messages of the promotional campaign.
 

Can you use e-10 in your vehicle?

Ethanol is suitable for use in most post-1986 vehicles. If you are unsure about using ethanol, you may consult your vehicle handbook or check with your car manufacturer. More information is available from  www.autoindustries.com.au/ethanol  

Here is a list of fuel outlets around Queensland supplying e-10.  Please click here if you would like to add to this list.  

Brisbane Area:

• Freedom Fuels Acacia Ridge 281 Leoroyd Road ACACIA RIDGE
• Coles Express Albany Creek 171 Old Northern Road  ALBANY CREEK
• Neumann Albion Cnr Albion and Mclennan Streets ALBION
• Coles Express Balmoral Cnr Oxford St and Hawthorne Road BALMORAL
• Independent Fuel Supplies 3 Telemon Street BEAUDESERT
• Neumann Beenleigh 21 City Road BEENLEIGH
• Freedom Fuels Beenleigh 52 Logan River Road BEENLEIGH
• Independent Fuel Supplies 3198 Moggill Road BELLBOWRIE
• United Petroleum Booval 203 -209 Brisbane Road BOOVAL
• Freedom Fuels Brendale Cnr Southpine and Kremzow Roads BRENDALE
• Freedom Fuels Ningi 1473 Bribie Island Road  BRIBIE ISLAND
• BP Cannon Hill Cnr Creek and Wynnum Roads CANNON HILL
• BP Capalaba Qld Cleveland and Dollery Roads CAPALABA
• Neumann Eagleby River Hills Road EABLEBY
• Neumann Eagle Farm Depot 23 Theodore Street EAGLE FARM
• BP Stanley Street 979 Stanley Street  EAST BRISBANE
• BP Eastern Heights Cnr Robertson and Grange Roads EASTERN HEIGHTS
• BP Gliderway 62 Brisbane Road EBBW VALE
• Freedom Fuels Eight Mile Plains 2494 Logan Road EIGHT MILE PLAINS
• Freedom Fuels Fernvale Brisbane Valley Highway  FERNVALE
• BP Express 237 Brisbane Road GOODNA
• Freedom Fuels Goodna 114 Brisbane Terrace GOODNA
• Freedom Fuels Grange Cnr Days Road and Colston Street  GRANGE
• Neumann Greenbank Lot 2/8 Sheppards Drive GREENBANK
• Freedom Fuels Inala Cnr Rudd and Freeman Streets INALA
• Freedom Fuels West Ipswich Cnr Brisbane Road and Tiger Streets IPSWICH
• Coles Express Kallangur Cnr Anzac Ave and Duffield Road KALLANGUR
• Freedom Fuels Kedron 277 Gympie Road KEDRON
• BP Express Plaza Cnr Moggill and Cedarleigh Roads KENMORE
• Neumann Kooralbyn Store 9 Salisbury Avenue KOORALBYN
• Freedom Fuels Kuraby 1319 Beenleigh Road KURABY
• Freedom Fuels Marsden 502 Browns Plains Road MARSDEN
• Coles Express Milton 319 Coronation Drive MILTON
• Neumann Morningside Cnr Wynumm and Junction Roads MORNINGSIDE
• Coles Express Kessels Road 651 Kessels Road  MOUNT GRAVATT
• Freedom Fuels Mt Gravatt 154 Creek Road MT GRAVATT
• Evolve Mt Warren Park 40 Rochester Drive MT WARREN PARK
• Freedom Fuels Nudgee Cnr Nudgee and Tufnell Roads NUDGEE
• United Petroleum Park Ridge 445 - 459 Chambers Flat Road PARK RIDGE
• Independent Fuel Supplies Cnr Whitehill and Cemetary Roads RACEVIEW
• Freedom Fuels Redbank Plains Cnr Kruger St and Henty Drive REDBANK PLAINS
• Neumann Rocklea Cnr Ipswich and Elmes Roads ROCKLEA
• South East Queensland Fuels 61 Ashover Road  ROCKLEA
• Freedom Fuels Rocklea 46 Sherwood Road  ROCKLEA
• Freedom Fuels Brisbane Market Sherwood Road ROCKLEA
• Coles Express Runcorn 501 Compton Road  RUNCORN
• Freedom Fuels Seven Hills Cnr Oateson Skyline and the Corso SEVEN HILLS
• Coles Express Sherwood Cnr Sherwood & Oxley Roads SHERWOOD
• BP QFleet Depot Colchester Street SOUTH BRISBANE
• United Petroleum Springfield  2 Woodcrest Way SPRINGFIELD
• Independent Fuel Supplies Cnr South Pine and Leitchs Road STRATHPINE
• BP Thornlands Cnr Bloomfield and South Streets THORNLANDS
• Freedom Fuels Thornside Cnr Rickertt and Thornside Roads THORNSIDE
• BP Tingalpa Cnr Manly and Wynnum Roads TINGALPA
• Neumann Underwood 3077 Logan Road UNDERWOOD
• BP Express Virginia 1830 Sandgate Road VIRGINIA
• Coles Express Virginia Cnr Sandgate and Robinson Roads  VIRGINIA
• Freedom Fuels Wakerley Cnr Green Camp and Molle Roads WAKERLEY
• Freedom Fuels Willawong 233 Sherbrooke Road WILLAWONG
• BP Wishart 528 Newnham Road WISHART
• Freedom Fuels Wooloowin Cnr Shaw Road and Emma Street WOOLOOWIN
• Neumann Lindum Cnr Sibley and Kianawah Roads WYNNUM WEST

Sunshine Coast Area:

• BP Nambour Depot Bli Bli Road  NAMBOUR
• Coles Express Caloundra 69 Beerburrum Street  CALOUNDRA
• Caltex Gold Nugget Gympie  5 Bruce Highway GYMPIE

Gold Coast Area:

• Neumann Nerang Cnr Spencer Road and Grenfell Street NERANG
• Independent Fuel Supplies 85 Spencer Road NERANG
• Independent Fuel Supplies Markeri Street and Robina Parkway  ROBINA
• Independent Fuel Supplies Cnr Nerang Southport Road and Olsen Avenue ASHMORE
• Independent Fuel Supplies 9 Tallebudgera Creek Road BURLEIGH
• Neumann Nerang Cnr Spencer Road and Grenfell Street NERANG
• Independent Fuel Supplies 85 Spencer Road NERANG
• Independent Fuel Supplies Markeri Street and Robina Parkway ROBINA
• Coles Express Surfers Paradise 2824 Gold Coast Highway SURFERS PARADISE

Toowoomba Area:

• BP Dalby Depot 1 Wyley Street DALBY
• Independent Fuel Supplies Warrego Highway DALBY
• Caltex Jondaryan Warrego Highway JONDARYAN
• BP Toowoomba City Ruthven and James Streets TOOWOOMBA
• BP East Cnr Bridge and Mary Streets TOOWOOMBA
• BP Herries Street Cnr Herries and Neil Streets TOOWOOMBA
• BP Truckstop Anzac Street  TOOWOOMBA
• Caltex Garden City 877 Ruthven Street TOOWOOMBA
• Caltex Superstore Cnr James and Ruthven Streets TOOWOOMBA
• Caltex Taylor Street 383 Taylor Street TOOWOOMBA

Warwick Area:

• BP Koremans 180 Wood Street WARWICK
• Caltex Truck n Travel New England Highway WARWICK
• Caltex Stanthorpe New England Highway STANTHORPE
• Caltex Goondiwindi Truckstop Boundary Road GOONDIWINDI
• Caltex  102 Victoria Street ST GEORGE
• Freedom Fuels Allora 1 New England Highway  ALLORA

Bundaberg Area:

• BP Logging Creek Isis Highway CORDALBA
• BP Bundaberg Depot 33 Princess Street  BUNDABERG

Maryborough Area:

• BP Maryborough Ferry Street MARYBOROUGH

Rockhampton Area:

• BP on Albert Albert Street South Rockhampton ROCKHAMPTON

Mackay Area:

• BP Oak Street Oak St and Tropical Avenue  ANDERGROVE
• BP Whitsunday 112 Shute Harbour Road CANNONVALE
• BP Shakespeare 114 Shakespeare Street MACKAY
• BP City Gates 324 Nebo Road MACKAY
• BP Proserpine Bruce Highway PROSERPINE
• BP Sarina Broad Street SARINA

Townsville Area:

• BP Ayr Depot 48 Lynch Street AYR
• Caltex Sunland Edward and Burke Street AYR
• BP Garbutt 2 Bombala Street GARBUTT
• Caltex Garbutt 26-28 Pilkington Street  GARBUTT
• BP Ingham 66 Townsville Road  INGHAM
• Caltex Ingham 25 Herbert Street INGHAM
• Ampol 103 Thuringowa Drive KIRWAN

Far North Queensland:

• Caltex Woolworths 131 Sheridan Street CAIRNS
• Caltex Manunda 1 Hoare Street CAIRNS
• Ampol 230-238 Sheridan Street CAIRNS
• Ampol Reservoir Road 31 Reservoir Road  CAIRNS
• Caltex Portstar 30-36 Kenny Street CAIRNS
• Caltex (Tom Dooley Smithfield P/L) Captain Cook Highway CAIRNS
• Caltex  Draper Street  CAIRNS
• Caltex  Cnr Bunda and Kenny Streets CAIRNS
• Caltex Mareeba 70 Byrne Street MAREEBA
• Caltex Bruce Highway MOURILYAN
• Caltex Bruce Highway TULLY