Ethanol fuel cuts costs and emissions

Government vehicles at the DOE's Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL)are fueling up with E10, a blend of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline, cutting emissions without increasing fuel costs. Petroleum use has been cut between 7 and 10%, according to the INEEL.

Ethanol is made primarily from corn, although potatoes, agricultural wastes, grasses, wood, and other low-value biomass such as municipal waste can be used. In the future, researchers are considering using E85, an 85% ethanol/15% gasoline blend.