scope:

CHAPTER 1--INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE

In 1971 the American Petroleum Institute (API) studied the feasibility of blending ethanol with gasoline to augment domestic fuel supplies for transportation. After the first Arab oil embargo in 1974 interest in using alcohols as fuels expanded to include methanol, not only as a transportation fuel but also as fuel for stationary power sources. In response to that expanded interest the API published an updated technical assessment in 1976.

Since 1976 many changes have occurred in the use of non-petroleum fuels, both neat and in blends with hydrocarbon components. Today the earlier objective of augmenting domestic energy sources has been joined by two newer objectives: a) to produce high octane gasoline without the use of lead alkyls, and b) to reduce the contribution of motor vehicles and stationary sources to air pollution.

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977 and proposals for further legislation and regulation, particularly at the state level, have expanded interest in alcohols and ethers. Many new policy issues have arisen, and more are expected in the future. An important objective of this publication is to provide an updated and expanded technical assessment suitable as a foundation for policy discussion.

The transportation fuels industry has been shaped by four important events since 1976: a) the increased use of alcohols as blending components, b) the appearance of marketplace concerns resulting from the misuse of alcohols as blending components, c) the appearance of federal environmental regulations over the composition of motor fuels, and d) the appearance of ethers as fuel components. In the future a fifth event may be added to these: the regulation of motor fuel composition based on health effects of fuel vapors and combustion products.

This technical assessment, therefore, has been expanded to include ethers as well as alcohols. It also considers flexible-fuel vehicles and vehicles intended for use with neat alcohols, neither of which had been developed in 1976.

This publication summarizes information from the technical literature on producing and applying alcohols and ethers as fuels and fuel components. The alcohols and ethers that are considered include a) methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA), methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and tertiary amyl methyl ether (TAME) as fuel components; b) methanol (both neat and mixed with hydrocarbons) and ethanol as transportation fuels; and c) methanol in stationary power sources. This publication assesses the technical advantages and disadvantages of alcohols and ethers with respect to hydrocarbon fuels. The analysis also addresses the following factors: a) the costs associated with producing alcohols and ethers, b) distribution, storage, and fire protection and safety concerns, and c) health and environmental concerns.