Supporters of biofuels have this week begun a drive to increase the percentage of ethanol used in conventional transport fuels.
According to a report in The New York Times, advocates of the biofuel said blends of 20 to 30 per cent of ethanol in conventional fuel, as opposed to the current 10 per cent blend, produce "better fuel economy than ordinary gasoline".
Supporters of ethanol claim to have discovered a "sweet spot" where fuel economy increased above that boasted by conventional fuel. This was unexpected because ethanol is around two-thirds less powerful as a fuel compared with gasoline.
During tests this summer, a Chevrolet Impala using new flex-fuel engine technology that allows it to run on fuel blends containing up to 85 per cent ethanol reportedly achieved 15 per cent more mileage when using a blend of fuel containing 20 per cent ethanol than it did when running on standard fuels.
A General Motors spokesman told The New York Times that engineers were unsure how a mix expected to contain less energy could produce better mileage, adding that more robust testing of the technology was needed.
However, despite the test, automotive specialists are sceptical about the environmental benefits of fuels containing more ethanol and have questioned their potential impact on engine durability.
Green campaigners have also criticised the current biofuel boom, alleging that demand for fuel crops is contributing to deforestation and food shortages.
In related news, biofuels specialist Ethanex Energy has reportedly announced plans to bolster its ethanol capacity, confirming it is to acquire and expand an ethanol plant in Nebraska with an annual capacity of 111m gallons, which is currently owned by Midwest Renewable Energy.
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