Ethanol is an alcohol that is used in gasoline—resulting in a cleaner-burning fuel with higher octane. Ethanol is currently blended into about 46 percent of the nation’s fuel supply.

Ethanol has been blended in gasoline for decades—and billions of miles have been driven on ethanol-blended fuels.

Corn is the primary feedstock for ethanol production. About 18 percent of the nation’s corn crop went into ethanol in 2006—some 2.15 billion bushels. Ethanol can also be made from other grains such as sorghum as well as from “biomass” sources such as corn cobs, cornstalks, wheat straw, rice straw, switchgrass, vegetable and forestry waste and other organic matter.

Ethanol offers a number of benefits to our cars, our environment, our economy and our national security:

• Ethanol adds oxygen to gasoline—helping it combust more completely and reducing the level of toxic exhaust emissions
• Ethanol reduces our nation’s dangerous and expensive dependence on imported oil
• The ethanol industry creates jobs and investment across the nation—especially in rural areas
• Ethanol increases America’s fuel supply—helping keep gas prices down
• Ethanol adds value to America’s corn harvest and helps reduce the cost of federal farm programs

For more information on renewable fuels, visit:

• American Coalition for Ethanol
• Biofuels Marketplace
• Clean Fuels Development Coalition
• Ethanol Across America
• Ethanol Promotion and Information Council
• Governors Ethanol Coalition
• Institute for Self-Reliance Carbohydrate Economy
• New Uses Council
• Renewable Energy Access
• Renewable Fuels Association

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