Most people are familiar with ethanol. Simply put, it is a blend of 10% alcohol and 90% regular gasoline. This ethanol-blended fuel has been widely adopted in Northeast China for over a decade, and Beihai City is now rolling out a full-scale rollout, with other regions following suit. Did you know that many years ago, EU countries completely banned ethanol gasoline? If it's prohibited abroad, why is China actively promoting it? What are the reasons behind this?
Ethanol, also known as alcohol, is produced through the fermentation of grains such as sorghum and corn, as well as root crops like potatoes. Fermented ethanol contains acetic acid, which can corrode car engines. While short-term exposure may not cause immediate issues, prolonged use will definitely shorten the engine's lifespan.
Additionally, ethanol-blended fuel has higher fuel consumption than regular gasoline. This means that for the same 100 yuan spent on fuel, regular gasoline will allow you to travel significantly farther than ethanol-blended fuel. Moreover, ethanol-blended fuel delivers noticeably weaker performance. Prolonged use can cause increasing buildup of impurities in the fuel tank, potentially clogging the fuel lines. This is one reason why the European Union restricts its use.
Many may ask: given ethanol's drawbacks, why does China promote it? Everyone knows oil is a non-renewable resource. Although China is a major oil producer, it still imports large quantities of oil annually, indicating domestic scarcity. Using gasoline blended with 10% ethanol could save 450 million tons of gasoline per year nationwide, making ethanol-blended fuel an effective strategy for energy conservation.
Additionally, using regular gasoline produces significantly higher levels of nitrogen oxides compared to ethanol-blended fuel. This is a key reason for the occurrence of acid rain in many regions and explains why the government is strongly promoting ethanol adoption.