Ethanol is the only clean-burning liquid fuel available to replace oil used in our cars and light trucks. In 2010, we produced 13 billion gallons of ethanol, an 800 percent increase and another annual production record. This production accounts for 10 percent of the nation's gasoline supply. In doing so, we eliminated the need for more than 300 million barrels of imported oil. Ethanol is domestic, supplying nearly 400,000 jobs in 2010 from agriculture to manufacturing to the service sector. It is also made from renewable resources.
Production Growth
The 13 billion gallons of ethanol in 2010 replaced the gasoline refined from 445 million barrels of imported oil. The growth of ethanol production and the use in the U.S. directly translates to reductions in the amount of oil the nation needs to import. In addition to domestic demands, the U.S. was also on pace for record exports of ethanol as well.According to the Department of Commerce, the ethanol industry exported a record 397 million gallons of ethanol in 2010. Technologies are rapidly becoming available that allow ethanol to replace even larger volumes of oil in domestic gasoline. Ethanol blends such as E20, E30, and E50 (mid-level blends or MLEBs) are gaining popularity as consumers seek affordable alternatives to imported oil.
Environmental Impacts
The use of an increasing amount of ethanol in American gasoline supplies is making the air we all breathe much cleaner. There is no fuel available at scale today that can match ethanol's ability to improve overall environmental quality compared to gasoline. From its biodegradable nature to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to tailpipe pollution, ethanol provides a tool to address environmental concerns without requiring an entirely new way for goods and people to get from one place to another. Naturally, ethanol also requires far less fossil fuel inputs than gasoline refining.
Ethanol's Future
The future of American ethanol is diverse. Corn will continue to be the basis upon which the industry grows. Ethanol use helps provide American consumers with a real energy choice.
