ABSTRACT
Ethanol is the most widely used renewable fuel in the transportation sector. This chapter presents a short summary of the ethanol industry. It provides an outline of the major ethanol producers and the historical demand and future projections for ethanol fuel. The chapter outlines brief process descriptions and the associated economic impacts for the two primary technologies for producing ethanol from corn. It describes potential improvements in the technology and their associated economic, environmental, or technical impacts. The corn ethanol industry started in the mid-1970s in response to rising crude oil prices and the oil embargo. Two primary methods are available for corn ethanol production: dry milling and wet milling. Modified wet milling is also used in some situations. Numerous technologies for improving the fuel ethanol process are being investigated and developed. They are aimed at increasing ethanol yields from corn, increasing reaction rates, and lowering operating costs.
