Ethanol marine engines are somewhat of a new version of engines created to replace conventional engines that run of gasoline or petrol as many people would call it. The ethanol marine engine resembles the gasoline engine and a normal petrol engine could most likely run on ethanol with needing any modification to make it work. Ethanol is basically pure alcohol that has not been diluted and most alcoholic spirits contain diluted amounts of ethanol.
Petrol or gasoline as other would call it also contains another substance similar to ethanol only much more explosive “methanol” this is a chemical additive specially designed to increase the ignition force when the fuel ignites thus delivering more force. Using Ethanol as a fuel to run ethanol marine engines is a suitable alternative for some reasons that will be stated below but it also carried some drawbacks that people need to consider before venturing to use ethanol as a fuel substitute.
Positive aspects:
- Environment friendly – ethanol has far fewer carbon emotions compared to fossil fuels thus making it more environment friendly for future usage on vehicle or marine vessel. The environment is a major concern in the 21st century and usage of ethanol as an alternative fuel source is a viable solution.
- Ethanol marine engine could also rely on a renewable source of fuel since ethanol can be manufactured on industrial scale from waste bio degradable materials that is left over on farms. This ensures that food production is maintained and a renewable source of bio fuel is produced.
- Ability to produce the bio fuels in your back yard – this could be considered the main advantage by many people but it posses and problem since production of ethanol requires specialized equipment, since it is relatively simple to distil many users will attempt to produce the highly flammable fuel which may not be in the best interest of all.
Negative aspects:
- Marine vessel require a huge amount of fuel during voyages and this quantity may not be satisfied by the production that may be taking place meaning a sever shortfall in shipping fuels.
- Ethanol will substitute gasoline engines meaning the most of the vessel that run on diesel would have no alternative fuel source.
- Ethanol has also been proven to produce less force under compressed ignition thus meaning the fuel would considerable reduce the power output of ethanol marine engines, which is not a desired result wanted by many conventional marine engine users.
The past dacade has noted a considerable increase in bio friendly fuels but for reasons unknown there seems to be faults in most of these fuel that are produced. This leaves no alternative as people have decided to worry concerning consequences that could occur when they occur rather than before. Development in different fields have shown that there is real possibility in many of the alternated bio fuels being tested today but it is unlikely that man will switch to the next fuel source once he has exhausted the current one he has and polluted the planet to a level that may not be reversible.