Fuel Grade Ethanol and Biofuels

Key vocabulary terms and definitions regarding the production, blending, and classification of ethanol and biofuels.

Ethanol

A fuel and an alcohol prepared from the sugars found in grains such as sorghum, barley, and corn.

Switchgrass

A fast-growing crop studied by research geneticists at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and experimented with by farmers as a potential source to produce ethanol.

E10

A fuel mixture of gasoline with $10\%$ ethanol by volume, suitable for use in any gasoline-powered engine in the United States.

Flexible fuel vehicle

A specific type of vehicle designed to use gasoline with an ethanol content greater than $10\%$.

E15

A fuel consisting of gasoline with $15\%$ ethanol, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ruled in October 2010 can be used in cars and light trucks of model year 2007 and newer.

E85

A fuel blend containing $51\%$ to $83\%$ ethanol (depending on location and season) that is mainly sold in the Midwest and can only be used in a flexible-fuel vehicle.

Biofuel

A fuel made from vegetable oils, fats, or greases, such as recycled restaurant grease, that can be used in diesel engines without modifying the engine.

Hydrometer

A measurement instrument listed in the laboratory materials used to evaluate the production process and assess the energy content of fuel grade ethanol.