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Introduction

State of current fuel situation

Peak oil and what it means

The environmental effects of fossil fuels and post petroleum fossil alternative fuels proposed

• Oil shale, tar sands, coal, methane hydrates, hydrogen and nuclear power

History of alcohol fuel use around the world

• From the Whiskey Rebellion to present day

• Where alcohol is being used today and near future

Busting the Ethanol Myths

Does it take more energy to produce alcohol than you get from it?

Can we produce enough?

Do we have to choose between food and fuel?

Is ethanol practical without tax subsidies?

Does ethanol increase pollution or global warming?

Agriculture and Ethanol

How energy crops grow

• Soil, water, photosaturation, monoculture versus polyculture.

Energy crops

• Discussion of many crops that can be used for fuel

• How to select feedstocks for alcohol production

• Farmers

• Waste products

• Urban/suburban feesdstock choices

Feedstock Preparation and Fermentation

The sugar method

Starch method

Cellulosic feedstocks

Advanced techniques

Distillation

Primer on heat and energy

Distillery design and principles

Vacuum distillation

Continuous distillation

Alternative sources of energy for distillation

Azeotropic distillation-getting the last 4% of water out of your ethanol

Co-products and By-products

Animal feeds

Fertilizer/compost

Mushroom production

Aquaculture

Mariculture

Earthworm products

Methane

Carbon dioxide

Single cell protein

Yeast

Surplus heat

Biomass fuels

Designing Your Integrated Feed/Fuel Operation

Micro Plants (less than 10,000 gallons)

Small plants 10,000 to 100,000)

Medium plants-1-5 million gallons

Selecting equipment

• Tanks, pumps, grinders, agitators, heat exchangers, methane digestors, safety and storage

Alcohol versus Gasoline as a Fuel

Myths about ethanol as a fuel

Burns hotter, emissions, mileage, corrosion, blending

Alcohol and octane

Starting alcohol engines in cold weather

Converting Carbureted Engines

Main metering

Idle

Acceleration

General carburetor issues

Electronic Carburetors

Converting Fuel Injected Engines

History of fuel injection and how it works

General issues of alcohol and fuel injection

Oxygen sensor, catalytic converters and EFI

Throttle body and Multiport fuel injection

Older fuel injection systems

Newer fuel injection systems

Coldstart Systems for E100

Addition of volatiles

Use of a coldstart device—multiple strategies

Tuning for Alcohol

How ignition timing works

Making timing changes

• Mechanical systems

• Electronic systems

Assorted Conversion Enhancements

Taking advantage of alcohol’s properties

Increasing mileage

Increasing horsepower

High Compression Conversions

Mechanical

Non-mechanical

Smaller Engines

Motorcycles

Utility engines

Two stroke engines

Flex Fuel and Dual Fuel Systems

Origins of Flex fuel and E-85

Basics of system design

Modification of Flex fuel vehicles for better mileage

Variable compression Flex fuel vehicles

Propane/alcohol dual fuel

Cogeneration

Producing both electricity and heat from your alcohol

Cooking, cooling, and other ways to reduce energy use with alcohol

Diesel Engines and Alcohol

5 methods for conversion

The Business of Alcohol

Economics

Tax credits

Legal considerations

• Business Structures

• Legalities of car conversion

• Legalities in production

• Filling out the Federal Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms permit

• Dealing with local permitting

Community Supported Energy (CSE)

Driver owned stations

• How to set one up and my experiences with it

• How to set up a CSE farmer/consumer system

Taking action

Where do you go from here