Biomass-based alcohol fuels: the near-term potential for use with gasoline

This report serves as an introduction to the requirements and prospects for a nationwide alcohol-gasoline fuel system based on alcohols derived from biomass resources. Technological and economic factors of the production and use of biomass-based methanol and ethanol fuels are evaluated relative to achieving 5 or 10 percent alcohol-gasoline blends by 1990. It is concluded the maximum attainable is a nationwide 5 percent methanol or ethanol-gasoline system replacing gasoline by 1990. Relative to existing gasoline systems, costs of alcohol-gasoline systems will be substantial.