| Celanese’s TCX® Technology creates a low-cost ethanol fuel option that uses abundant local hydrocarbon resources rather than corn or sugarcane. This process is feedstock flexible, has lower water consumption, is energy efficient, and helps meet the world’s energy challenges. Ethanol is a volatile, colorless liquid that has a slight odor. It burns with a smokeless blue flame that is not always visible in normal light. Ethanol intended for industrial use is produced from ethylene. Ethanol has widespread use as a solvent of substances intended for human contact or consumption, including scents, flavorings, colorings, and medicines. In chemistry, it is both an essential solvent and a feedstock for the synthesis of other products. It has a long history as a fuel for heat and light, and more recently as a fuel for internal combustion engines. Ethanol is produced both as a petrochemical, through the hydration of ethylene and, via biological processes, by fermenting sugars with yeast. Which process is more economical depends on prevailing prices of petroleum and grain feed stocks. Information provided by Celanese Corporation. |
