The Case for Hydrous Ethanol as Gasoline Oxygenate and Renewable Fuel in the

Context of Sustainable Development : MMSU Initiatives and Experiences

Shirley C. Agrupis
Professor, Biological Sciences and Director, External Affairs and Partnerhsip
Mariano Marcos State University, Batac City 2906, Philippines
Email: shirleyagrupis@yahoo.com
Tel : +639276948330; Telefax: +63777922507
Abstract
Ethanol is advocated worldwide as fuel additive to reduce greenhouse emissions, to
improve gasoline combustibility, and to solve the growing oil-driven energy crisis. Ethanolblended fuels provide a number of environmental benefits, including reducing emissions of
conventional and greenhouse gas pollutants in vehicle exhaust. Mixing ethanol to gasoline
increases hydrocarbon combustibility thereby increasing octane rating of the fuel and,
consequently, enabled the phase-out of toxic lead and MTBE additives.
The Philippine Biofuels Act of 2006 mandates the use of ethanol-gasoline blends of 10%.
Under the Act, the Philippine National Standards (PNS) specified that the ethanol used in
blending should be 99.6% anhydrous. The technical requirements to produce anhydrous ethanol
effectively cuts out the participation of village-scale industries in the production of fuel-grade
bioethanol the very sector that the legislation purportedly wants to benefit.
The biofuel program of Mariano Marcos State University is anchored on the goal to
develop technologies that will enable farmers full participation in the biofuel revolution. Since
2008, it has been conducting integrated studies for the production and evaluation of hydrous
ethanol, the MMSU95hBE, as gasoline oxygenate and fuel. Starting from laboratory scale
studies, it has progressed to village scale experiments including 1) fermentation studies for sugar
cane juice, sweet sorghum jaggery and molasses; 2) reflux distillation experiments, and 3)
formulation, characterization, and testing of hydrous gasohol blends using MMSU95-hBE with
commercial gasoline. The successful results led to bulk production of hydrous ethanol and
optimization studies to make the production processes more cost effective and village-level
adaptable. New biofuel formulations were also developed, characterized, and tested. Presently,
rigorous testing on the use of 20% hydrous ethanol in gasoline blends is being conducted using
spark ignition engines, including fuel injected and carbureted cars, motorcycle, and stationary
engines. Results of these studies demonstrate the feasibility of using hydrous ethanol instead of
anhydrous both as oxygenate and as significant component of gasohol blends up to a
concentration of 30% hydrous ethanol with significant reduction of the major greenhouse gases
during combustion.

As we develop mechanisms for technology transfer of production and use of hydrous

ethanol we are challenged by sustainability issues specifically on reliable feedstock supplies and
local government support. The main fuel crops for ethanol in the Philippines are sweet sorghum
and sugar cane. However, these crops compete with the land requirements of the Philippines'
main food crops like rice and corn. MMSU is now refocusing its efforts to explore other
sustainable feedstocks that do not potentially create issues on food vs fuel. Nipa palm (Nipa
fruticans) is most promising. Using traditional fermentation protocols, there is already an
established industry producing low grade alcohol (40-45%) beverages from Nipa in most
communities where nipa palm plants abound with full local government support. Our
preliminary experiments showed adaptability of nipa sap to MMSU propriety fermentation and
distillation protocols yielding ethanol to a purity as high as 92-95%. This new initiative is in
partnership with PhilRice Research Institute's flagship program fossil-fuel free rice farming.
We continue to seek new ideas and partnership on how we can involve communities by
empowering them the science-how of producing and use of hydrous ethanol as biofuel.
Keywords: Hydrous ethanol, biofuel, oxygenate, green house gases, sustainable development