Prospects of bioethanol fuels E30 and E85 application in Russia and technical requirements for their quality

In world practice bioethanol is widely used as a component for standard motor gasolines, with concentration 5-15% by volume (E5, E10, E15 fuels) or as bioethanol fuels with ethanol content from 20% till 85% by volume (E20-E85 fuels). Currently in Russia the motor biofuel and its components are not used. At the same time, the development of biotechnologies and bioenergy is the priority task of the scientific and technical policy of the State. The complex program sets the goal to increase the consumption volume of motor biofuel up to 10% till 2020. It should be achieved primarily by bioethanol production, which will be used as a component of automotive gasolines or for production of bioethanol fuels. Bioethanol in Russia can be used in essentially different ways: 1) as a high-octane component in concentration not higher than by 5% by volume for the production of motor gasoline 2) as a high-octane component in concentration not higher than 10% by volume for benzanol (gasohol) production 3) for ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE) production 4) as a component of bioethanol fuels in concentration up to 85% by volume. The final aspect is especially topical for production of high quality high-octane fuel from low-octane hydrocarbon fractions, as well as maximum utilization of bioethanol octane-increasing potential. Currently VNII NP JSC is conducting research work aimed to develop production technology of E30 and E85 bioethanol fuels. This technology will enable the essential expansion of the potential of bioethanol application and the efficient resolution of usage of low-octane fractions due to production of high-octane fuel with improved ecological characteristics with a minimum possible cost. This article presents the developed technical requirements for bioethanol fuels E30, E85. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.