| Ethanol (commonly called "Alcohol") has assumed a | | | | Glycol. |
| very important place in the world's economy. It is a vital | | | | Potable Alcohol |
| raw material for a number of chemicals. It has been a | | | | Manufacture of alcoholic beverages from alcohol is |
| major source of revenue by way of excise duty for | | | | also an attractive diversification. There is large demand |
| the Governments. | | | | for alcoholic beverages i.e. Brandy, Whisky, Rum, gin, |
| Industrial alcohol produced from sugarcane molasses | | | | Vodka and Wine. The need for alcohol for potable |
| has a significant role to play in the world's economy. | | | | purpose is as high as the alcohol being used for |
| Alcohol is a by-product of sugar industry which is linked | | | | industrial purposes. |
| to agriculture. Sugarcane crop is a renewable source | | | | Alcohol as fuel/Ethanol Blended petrol |
| of energy. Therefore alcohol produced from molasses | | | | The trend in the world (particularly Brazil and USA) is |
| deserves a preferential place as a substitute feed | | | | towards the use of alcohol as an alternative fuel. |
| stock for chemicals industry to bridge the gap in any | | | | During World war II, alcohol in the form of power |
| country's energy needs for increasing requirement for | | | | alcohol was used for blending with petrol in the |
| potable purpose. Sugarcane can also be directly used | | | | proportion of 80% petrol and 20% power alcohol. Brazil |
| to produce ethanol. | | | | has developed a technology which has made possible |
| Alcohol Based Chemicals | | | | large scale substitution of petroleum derived fuel. Now |
| Ethyl Alcohol is an important feed stock for the | | | | Anhydrous Alcohol is exclusive fuel for automobiles. |
| manufacture of chemicals. These chemicals are | | | | Alcohol powered vehicles have taken the first position |
| Acetic Acid, Acetone, Butanol, Butadiene, Acetic | | | | in Brazil & accounting for 80% of overall sales of |
| Anhydride, Vinyl acetate, styrene, MEG PVC etc. | | | | about 500,000 alcohol powered vehicles every year. |
| Synthetic rubber industry also requires large quantity | | | | Anhydrous Alcohol (99.5% v/v) is being used as fuel, |
| Of Alcohol. The main product INDUSTRIAL ALCOHOL | | | | by mixing it with Petrol. The blend of Anhydrous |
| is used in the manufacturing of the following Alcohol | | | | Alcohol and petrol is called Gasohol. In Brazil 4 million |
| based chemicals, the uses of which are also given | | | | Vehicles are running on Gasohol. The content of |
| below.a) Acetaldehyde: Can be used for industrial use | | | | alcohol in Gasohol varies from 10% to 85%. Alcohol |
| as Chemicals derivatives Pharmaceutical applications | | | | works as Oxygenate in petrol combustion and superior |
| and synthetic resins and for manufacture of Acetic | | | | to other oxygenate MTBE and ETBE. Alcohol reduces |
| Acid.b) Acetic Acid: Used in Pharmaceuticals | | | | CO (Carbon Monoxide) emission and cause less |
| applications, Textiles, Dyestuffs, Ethyl Acetate, and is | | | | pollution compared to petrol. |
| the basic chemical for Alcohol based chemicals via | | | | It can be seen that demand for alcohol will be ever |
| Acetaldehyde route.c) Acetic Anhydride: Used in Bulk | | | | increasing & there would not be any problem in |
| Drug manufacturing d) Ethyl Acetate: Used in | | | | marketing alcohol (either for Industrial or for potable |
| manufacturing of Paints, Dyestuffs and | | | | purpose ) produced by distilleries. |
| Pharmaceuticals.e) Substitute to: Used in manufacture | | | | It is debatable whether corn should be used for |
| of HDPE, LDPE etc. and Chemicals other Petroleum | | | | producing ethanol or for that matter any food grain. |
| based petroleum based chemicals such as Ethylene | | | | |