The Technology Context – B101
Ford Focus Flexifuel
The environment and the aim of sustainable development has become an increasingly important worldwide issue. This year the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) produced a report providing conclusive evidence that human beings are affecting the earth’s climate. Governments and businesses therefore are coming under more pressure to find sustainable solutions to environmental problems.
The research and development of sustainable technology is one field which is becoming more prominent. In 2004 the Mk 2 Ford Focus was launched. One of the engines developed for this automobile is the 1.8L Flexi-fuel. This engine can use a fuel mixture of bio-ethanol and petrol commonly known as E85. It derives its name from the mixture quantities; 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent petrol. Ford advertises the Focus Flexi-fuel as ‘the greener alternative’, however many would disagree, not only on environmental but also economic grounds. The question this article will explore is ‘Is the Ford Focus Flexi-fuel automobile an environmentally and economically sound option?’
Bio-ethanol is produced from natural products such as wood residues, sugar beet, wheat and crops. The products are taken to refineries where they are converted to the fuel. Although this process and the combustion of the fuel when used in the Focus do release carbon dioxide, Ford argues that this is part of the ‘natural perpetual cycle’. The plants used to create the fuel absorbed the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, as opposed to the carbon dioxide released when burning petrol or diesel which is stored in petroleum underground. Effectively this means that the carbon dioxide is cancelled out; the combustion of bio-ethanol does not add any of the gas to the atmosphere and so the fuel could be called ‘carbon neutral’.
Nevertheless, there are critics of the supposedly ‘green’ Focus Flexi-fuel. The process of producing the plants and operating of refineries requires the burning of non-renewable fossil fuels, which damage the environment by releasing carbon dioxide. It is argued for this reason that the use of bio-ethanol fuel cannot be carbon neutral. Despite this, carbon emissions are lower overall for the fuel than for petrol or diesel which still makes it a ‘greener’ alternative. Furthermore, in the UK the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) of the Department of Transport has said that bio-fuel plants must be grown sustainably.
Whilst hydrogen and electric cars have just one source of fuel the Ford Focus Flexi-fuel has two; bio-ethanol and petrol as explained above. While the E85 mixture of fuel is the type the car is designed for it can use 100% of either and any mixture of the two fuels. The benefit of this becomes apparent when considering the number of filling stations across the UK that provide E85 fuel. According to Ford there are just 15 of these. While this may seem to be a point against the case of the Focus Flexi-Fuel it is the same situation with any car using renewable energy sources. The Focus Flexi-fuel is suitable for these circumstances as it can run on greener fuel when it is available but still run on conventional petrol. This puts the car above others using renewable energy sources as it offers a much needed compromise. Electric and hydrogen powered cars for example will run only in limited areas where they are able to refuel which does not offer much of an incentive to buyers and they therefore have little or no positive impact on the environment.
Another area in which the technology used by the Focus Flexi-fuel has been criticised is the effect that this type of car will have on the economy. Although not a large problem now due to the small number of cars that use this technology, many foresee that increasing demand for bio-fuels that powers the Focus Flexi-fuel will push the price of crops up and divert food away from third-world countries where it is desperately needed. Recently, the UN special rapporteur on the right to food, Jean Ziegler, said that using crops to produce bio-fuels was a ‘crime against humanity’ and would bring more hunger. In the UK however this argument has been countered; Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers’ Union argues that bio-fuels such as bio-ethanol can be produced without ‘prejudicing food production capacity’. It seems unlikely that the increase of bio-fuel cars including the Focus Flexi-fuel on the roads will have a negative impact on the economy. In fact, some argue it will be beneficial creating new jobs in agriculture.
In summary, the Ford Focus Flexi-fuel is a good environmentally friendly option for today in the UK. Despite the release of carbon emissions by its bio-ethanol fuel these are lower than petroleum fuels. Furthermore, the Focus Flexi-fuel offers a compromise with regard to what fuel you can use which is a big incentive considering the number of filling stations offering E85 fuel today. Although bio-fuel cars might not be suitable in some countries, in the UK they are unlikely to have a negative economic impact. The Focus Flexi-fuel car should definitely be considered by those looking for a green alternative to a conventional petrol car.
As an increasing number of people are learning to drive in the UK it is important that sustainable technology in the automobile industry is advanced in order to curb the effect that the cars will have on the environment. It is also important to recognise that this should be the case in other industries and sectors including IT which due to its huge growth in recent years now has a significant impact on the environment.
Further research will be conducted in the form of quantative data analysis to assess exactly the effect that cars have on the environment and what difference the Ford Focus Flexi-fuel car might have. The following sources will be used for this analysis:
Environmental Accounts: Emissions; Greenhouse gases and acid rain precursors by 13 industries: A statistics.gov.uk document looking at the amount of greenhouse and acid rain precursor emisions released by 13 industries including the Transport and Communication industry and by road transport overall.
Environmental Accounts: Energy Consumption: A statistics.gov.uk document looking at the energy consumed by industrial sectors including Transport and Communication and how much of it is renewable.
Transport Report: A statistics.gov.uk report looking at greenhouse gas emissions from transport.
Defra Car Transport Statistics: Defra statistics on driving distance, fuel use and emissions.
Furthermore, the Ford Focus Flexi-fuel car and the bio-fuel technology wil be explored further using the following sources:
European Biofuels Technology Platform: Website for European Biofuels Technology who implement aims and objectives within the European Union regarding the use of bio-fuels.
E85 Fuel.com: Website for National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition which provides information about and promotes the use of E85 fuel vehicles.
Ford Environment: Ford's website providing information on its contribution to the environment.
Biofuels International Sample Magazine: A magazine discussing current issues about biofuel technology.
Sources used for this article:
http://www.ford.co.uk/ie/environment/-/green_prods/
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/how-e85-ethanol-flex-fuel-works.htm
http://www.fordeumicrosites.com/flexifuel/flexifuel.asp?xml=en-gb&campaignid=FFVmicrosite_07&advertiserid=NWP&bannerid=FFV
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Focus_%28International%29
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7065061.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5406458.stm
