E-Fuel MicroFueler Lets You Fill Up on Sugar, Leftover Booze

Sick of paying $4 at the pump. E-Fuel Corporation, started by Floyd Butterfield and Thomas Quinn, may have the perfect solution. Their MicroFueler home ethanol brewing machine and pump converts sugar, feedstock, and conventional alcohol into pure ethanol that can be used to fill up a car.

Before year-end, MicroFueler machines are expected to hit the market with a pricetag of $9,995. The net cost to consumers could drop by half after government subsidies are applied.

Each E-Fuel MicroFueler is the size of a stackable washer-dryer and requires 10 to 14 pounds of sugar to make a gallon of ethanol. In addition to raw sugar, the MicroFueler can produce ethanol using leftover alcohol, which requires less energy to convert than either sugar or feedstock.

Assuming you’re able to find two to three cent/pound inedible sugar from South of the Border, which E-Fuel claims is possible, you’ll be able to produce one gallon of ethanol for around $1. When burned, each gallon of ethanol produces about 1/8 of the carbon emitted by normal gasoline. But since it’s illegal for cars to run on 100% ethanol in the United States, you’ll be legally obligated to blend your MicroFueler ethanol with traditional fuel. However, you can take comfort in knowing that you’re doing your part to save the planet and your hard-earned cash.

[via Gizmodo/NYT]

• Can-Am Releases Most Powerful ATV in Class
• Get Green with ENV, the Fuel Cell Motorcycle
• The Mary Slim Almost Green Yacht

Tags: E-Fuel, Land, MicroFueler, whips

 Did you enjoy this article? If so, then subscribe to our RSS Feed.