Many barriers still exist before farm vehicles can be powered on pure ethanol.
ALTERNATIVE FUEL: Ethanol tractors like this John Deere E98-fueled prototype 8R could one day allow farmers to produce their own ethanol fuel and break free from diesel dependency.
If farmers are tired of paying for diesel, then John Deere’s prototype 8R tractor, fueled by E98, could enable farmers to produce their own ethanol fuel.
The tractor would have similar power equivalent to diesel-fueled models and would check a lot of boxes. The 9-liter engine won’t require the Diesel Exhaust Fluids (DEF) sensor. It would boost domestic ethanol consumption. After last year’s big corn crop, building domestic demand is on everyone’s minds.
“There’s a lot of corn that is grown — 17 billion bushels,” said Josh Garetson, director of John Deere’s renewable fuels and corporate strategy. He stressed the conversation around ethanol’s use in farm machines is still just a discussion. Advocate organizations like the National Corn Growers Association and technical experts from machinery brands like Deere are beginning to talk about it because “the volume availability of this fuel source is a good opportunity.”
There are plenty of hurdles before the tractor can make it to the farm. Relying on ethanol as a primary fuel source isn’t possible today. And modern diesel-driven tractors can’t burn ethanol. Their compression-based engine systems need a spark-ignition redesign, similar to passenger cars.
Last-mile delivery is another problem. Distribution pipelines don’t currently exist for E98. Instead, it’s transported cross-country via trains, and regionally in trucks. While unconcentrated ethanol is readily available at gas stations nationwide in low-blend mixes like E10 and E15, there isn’t concentrated ethanol available at the pump.
Nor can it be easily delivered to the farm gate. Even if it could be, farmers don’t have ethanol-compatible machinery or the necessary storage infrastructure. Existing tanks can’t be used because diesel has a different chemical makeup.
Thus, ethanol’s agricultural adoption will require a long-term and comprehensive “ecosystem change,” Garetson said, highlighting an exploratory project undertaken by Deere that’s currently testing ethanol’s on-farm viability via a one-off concept tractor. “This fuel isn’t known to farmers for use today.”
In partnership with Deere, the National Corn Growers Association is helping with on-farm testing and soliciting grower feedback on the technology’s feasibility.
Field testing ethanol
To better understand its capabilities and limitations, Deere is experimenting with a converted mid-300-hp 8R prototype tractor that runs on ethanol. Deere tested the machine, which was showcased at this year’s Commodity Classic, and on a few farms last fall in Iowa and Illinois. Field tests will expand this year and the next.
Garetson said low emissions can be achieved in this kind of power system via a much simpler catalytic converter.
“We want diesel-like performance,” he said, stressing, “It is still a prototype, and availability won’t be for a couple of years.”
Powering farms with homegrown crops could help boost domestic corn demand. Imagine a circular economy where farmers feed corn into an ethanol plant, even as ethanol plants supply farms directly with concentrated ethanol fuel for specialty machines.
How it might work
Theoretically, farmers could sell their grain to proximate ethanol processing plants, many of which are in the Corn Belt, and then conveniently fuel up before heading home. For some, these plants are literally across the road from their farms, according to Garetson. Unlike other alternative fuels like biodiesel, which requires separate crushing and refining facilities, ethanol can be processed and distributed from one location.
Currently, 1,000 corn bushels can be converted to roughly 3,000 gallons of ethanol, fueling specially designed tractors for many working hours. Its low cost — about $1 to $1.20 per gallon in the Corn Belt — would offset comparatively higher consumption.
Beyond the economic opportunities ethanol could create for farmers, it’s good for the environment. Ethanol burns cleaner than fossil fuels. Domesticating fuel production also bolsters national security by reducing reliance on other countries.
For ethanol to reach the mass agricultural market, much more research and technological development is required to adapt both machines and the fuel itself. Regulations would have to be overhauled, specialty machinery lines launched, logistical infrastructure created and costs made reasonable through repeatable processes.
EDITOR’S TAKE:
Intriguing idea! You can look forward to hearing more feedback as the field testing expands. Yes, it does make sense for farmers to grow their own fuel if it can continue to be economically sound. But where we ultimately land with engine technology is almost impossible to predict. Some companies are experimenting with hydrogen, others with bio-diesel, now ethanol – and don’t completely rule out regular old diesel – after all it is tried and true. We will be sure to share further developments and details of this battle for engine superiority as it becomes available.
While we are waiting for the results of this competition, remember that farmers and ranchers still purchase a lot of gas- and diesel-powered vehicles every single year according to third party research. That is precisely why we encourage you to keep your inventory on AgTruckTrader.com®, which farmers and ranchers have learned to trust when looking for their next truck!
