FAQ



COMPANY BACKGROUND, INVESTMENT & EMPLOYMENT



SAFETY & LEGAL ISSUES



PURCHASE & COST OF OPERATION



USE OF THE EFuel100 MicroFueler™



ETHANOL




COMPANY BACKGROUND, INVESTMENT & EMPLOYMENT


What is the E-Fuel Corporation?

The E-Fuel Corporation was founded in 2007 by entrepreneur Tom Quinn and ethanol scientist Floyd Butterfield to create an efficient micro-ethanol refinery product so consumers can break their dependence on oil. E-Fuel has developed a business model and product design that makes home ethanol access practical and cost competitive against gasoline.

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What is E-Fuel Corporation's mission?

E-Fuel's mission is to provide consumers a fuel that is superior to gasoline, kind to the environment, inexpensive to produce, and easily accessible. To accomplish this, E-Fuel has introduced the EFuel100 MicroFueler™ home ethanol product as the smart alternative to gasoline. The MicroFueler is designed to be both environmentally sound and a money saving device for consumers�two important characteristics not often found in the same product.

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Where is the MicroFueler manufactured?

Manufacturing takes place in Paso Robles, California (USA), and China. Distribution centers are located in both the United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK).

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How can someone become an E-Fuel VAR or sugar distributor?

In the United States, E-Fuel is actively seeking qualified dealer relationships and sugar distributors. Internationally, E-Fuel is seeking qualified distribution partners to recruit and support dealers in target geographic markets. If you are interested in becoming an E-Fuel dealer or distributor, complete the convenient on-line application. Once submitted an E-Fuel representative will be in touch with you to discuss the opportunity in more detail. Businesses already involved in the sales and service of automobiles are particularly well suited.

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How is the E-Fuel Corporation financed?

Currently, the E-Fuel Corporation is solely funded by Thomas J. Quinn, founder and CEO. A profile of Mr. Quinn.

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Who developed the EFuel100 MicroFueler™ product?

Floyd Butterfield, a 30-year ethanol design veteran and inventor of the Butterfield Ethanol Still, designed the EFuel100 MicroFueler™. A profile of Mr. Butterfield.

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Does E-Fuel own intellectual property or have any patents pending?

Yes, E-Fuel has filed several patents on the MicroFueler design and concept.

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Is E-Fuel offering investor opportunities?

Investor inquiries can be submitted online via our Contact Form.

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SAFETY & LEGAL ISSUES



Is home ethanol production legal?

Home ethanol production is legal in the United States and most international countries. Americans have been manufacturing their own ethanol for more than 100 years. Consult with your local authorities if you have any concerns about purchasing and operating an ethanol distillation system on your property.

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Do I need a permit to produce my own ethanol?

Yes. The U.S. Department of Treasury provides free permits for small property owners who want to produce less than 10,000 gallons of ethanol per year. Federal forms are available here. Property owners should also check on local and state requirements.

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Is it safe to produce ethanol?

Yes. The EFuel100 MicroFueler™ operates without any dangerous combustion. Feedstock ingredients used in the distillation process are non-toxic.

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Is it legal to store fuel around the house?

Ethanol is a type of alcohol commonly found in and around household products. Most US gasoline grades contain some blend of ethanol which are stored in vehicles ranging from power mowers to cleaning solutions and medicines. As with other fuel-based or combustible consumer products, care must be taken to keep ethanol from flames and sources of extreme heat. Federal law requires that the actual ethanol production happen outside the home structure, and most government regulations require all fuels to be stored outside of home living structures.

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Is ethanol safe to drink?

No! Like other fuels, ethanol is pure alcohol which is unsafe to consume.

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PURCHASE & COST OF OPERATION



How much does the MicroFueler cost and when may I realize a return on my investment?

Suggested list price is $9,995 as offered on E-Fuel's web site. US customers may be eligible for a federal tax rebate which will reduce the actual cost to $6,998 once the rebate is received. (See IRS form 8911, Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit.)
Consumers may expect a return on their investment in approximately 1.5 years based upon the following assumptions as of April 2008:

(1) Cost per gallon of gasoline = $3.50

(2) Cost per gallon of ethanol100 (E100) produced by the MicroFueler = $1.25 (cost may be further offset through the use of E-Fuel carbon credits).

(3) Average vehicle MPG = 13 miles per gallon, assuming 2 vehicles in the household, and an average of 12,500 miles driven annually per vehicle.

(4) MicroFueler cost of $6,998 (after Federal rebate).

Given the above assumptions, the vehicles would require 1,922 gallons of fuel to drive 25,000 miles at 13 MPG. Accordingly, gasoline will cost $6,727 whereas E100 produced by the MicroFueler will cost $2,402 resulting in an annual savings of $4,325. Accordingly the cost of the MicroFueler will be fully recovered in just over 1.5 years, sooner if you drive more and sooner still if the price of gasoline continues to escalate. Cost of feedstock sugar can also increase ethanol cost and MicroFueler ROI depending upon purchase price and purity of sugar. In addition, MicroFueler ROI can also be accelerated if discarded beverage alcohol is used which may reduce ethanol cost per gallon to as low as $0.10 cents.

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How can I buy the EFuel100 MicroFueler™?

Today, MicroFueler units are available online and will ship either FOB Hong Kong, China or FOB Paso Robles, California (US), as well as Brazil and the UK. Preorders are currently being accepted to insure priority delivery position anticipated in the fourth quarter of 2008.

  • Standard Preorders require a $3,000 deposit at the time of order for each MicroFueler ordered with the remainder due 90 days prior to scheduled shipment date.
  • Priority Preorders require 100% deposit of $9,995 and will ship before all standard preorders.

Click Here to place your preorder today.

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Can I cancel my preorder?

Yes. All standard and priority preorders are completely refundable 90 days prior to scheduled shipment date less a $100 dollar non-refundable processing fee. Shipments within 90-days are subject to a variable cancellation or rescheduling fees. See E-Fuel's standard Terms and Conditions of Sale for more information which may be found at www.efuel100.com.

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What will it cost to make a gallon of ethanol with the MicroFueler?

With E-Fuel carbon credits and local and federal rebates factored in, it may be possible to make ethanol for $1.00 per gallon with sugar feedstock or as little as $0.10 per gallon from discarded liquor. The recent passage of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 established a sugar-to-ethanol program that allows surplus sugar to be sold for biofuels at 2 cents per pound, which may lower the cost of EFuel100 production even more.

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Where can I purchase feedstock sugar and how will it be packaged?

Sugar is the most widely available and distributed feedstock product in the world. Dry crystallized, raw sugar is the best feedstock to use and can be found at local sugar supply companies that serve community bakeries and restaurants. Bulk sugar is typically packaged in 50-lb bags but may be found in both larger and smaller packages. Please visit www.efuel100.com for a list of sugar distributors and authorized dealers in your area to obtain feedstock once the MicroFueler starts shipping the in the fourth quarter of 2008.

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What is the E-Fuel Carbon Credit Coupon Program?

E-Fuel will provide MicroFueler owners with coupons that can be exchanged for discounted sugar feedstock, thus helping keep the price of MicroFueler ethanol production at a low cost. E-Fuel carbon credit coupons are a product of E-Fuel Corporation and not affiliated with any 3rd party or government program. The program is modeled on the "cap and trade" system set out by the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which offers financial incentives for reducing C02 emissions. Get more details on E-Fuel's carbon credit program.

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Are there tax savings if purchased in the USA?

Yes. The federal government provides a 30% tax rebate. See IRS Form 8911, Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit. In addition, many states provide an additional 20% rebate. Visit http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/ethanol/incentives_laws.html for more information.

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USE OF THE MICROFUELER



What precautions have been taken to ensure the MicroFueler is safe from unauthorized operation and dispenses ethanol safely?

The MicroFueler is equipped with an electronic key lock pump and a mechanical hose locking apparatus to prevent unauthorized operation and tampering. It also has a motion sensor that will shut the unit down if it is moved during pump operation. Of course, like all other fuel filling stations, people should not use cigarettes, matches, lighters, electrical sparks or any other heat or flame sources anywhere near the pump and MicroFueler unit. The MicroFueler is non-combustible, meaning it doesn't use flames during ethanol production.

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How will the MicroFueler be used at a typical home?

The MicroFueler has been designed to operate outdoors, such as in a yard or driveway with some form of protection from the elements such as under a canopy or in a utility shed. It comes equipped with a 50-foot retractable fuel hose and nozzle, to dispense fuel directly into vehicles or into a safe fuel container. In the US, the MicroFueler must be operated outside the home structure pursuant to government regulations.

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Does the MicroFueler require a lot of water to operate?

It takes approximately 170 gallons of water during fermentation mode to make 35 gallons of ethanol fuel. This is equivalent to the amount water used by a household washing machine doing four laundry loads.

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What does the MicroFueler need to operate?

Similar to a household washing machine, the MicroFueler requires 110 or 220 A/C power and a tap water input, and results in an output of clean liquid drainage into a standard sewer system.

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How may fluids from the MicroFueler be disposed of?

Waste water output from the MicroFueler is simply water and yeast residue. It is safe to dispose down the drain into a sewer system or anaerobic septic system.

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What ingredients are needed to create ethanol?

Sugar is the main ingredient, mixed with a special EFuel100 yeast mixture (EFuel100-EM). Pre-mixed sugar and EFuel100-EM may be purchased from authorized E-Fuel distributors and dealers. Alternatively, consumers may purchase the EFuel100-EM at www.EFuel100.com and mix with sugar which meets the quality standards for use in the EFuel100 MicroFueler™. When mixed with water in the MicroFueler a process called fermentation begins, the end result of which is ethanol. Whereas all feedstocks (including cane, beet or converted starch such as corn or cellulosic) can be processed using EFuel100-EM in the MicroFueler fermentation tank, the more pure the sugar feedstock the more ethanol can be produced. Standard dry crystal table sugar works best.

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Can the MicroFueler process discarded liquor or other alcohol beverages into ethanol?

Yes, but it must be processed separately from sugar fermentation.

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What is the difference between sugar fermentation and discarded liquor recovery?

During sugar fermentation mode, two gallons (10 to 14 pounds) of sugar are used to produce one gallon of ethanol when mixed with water and the yeast mix. After the fermentation process, a dilutive ethanol mix is transferred to the distillation system to be vaporized and processed through the membrane system for final conversion into ethanol.
During discarded alcohol recovery mode, the fermentation tank can be used to process up to 250 gallons of beer, wine or liquor to be sent directly to the distillation system for immediate ethanol conversion. You just pour in your discarded alcohol without the need for the yeast mix.

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How much sugar will it take to make a gallon of ethanol?

It takes approximately 13 lbs. of sugar to create one gallon of ethanol. The MicroFueler is capable of producing 35 gallons of ethanol (using 470 lbs of sugar) weekly which will fill the average fuel tank twice.

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ETHANOL


Will ethanol damage my car?

No. The fact is, today in the United States all cars are fueled with a mixture of ethanol and gasoline. The issue is the mixture (e.g. E85 is 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) and whether the automobile is capable of using a specific blend, all the way up to 100% ethanol. Put simply, all cars can use up to 100% ethanol if equipped with a proper conversion kit, which is widely available. Also, a growing movement toward the sale of Flex Fuel vehicles by auto makers means many automobiles are equipped to run off 85% ethanol without further modification. One side note � the MicroFueler is designed to not only produce 100% ethanol, but also any blend with gasoline. Should the consumer wish to use a blend, the MicroFueler will make sure the exact blend is available directly at the point of consumption. This will allow vehicle owners the option of optimizing proper fuel blend performance for each specific vehicle they own.
You can find out more about the US Government's sponsored tests on American and Japanese vehicles using ethanol here.

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How will ethanol affect my automobile's fuel mileage?

In many cases, fuel mileage may be improved, depending upon the ethanol blend used. A U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored test found that using a 30% ethanol blend improved fuel mileage in new non-flex fuel vehicles because ethanol has a higher amount of octane (power) than gasoline and burns slower, thus making ethanol a more efficient fuel than gasoline. In general, the higher a vehicle's engine performance is relative to engine piston compression, the more ethanol will improve performance and fuel mileage. That is why the IndyCar Series uses 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol in its Honda Indy V-8 engines.

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Isn't ethanol production just as harmful to the environment as fossil fuel consumption?

Criticism of ethanol production is often concerned with what happens when the world starts clearing vast amounts of forests to grow biofuel plants, such as corn. However, the MicroFueler is the first US ethanol refinery product to run off any kind of sugar feedstock.

(1) Ethanol is made from sugar (a process called fermentation). Corn is a starch grain which must be chemically converted to sugar before ethanol fermentation can begin, This conversion consumes energy and increases carbon C02 emissions. In fact, in terms of reducing the world's C02 emissions, corn is the worst grain for making ethanol.

(2) Sugarcane is six times more efficient (in reducing C02 carbon) for making ethanol than corn.

(3) There is no world shortage of sugarcane, which is the most widely available feedstock product on the planet. The world produces 1.3 billion metric tons (MT) of sugarcane per year and the surplus has increased every year, as opposed to corn which has almost no surplus. Sugarcane surplus has been growing every year because consumers perceive sugar as an unhealthy food.

(4) The MicroFueler is more power-efficient than US commercial ethanol plants due to its advanced membrane filtration technology and a non-combustion fermentation and distillation process. Because consumers can use any sugar-based grain or discarded liquor, the EFuel100 MicroFueler is the ultimate "green machine". It should also be mentioned that producing ethanol at home eliminates 20% of ethanol product loss, caused by evaporation during plant transportation from refinery to fuel stations.

(5) Another criticism of large-scale ethanol production is the use of coal-fired electrical plants, which are known air polluters. Because the MicroFueler is designed to produce ethanol locally, it has no such dependency and be operated off the power grid in exchange for solar voltaic collectors.

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