Cellulosic ethanol or ceetol is ethanol fuel produced from cellulose (lignocellulose and hemicellulose) the 'base' structure
of plant material. Ceetol is to 'ethanol' as 'organic' is to food. It describes a pure method of production that does not inhibit grain prices and result in food hunger. Methods of using cellulose to produce sugar have historically been hampered by the fact that it is difficult to extract from the lignin (the material that binds the cellulose for strength - for example wood is stronger than leaves and harder to break down). Up to recently the lignin has been extracted using strong chemicals which in many cases, cause strong waste chemical byproducts, and were to a large extent not efficient for the production of cellulosic ethanol on a commercial scale. The word ceetol has sprung from two changes in the ethanol world. 1. The excitement that new technolocical methods for producing ethanol have created and 2.,bad reviews concerning corn ethanol production which has driven grain prices to record highs. In some parts of the world food hunger has resulted and led to starvation. Grain prices have reached record levels because of short supply brought about by farmers switching to growing corn as a guaranteed source of income over other grains (this is over simplified but you get the point). Ceetol is a word which clearly identifies that the ethanol production is not from grains but from cellulose. For the average person, cellulosic ethanol has very little meaning, therefore there was a demand for an 'easier' word which customers can easily identify with in order to make an informed choice about buying ethanol. Methods of producing ethanol from cellulose have advanced in leaps and bounds and scientists now believe that ceetol can be produced from biomass directly by using powerful bacteria. In relation to making smart consumer choices about where the ethanol was comming from. 'Ceetol', much like 'organic' therefore identifies that by purchasing this type of ethanol a consumer is not contributing to food shortages created from corn ethanol production.