The process details the method through which the biofuel ethanol is manufactured. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the process is a mixture of natural and man-made and there are three main stages. Initially, there is harvesting of the raw sources, followed by a stage of breaking down and processing the constituent elements of ethanol, and lastly the distribution of ethanol for various purposes which in turn produce CO2 to restart the process.
First, energy in the form of sunlight and carbon dioxide in plants and trees is harvested by machines. This harvest then enters a pre-processing stage which breaks larger stalks and matter down into cellulose. The cellulose is next processed chemically in order to extract sugars.
The final stages of the process involve adding microbes to the sugar to produce ethanol. The finished product is then used by cars, trucks, and airplanes. These modes of transport themselves create carbon dioxide and contribute to the cyclical production system.