What is the purpose of ethenol?

Ethanol is ordinary alcohol. It is used for alcoholic drinks, for cleaners, feedstock for some chemical processes, and is useful as a fuel almost as energy-dense as gasoline.

Ethanol can be produced in large quantities from plants such as sugar cane and may be slightly better for the environment than gasoline. The reason it is not a lot better is because growing corn, and to a lesser extend sugar cane, requires intensive farming which itself consumes energy and chemicals.