Ethanol isn't a very good energy producer, especially along side petrol/gasoline. On average, a vehicle will get and equal percentage cut in economy as to what percentage ethanol is in their tank. E10 typically reduces fuel economy mpg's by about 10%, so it's basically a filler. As it doesn't keep performance on par, it doesn't actually reduce emissions at all.
It's like adding ice to liquor to reduce alcohol content. It may dilute the drink, but it's still three fingers of booze.
I think you are right Dennis. The other day on ag talk they were saying something about plans already in process of 20% in the future.
Ethanol has good and bad sides to it but what doesn't.
I personally refuse to use it in my small engines.
But it does keep some money from going overseas for oil.
Are you saying that e-85 reduces your mpg's by 85%?
Per the UN report.
This was well-known from the beginning, and ignored by the faddish rush to ethanol.
As long as we are using natural gas to distill the corn to make ethanol, the TOTAL emissions are the same as if gasoline were used in the vehicle. If you have to ship it long ways using petroleum products for transport, it is WORSE than just using gasoline. As has been done with electric cars, if you just take the DIRECT EMISSIONS FROM THE VEHICLE and then IGNORE EMISSIIONS CREATED TO PRODUCE THE (fuel, electricity, batteries, whatever) then you get nice numbers that are BOGUS, given the entire problem.
One independent estimate is that it takes 1.25 energy units to produce 1 energy unit of ethanol, and the total emissions given our current distribution system are the same. If that is what we are going to call a "solution" we could have done as well by doing nothing.
I would like to point out that huge amounts of petroleum are used in the NE US in power plants to produce electricity, and for heating. These are conveniently left out of energy discussions.
By the single step of making it a goal to limit the use of petroleum to MOVING transport and using other, cheaper, American sources for fixed installations, we would not need to import ANY oil, and would not need draconian, ineffective meddling with car and truck engines.
So the numbers indicate that the total emissions for production and use of ethanol equals that of regular gas? Do the studies that "prove" that also count the energy units and emissions used to produce straight gasoline? (serious question. I don't know)
Is E85 written in my post?
About time they realized that ethanol is no good. It's simply to expensive to make. The energy consumed to make it is far greater than the amount left to be blended with fuel. Besides 8.00 a bushel corn isn't good for the cow business either. Corn prices dropped dramatically this fall and the number of cattle on feed increased. A profit can now be made on fats instead of losing a 100 bucks a head. Keep ethanol out of the fuel and corn prices will drop which will positively affect a lot of other markets as well.
Sent from NSA wire tapped device.
Sent from NSA wire tapped device.
With the intention of making it fatter, and thus worth more at sale time.
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