Alternative Fuel - Ethanol

[350Nismo]

Ethanol Facts

• Ethanol is the highest performance fuel on the market, with a 113 octane rating.

• Ethanol-blended fuel burns cleaner and does not leave gummy deposits in your fuel system, so it helps to keep it clean and running with optimal performance.

• All major auto manufacturers selling cars in the United States approve ethanol-blended fuels. Many even recommend ethanol for use for its clean burning benefits.

• Ethanol helps to reduce greenhouse gases, tailpipe carbon monoxide emissions, exhaust emissions, toxic emissions, and particulate emissions. This is equivalent to removing 853,000 cars from the road each year.

• Ethanol is biodegradable and does not pollute the water system.

• Ethanol is a renewable resource. Fossil fuels take thousands of years to be manufactured; whereas, ethanol production is the third largest use of U.S. CORN.


According to a 2004 U.S. Department of Agriculture study, ethanol yields 67% more fossil fuel energy than is used to grow and harvest the grain and process it into ethanol. The study makes note of significant energy efficiency improvements that have been made in ethanol production due to higher yielding corn hybrids, technological advances in ethanol production such as the use of molecular sieves and natural gas, and more efficient farming practices.

Other fuels, including MTBE and gasoline, take more fossil energy to produce than they yield. Refined gasoline produces 15 percent less energy than it takes to produce.

http://www.ethanol.org/

[350Nismo]

What is E85?
E85 is a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline for use in Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs). E85 is classified as an Alternative Fuel by the U.S. Department of Energy.

What is a Flexible Fuel Vehicle?
A Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) is a vehicle that can operate on any blend of ethanol up to 85%. If E85 is not available, the vehicle can operate on straight unleaded gasoline or any percentage of ethanol up to 85%.

Many major automakers including DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Mercury, Isuzu and Mercedes manufacture vehicles that can operate on E85. FFVs have been produced for several years, and the number of E85-compatible makes and models is increasing each year.

Where can I purchase E85?
There are several hundred E85 pumps across the country, and that number grows each day. Follow this link to see a complete list of E85 refueling stations.

Where can I purchase a Flexible Fuel Vehicle?
Check with your local auto dealer – many dealerships stock models with the flexible fuel option. Or, if you’re ordering a new vehicle, your dealership can order the vehicle with the flexible fuel option for you.

The flexible fuel option is available at little or no cost to the consumer, making these vehicles a smart choice for those wishing to tap alternative energy sources.

Are there any incentives to purchase an E85 vehicle?
There is a tax deduction available for those who purchase a flexible fuel vehicle. Check IRS Publication 535 for the 2003 Clean Fuel Vehicle guidelines.

Why should I consider E85?
E85 is a high octane, high performance fuel. It is a renewable source of energy and reduces the crude oil imports needed to fuel America’s transportation system.

Ethanol is a clean, environmentally friendly fuel and, in an 85% blend, is very clean and even more environmentally friendly. E85 reduces harmful hydrocarbon and greenhouse gas emissions.

Because E85 vehicles are flexible by nature, owning a flexible fuel vehicle is a practical way to enter the world of alternative fuels without any limitations on the vehicle’s range.

http://www.e85fuel.com/index.html

[M_TYPE_X]

Ethanol = corn state propaganda

One of their congresspeople was plugging away on it on C-SPAN last weekend (maybe C-SPAN 2, it was rather boring). Not even the coy female voice could persuade me. All I could think about was Cow Stink! And Iowa. Meh.

[Irie_eyes]

http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB7&Number=67325193&Forum =UBB7&Words=whale&Match=Entire%20Phrase&Searchpage =3&Limit=25&Old=allposts&Main=67325193&Search=true #Post67325193

[WhereHaveYouBeen]

wow, welcome to 20 years ago.

Never going to happen.

[Inspectorlee]

I actually think ethanol is a bad idea. Like one of the other members stated, it's origin basically comes from the fact that certain states produce too much corn and need to do something with it. Instead of giving it away to starving people (no profit) they make ethanol from it (profit). States that produce the most corn, use ethanol. Certain state governments won't allow oil companies to sell gas in their state unless it contains ethanol, which the state just happens to have and is willing to sell to the oil company to mix with regular gas. Most credible scientists also state that ethanol production is a negative energy process, i.e. it takes more energy to produce ethanol than you get from the finished product.

I really believe that it is just a profit-based product and not an environment-based product. Lastly, it adds to the overall gas price increase. If I recall, currently, there are about 14 different blends of gasoline used throughout the United States. The oil companies have to produce these various blends for the various markets which means they have to spend extra money on equipment to create all the different blends. Of course, they simply make up the cost by charging higher prices, which we the consumer see in the end at the pump. I live in Wisconsin, and yes, we have to use ethanol. When I went to school in Detroit (ethanol free), my 240sx seemed to run much better. To sum it up, ethanol can be likened to watered down kool-aid. I'm paying for kool-aid, I don't want it watered down just so the little kids can make more money. Just my thoughts.

[Enceladus]

Most credible scientists also state that ethanol production is a negative energy process, i.e. it takes more energy to produce ethanol than you get from the finished product.



Isn't EVERY energy source a negative energy process? Last I checked perpetual motion wasn't invented yet. In every reaction you lose heat energy, friction, imperfect processes that lose energy here and there, human error, etc.

[M_TYPE_X]

Most credible scientists also state that ethanol production is a negative energy process, i.e. it takes more energy to produce ethanol than you get from the finished product.



Isn't EVERY energy source a negative energy process? Last I checked perpetual motion wasn't invented yet. In every reaction you lose heat energy, friction, imperfect processes that lose energy here and there, human error, etc.



OMG! It's physics!!!!!!!!!!1 Run!!!!!!!!!!!!11!!!!!!1!!! http://forums.freshalloy.com/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

[SHIFT_6speeds]

If one has an Aunt Ethel and she's an alcoholic, could one sell her piss as Ethanol?

Calling all marketeerers.

[mayhem]

If one has an Aunt Ethel and she's an alcoholic, could one sell her piss as Ethanol?

Calling all marketeerers.



I remember when I was a kid during the OPEC crisi in the 70's that alot of stations here sold gasohol, which was a mixture of 90% gas and 10% ethanol. Nobody sells it anymore...no idea why but I'd venture to guess it has something to do with oil company profits.

[Kookz]

Gasohol was sold in 37 states last year.