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Study Finds Certain Ethanol Blends Can Provide Better Fuel Economy Than Gasoline
Motor Trend ^ | Dec 5, 2007

Posted on 05/01/2008 4:32:09 PM PDT by clodkicker

"Optimal Blend" Is Likely E20 or E30; Coalition Calls for Further Government Research

SIOUX FALLS, S.D., Dec. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Research findings released today show that mid-range ethanol blends--fuel mixtures with more ethanol than E10 but less than E85--can in some cases provide better fuel economy than regular unleaded gasoline, even in standard, non-flex-fuel vehicles.

Previous assumptions held that ethanol's lower energy content directly correlates with lower fuel economy for drivers. Those assumptions were found to be incorrect. Instead, the new research strongly suggests that there is an "optimal blend level" of ethanol and gasoline--most likely E20 or E30--at which cars will get better mileage than predicted based strictly on the fuel's per-gallon Btu content. The new study, cosponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), also found that mid-range ethanol blends reduce harmful tailpipe emissions.

(Excerpt) Read more at motortrend.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: biofuels; ethanol
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To: NVDave
So... when are you going to hold the conventional oil companies to the same standards?

What subsidies? The research and development tax credit? You are probably referring to the gulf wars. The ethanol boosters have the ridiculous position that the gulf wars were a subsidy to big oil.

Perhaps you did not see the financial results of the major energy companies. Exxon paid more than $100 billion in taxes on $400 billion in revenue. The traditional energy companies are taxed and regulated at every inch of production. New oil refineries are just about impossible to permit and build. Ethanol refineries go up every week.

There is no comparison of subsidies in other industries to ethanol. The ethanol subsidies are massive and permament. They are especially egregious because consumers are forced to buy the product. Even with overwhelming evidence of the boondoggle, the ethanol boosters just want more subsidies.

21 posted on 05/01/2008 5:23:44 PM PDT by businessprofessor
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To: clodkicker

MY 2000 Porsche 911 gets 3-4 MPG less on ethanol blends purchased in Houston than the non-ethanol gas purchased in Mathis Texas.


22 posted on 05/01/2008 5:28:28 PM PDT by Tahoe3002 (USMC 1972-1981)
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To: NVDave

LOL.. exactly...


23 posted on 05/01/2008 5:37:48 PM PDT by MD_Willington_1976
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To: businessprofessor
You are probably referring to the gulf wars. The ethanol boosters have the ridiculous position that the gulf wars were a subsidy to big oil.

One of the offical stated reasons for Gulf I was, in fact, the continued free flow of oil.

24 posted on 05/01/2008 5:43:47 PM PDT by Balding_Eagle (OVERPRODUCTION......... one of the top five worries for American farmers.)
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To: clodkicker
What the study actually shows (having read it) is that a flex fuel Chevy Impala got better mileage on a blend than it did on straight gasoline. It also got worse mileage on gasoline than a regular Impala when both used straight gasoline.
Conclusion: A higher blend MAY in some flex fuel vehicles give you a higher mileage. In a regular vehicle any blend will lower mileage.
Don't get too excited yet, folks.
25 posted on 05/01/2008 5:46:40 PM PDT by count-your-change (you don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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To: clodkicker

One thing I haven’t heard about is the use of acetone as a gasoline additive. Widely debated, it is asserted that a small amount of acetone added to a large amount of gasoline does not increase its octane level, but does break gasoline’s surface tension, which allows it to more fully evaporate and combust.

http://www.pureenergysystems.com/news/2005/03/17/6900069_Acetone/

I have been using it in both a 4-door sedan and an economy car for several years now, but only when the price of gas goes over $3/gal. I do notice considerable improvement to fuel economy in both vehicles.

Some will adamantly argue that it can’t work, it won’t work, and I will ruin my engine in the process. But from my own experience, it hasn’t happened.

Importantly, more is *not* better. Not a drop more than 3oz per 10 gallons, or you will start to lose mileage.


26 posted on 05/01/2008 5:54:30 PM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy
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To: NVDave
Once again, some of the facts on ethanol turn out to be rather otherwise from the “conventional wisdom.”

It could be because of ethanol's higher octane and slower rate of burn is causing a more controlled "burn" inside the combustion chamber.

(Contrary to popular belief, gas does not explode inside the cylinders, unless you hear "rattling or pinging" noises coming from the engine....)

I had a 1984 Honda XR-350 that ran better and quieter on regular with ethanol than it did on premium without it....but it did boast a CR of 12.4 to 1....

27 posted on 05/01/2008 5:58:08 PM PDT by dirtbiker (I 'm a liberal's worst nightmare:A redneck with a pickup, a library card, and a conceal carry permit)
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To: org.whodat

Well mister ME minor,

your equation forgot the expansion of hydrated water on the ethanol (steam) - lots of Btus in steam.

each unit of water expands to 1600 units of steam - doesn’t take much steam to push that piston.

Lurking’


28 posted on 05/01/2008 6:02:21 PM PDT by LurkingSince'98 (Catholics=John 6:53-58 Everyone else=John 6:60-66)
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy
Do you know of any controlled tests, or only anecdotal evidence?
29 posted on 05/01/2008 6:11:12 PM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets (The women got the vote and the Nation got Harding.)
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To: count-your-change

Read “most” for “any” in next to last sentence. oops!


30 posted on 05/01/2008 6:25:25 PM PDT by count-your-change (you don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets

Google “acetone gasoline” and “acetone fuel efficiency”.

The most common criticism is that acetone might attack rubber parts, but most modern automobiles don’t use rubber gaskets or parts in their fuel systems and haven’t for years.

One doubter suggested that in older cars, the acetone dissolves away muck, thus making the engine run more efficiently.

However, the acid test is to try it yourself and compare mileage over time. With gas prices as high as they are now, just keeping your regular routines, you should be able to easily chart how much less you are paying for gasoline on a week by week basis.

If it works, great. If it doesn’t, then the heck with it.

Price—Gallons—Miles driven

Again, remember no more than 3oz per every 10 gallons. And absolutely be sure that it is “pure acetone”.


31 posted on 05/01/2008 7:12:04 PM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy
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To: levotb

If we need corn for food how come we are still exporting corn?


32 posted on 05/01/2008 7:53:29 PM PDT by clodkicker
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To: All
Can Beat plugging The ZAP PK in at Lowes and driving for FREE.

im001880
33 posted on 05/01/2008 7:56:40 PM PDT by troy McClure
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To: businessprofessor

Doesn’t the oil industry still get the depletion allowance credit? Isn’t that a subsidy?


34 posted on 05/01/2008 7:58:30 PM PDT by clodkicker
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To: clodkicker
The Mexican corn sector is in acute crisis because of the influx of cheap subsidised corn imports from the US. Poor Mexican farmers cannot compete against US producers, who receive $10bn a year in subsidies. Action is required at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancun in September 2003 to end agricultural dumping, together with action by the Mexican government to control US corn imports.

Why are we subsidizing these exports ?

35 posted on 05/01/2008 8:02:38 PM PDT by BlueMoose
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To: clodkicker
Thanks for reposting from Dec. 5.
Do you remember the old sunoco pumps with 5 different octane choices?
Anyhow they could set up a touch screen to choose the make year ect. When the computer determines what fuel is best you get your gas and 2 Demon Rats are chosen on the next ballot./Sarc...
Best Wishes to you.
36 posted on 05/01/2008 8:21:19 PM PDT by machenation ("it can't happen here" Frank Zappa)
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To: Balding_Eagle
One of the official stated reasons for Gulf I was, in fact, the continued free flow of oil.

I agree. One of the many stated reasons for the gulf wars was the free flow of oil. In any case, SH wanted to sell and control more oil. Invading a sovereign country is not an acceptable way to sell more oil.

Just because one reason for the gulf wars involves oil, does not make a subsidy. Wars are fought to stop tyranny. Unless we want to become subjects of tyrants, we may need to fight future wars. The cost of war is made to defend our freedoms. No oil producer was subsidized as a result of the gulf wars.

37 posted on 05/01/2008 8:27:58 PM PDT by businessprofessor
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To: businessprofessor
No oil producer was subsidized as a result of the gulf wars.

And no farmer is subsidized by the 50 cents per gallon on ethanol either,

38 posted on 05/01/2008 8:36:14 PM PDT by Balding_Eagle (OVERPRODUCTION......... one of the top five worries for American farmers.)
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To: clodkicker
Doesn’t the oil industry still get the depletion allowance credit?

Depletion for mineral assets is the counter part of depreciation for equipment. Both are valid business expenses. There are many rules about accelerating the expenses that some may regard as subsidies.

Corporate income taxes are a bad idea. Corporations do not pay taxes. They are collectors of hidden taxes. Politicians like income taxes because income taxes are easily manipulated for election purposes. Friends can be rewarded and enemies punished using the tax code.

The ethanol industry should have comparable tax treatment as the oil and gas industry. I would doubt that the overall tax treatment of the two industries is much different.

Ethanol enjoys a trifecta of unique subsidies: 0.51 per gallon tax credit, huge mandates for ethanol in the fuel supply, and import tariffs on foreign ethanol. The existence of the ethanol industry is almost entirely due to these three subsidies. Remove these subsidies and the industry will collapse.

39 posted on 05/01/2008 8:48:02 PM PDT by businessprofessor
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To: Balding_Eagle
And no farmer is subsidized by the 50 cents per gallon on ethanol either,

Consumers are directly subsidized by the tax credit. The tax credit lowers the price of ethanol blended gasoline. Without the subsidized price, ethanol demand would drop as well as the price of corn.

40 posted on 05/01/2008 8:50:20 PM PDT by businessprofessor
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