And just like that, the irrational is rationalized... Because Trump supports it. Amazing.
We’ve got a glut of oil. Even before all this new fracking we bought less than 10% of the oil we use from the middle east. The oil is far cheaper than ethanol and provides more energy per gallon. Consumers go further for less cost.
And if ethanol made any economic sense whatsoever, it wouldn’t have to be mandated by big government. People would do it because it made sense to. God forbid letting the consumer decide...
There’s a reason we started agricultural price support programs back during the great depression.
Because gasoline explodes when ignited it will develop higher pressure and hotter temperatures at that moment.
Gasoline with 10% alcohol burns more slowly through more of the power stroke. This makes it more like a diesel.
Because of the above alcohol engines can run higher compression ratios and earlier ignition with out preignition problems.
Because of the facts above gasoline engines are only about 24% efficient of the energy available.
Alcohol engines can be up to 36% efficient of available energy.
This does not mean that alcohol will give the same performance in a given engine, but it does mean that an engine designed to run on alcohol will give respectable performance.
Where I live 85 octane fuel with 10% alcohol with a total octane rating of 87 is priced 20 cents lower than low lead 87 octane.
89 octane low lead is 60 cent higher.
I also believe that the alcohol industry can get along without government mandates and a five year phase out on mandates would be just fine starting now.
We need to do the same with all government supported programs, and I will tell you, you will not like it because it will affect some programs you like.