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Ethanol -
Alcohol |
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Important Note: There are absolutely no additives that can
overcome the effects of Ethanol or any other Alcohol in your fuel; None.
I know of only one thing that works, and works well. Increase the
Ignition Spark. New products are on the market; products that produce
Plasma Ignition; Aquapulser and
BluePhoenix Ignition are examples. But the simplest method, and the
least expensive method is to replace your old technology spark plugs
with Pulstar Pulse plugs. |
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Pure_Gas.org
Ethanol Labeling Laws - by State
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The reason
we now have alcohol blend fuels (E10) at most gas station pumps is
because of several U.S. government and EPA laws, including:
- The Clean Air Act (1990)
- Alternative Motor Fuels Act (1988)
- The Energy Poly Act (2005)
- The Renewable Fuel Standard Program (2006, 2007, 2008)
The U.S. is a petroleum dependent nation. As per official U.S.
government statistics from EIA - Energy Information Administration on
May 1st, 2008, The United States imported about 60% of the oil we
consumed during 2006, and 70% in 2008. The United States produces 10% of
the world's oil and consumes over 24%.
The 5 primary goals for promotion and use of
renewable (non-petroleum) fuels include:
- To decrease petroleum usage and decrease dependence on foreign
oil importing
- To meet requirements of 1990 Clean Air Act; decrease pollution,
carbon monoxide, and help areas out of compliance with the national
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone
- Replace MTBE with ethanol for oxygenating fuel
- Use ethanol as a gasoline volume extender
- And more recently to meet state mandates (quotas) for renewable
fuels; including corn (grain) ethanol, cellulose ethanol, and
biodiesel fuels. Since ethanol is readily available, most renewable
fuel laws are met primarily from ethanol-blends of fuel.
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Ethanol Fuel History Timeline (from
fuel-testers.com)
E15 - A blend of Gasoline and Ethanol
EPA and E15 distribution process
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2008, February - Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), Revised:
EPA announces the revised Renewable Fuel Standard for 2008: This
standard is used by obligated parties (refiners, importers, and
blenders, other than oxygen blenders), to calculate their renewable
volume obligation. This notice, which is required under section 211 of
the Clean Air Act as amended by the Energy Independence and Security Act
of 2007, supersedes the notice published November 27, 2007.
2007, December - Energy Independence and
Security Act signed by Congress and President Bush, EISA requires the
use of 15 billion gallons of renewable (ethanol) fuel by 2015. In 2007
about 6.5 billion gallons were produced.
2006 - September - The Renewable Fuel Standard
Program (RFS): This national renewable fuel program is designed
to encourage the blending of renewable fuels (ethanol) into our nation's
motor vehicle fuel. The nationwide Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), will
double the use of ethanol and biodiesel by 2012. To meet RFS quotas,
ethanol will be primarily blended into E10 conventional gasoline and E85
Flex-Fuel.
2005 - The Energy Policy Act of 2005:
The EPA is responsible for regulations to ensure that gasoline sold in
the United States contains a minimum volume of renewable fuel (ethanol
is a renewable fuel). President Bush signed into law the first National
Energy Plan in more than a decade. The President's national energy plan
will encourage energy efficiency and conservation, promote alternative
and renewable energy sources, reduce our dependence on foreign sources
of energy, increase domestic production, modernize the electricity grid,
and encourage the expansion of nuclear energy.
2003 to Present: Almost all states have
followed California's lead, banning MTBE, a few states still have
lawsuits pending with the EPA for exemption from MTBE ban, resulting in
MTBE being replaced by ethanol nationwide. Problems with groundwater
contamination from the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), the
only other available oxygenate and principal octane booster, accelerated
the use of ethanol in low-level blends after 1990.
2003: California began switching from
MTBE to ethanol to make reformulated gasoline. California was the first
state to completely ban MTBE, effective January 1, 2004.
1999: Some states began to pass
bans on MTBE because traces of it were showing up in drinking water
sources.
1995: EPS began requiring the use
of reformulated gasoline year round in metropolitan areas with the most
smog. EPA issued public bulletin warning for boaters using E10 ethanol
fuel.
Late 1990's to Present: Major U.S.
auto manufacturers begin selling Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFV's), that
can run on up to 85% ethanol. About 5 million FFV's/AFV's are on the
road today. All automobile manufacturers re-designed automobiles to be
compatible with E10 gasoline.
1990 - Clean Air Act Amendments:
Mandated the winter use of oxygenated fuels in 39 major Carbon monoxide
non-attainment areas (based on EPA emissions standards for carbon
dioxide not being met, in areas with unhealthy levels of carbon
monoxide.) and required year-round use of oxygenates in 9 severe ozone
non-attainment areas in 1995.
The Clean Air Act (1990) and Alternative Motor
Fuels Act (1988): Contain provisions for mandating
oxygenated fuel and RFG. Reformulated Gasoline RFG = Ethanol and MTBE. |
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In The News |
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Groundbreaking Study Finds that Certain Ethanol Blends
can Provide Better Fuel Economy than Gasoline.
"Optimal Blend" Is Likely E20 or E30;
Coalition Calls for Further Government Research
Sioux Falls, SD (December 5, 2007)--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 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.
Initial findings indicate that we as a nation haven't begun to recognize
the value of ethanol, "said Brian Jennings, executive vice president of
the American Coalition for Ethanol." This is a compelling argument for
more research on the promise of higher ethanol blends in gasoline. There
is strong evidence that the optimal ethanol-gasoline blend for standard,
non-flex-fuel vehicles is greater than E10 and instead may be E20 or
E30. We encourage the federal government to move swiftly to research the
use of higher ethanol blends and make necessary approvals so that
American motorists can have the cost-effective ethanol choices they
deserve at the pump.
The University of North Dakota Energy Environmental Research Center (EERC)
and the Minnesota Center for Automotive Research (MnCAR) conducted the
research using four 2007 model vehicles: a Toyota Camry, a Ford Fusion,
and two Chevrolet Impalas, one flex-fuel and one non-flex-fuel.
Researchers used the EPA Highway Fuel Economy Test (HWFET) to examine a
range of ethanol-gasoline blends from straight Tier 2 gasoline up to 85
percent ethanol. All of the vehicles got better mileage with ethanol
blends than the ethanol's energy content would predict, and three out of
four actually traveled farther on a mid-level gasoline blend than on
unleaded gasoline.
In addition to the favorable fuel economy findings, the research
provides strong evidence that standard, non-flex-fuel vehicles can
operate on ethanol blends beyond 10 percent. The three non-flex-fuel
vehicles tested operated on levels as high as E65 before any engine
fault codes were displayed. Emissions results for the ethanol blends
were also favorable for nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and non-methane
organic gases, showing an especially significant reduction in CO2
emissions for each vehicle's "optimal" ethanol blend.
Source of this information:
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Page Last Edited -
04/03/2022
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Gasoline Gallon
Equivalent - GGE |
Gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) or gasoline-equivalent gallon (GEG) is the
amount of alternative fuel it takes to equal the energy content of one
liquid gallon of gasoline. GGE allows consumers to compare the energy
content of competing fuels against a commonly known fuel --- gasoline.
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Fuel |
GGE |
BTU/unit |
| Gasoline (Regular Un-leaded) |
1 US Gallon |
114,100 BTU per gallon |
| Gasoline reformulated with Ethanol |
1.019 Gallons |
111,836 BTU per gallon |
| Diesel #2 |
0.88 US Gallon |
129,500 BTU per gallon |
| Biodiesel (B100) |
0.96 Gallons |
118,300 BTU per gallon |
| Biodiesel (B20) |
0.90 Gallons |
127,250 BTU per gallon |
| Kerosene |
0.90 US Gallon |
128,100 BTU per gallon |
| Ethanol fuel(E100) |
1.500 US Gallons |
76,000 BTU per gallon |
| Ethanol fuel (E85) |
1.39 US Gallons |
81,800 BTU per gallon |
| Methanol fuel (M100) |
2.01 US Gallons |
56,800 BTU/gal (it takes twice as much Methanol to equal the
BTU of gas) |
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