Oregon's ethanol requirement lowers vehicles' miles per gallon

[depakid]

•Because the biofuel has less energy, the state's 10 percent requirement means drivers are buying more gas

When ethanol began flowing into Oregon fuel tanks early this year, its costly little secret was scarcely mentioned: It packs one-third less explosive energy than gasoline and so reduces vehicle mileage on the road.

Good news: The Oregon requirement calls for just a 10 percent blend with gasoline, known as E10, and cuts into mileage an estimated 3 percent, according to official estimates. But that costs you an additional $73 a year at the fuel pump, based on today's prices for regular gasoline.

Bad news: Many Oregonians don't believe the 3 percent figure and maintain the drop is 10 percent or more, raising out-of-pocket costs much higher. It's enough to throw into question the real cost of cleaner air from ethanol use and reduced dependence on fossil fuels.

When Oregon lawmakers enthusiastically passed the alternative fuels bill in 2007, they barely mentioned ethanol's lower energy content. Instead, they emphasized E10's benefits: cleaner air and a healthier economy.

Now, record-high gas prices have thrown the mileage gap into sharp relief. Tapped-out consumers are scrutinizing every penny they have to shell out at the pump and track any discernable upticks. Drivers are finding that their mileage has dropped far more than 3 percent.

"It's just not fair to anyone who drives a car," said Ron Spuhler, a retiree who lives in Gresham and now gets 21.5 miles per gallon in his 1999 Buick, instead of prior, ethanol-free readings of 24 miles per gallon.

That's a drop of 10 percent and an extra $7 every time he fills the tank.

More: http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2008/05/oregons_ethanol_requirement_lo.html

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Ethanol basics:

Bang per gallon: At 75,670 BTUs per gallon, ethanol has 66 percent of the energy-creating power of gasoline, which has 115,400 BTUs per gallon.

It's the law: Ethanol is cleaner burning and home-grown, big pluses to lawmakers who passed the law during the 2007 session. In a phased plan, Oregon requires all gasoline stations to pump E10 -- gasoline cut with 10 percent ethanol -- by Sept. 15.

[Zachstar]

1. I thought E10 meant that ethanol replaced most the chemical additives

[JohnWxy]

2. American Coalition on Ethanol tests show that E20, E30 cars get better mileage than conventional gas

http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/2007/12/06/american-coalition-on-ethanol-tests-show-that-e20-e30-cars-get-better-mileage-than-conventional-gasoline/


Oh my, the BTU's are just part of the picture. octane is important too.

Everybody knows ethanol has an octane rating of 113 vesus high test gas with 92-93. If you optiiiimize for the higher octane you should do better with higher octane fuel than with lower octane fuel. Sometimes even if the engine isn't optimized for the higher octane the car does better with higher octane fuel (not too much though) such as ethanol 10% -20%.

[losthills]

3. Wow! What a panacea.....

[lectrobyte]

4. The MPG might be slightly less, but ethanol is way cheaper than

gasoline right now, so they should be coming out ahead.