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Hybrid Vehicles Ethanol - E85 FlexFuel The Inconvenient Truth About Ethanol
921 messages, Last post on Oct 07, 2009 at 10:53 AM
You are in the Ethanol - E85 FlexFuel Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
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Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Oct 03, 2009 12:30 pm)
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Germany's WW II machinery was dependent upon “liquefied fuels from coal” for transportation. Germany had neither sufficient oil reserves nor sufficiently advanced alternatives to petroleum to wage a prolonged war. Once the Allies destroyed Germany’s oil infrastructure, Germany lost the war. During WW II America was the world’s largest oil producer. Today America is at a strategic disadvantage, which off shore drilling and oil shale reserves cannot reverse. North America has just 3% of the world’s oil reserves, yet America alone has grown to use 25% of the world's annual oil production, 70% of which must be imported from other countries. 80% of the world's oils supply is controlled by OPEC, Russia, African Nations and Venezuela. The interests of these nations do not align with America or democracies in general. Our NATIONAL SECURITY and ECONOMY have more to fear from these countries controlling our energy future than we do from Midwestern farmers, ethanol producers, alternative fuels or even the gang on Capitol Hill. Dr. Robert Zubrin, an aerospace engineer , Senior Scholar to the www.setamericafree.org coalition and author of ENERGY VICTORY www.energyvictory.net/ sees alternative fuels such as alcohol as part of a plan to break the economic stranglehold the OPEC cartel has over America and the world. “Alcohol fuels” does not mean only ethanol. Ethanol does not mean only ethanol derived solely from corn. Dr. Zubrin explains "Coal can easily be made into methanol, which is why we need the FLEX FUEL MANDATE to include compatibility with methanol as well as ethanol and gasoline as part of the capability of the flex fuel engine.” “Making coal into gasoline is more involved. First you turn it into methanol, then you turn the methanol into dimethyl ether (DME), then you turn the DME into propylene which you can turn into gasoline. It can be done, but it is expensive. “ “That's why we need a methanol-inclusive flex-fuel mandate, as it will make it possible for us to readily use our coal to make vehicle fuel. In China right now they are making methanol compatible Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFV), and they are producing methanol from coal at a cost of $0.50/gallon, and selling it for $1/gallon. Methanol has about 55% the energy/gallon as gasoline, so that is equivalent to selling gasoline at about $1.90/gallon.” The OPEN FUEL STANDARD BILL (S.835 & HR.1476) now before Congress puts America on a path toward FUEL CHOICE similar to what Brazil has accomplished. The establishment of specific percentage of new cars by target dates offering flex fuel compatibility does not mean any individual MUST RUN the car on anything other than gasoline (as so many people on this blog worry about), it just means you could if you want to use a fuel less expensive than gasoline or American transportation would be able to continue in the event of another oil embargo, Iran’s threatened closing of the Strait of Hormuz, hurricanes closing oil facilities in Louisiana or Texas as has repeatedly happened or an act of terror at the Saudi oil facilities or American pipelines. It’s time to END CONGRESS’S MANDATE AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION RUN ON 70% FOREIGN OIL. |
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Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Oct 03, 2009 12:30 pm) The ethanol testers I see are less than $10-15. I got mine on ebay, but I think you might find them for sale at small airports too - as the FAA does not allow ethanol in aviation fuel. The main disadvantage of these test tube testers is that the opening is so narrow that its easy to spill gasoline all over your hands. You have to improvise a way to pour the gas into the tube without going over the fill line and spilling gas all over yourself. |
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Replying to: gagrice (Oct 03, 2009 7:06 pm) The tank says "Up to 10% ethanol with regular grade gas". Don't know exactly how to take that, but mileage is definitely UP with the Shell. The Shell cost $0.05 a gallon more than what we have been using for years, But the 8%-10% increase in mileage results in less cost to use the Shell. I've also heard of better mileage with Chevron and BP, but haven't tried them. Kip
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Replying to: kipk (Oct 05, 2009 4:41 am)
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Replying to: gagrice (Oct 05, 2009 5:49 am)
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Replying to: morin2 (Oct 05, 2009 4:14 pm)
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Replying to: gagrice (Oct 05, 2009 4:19 pm)
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Replying to: morin2 (Oct 05, 2009 4:31 pm)
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Replying to: gagrice (Oct 05, 2009 4:45 pm) http://www.drivesavvy.com/sitelocator/usstorelocator.aspx I have an upcoming road trip to TN to visit colleges for my youngest, so I'll be looking for ethanol-free for that trip. Anyone know of ethanol-free around Knoxville and Nashville? |
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