Posted on 06/08/2022 7:36:05 AM PDT by dalight
Last Friday the Biden administration raised the mandatory amount of biofuel, specifically ethanol, that must be blended within the U.S. gasoline supply. The previous amount of 10% (summer blend) was raised to a year-round 15% (waiver) by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This is likely to lead to two sets of bigger issues, less food and higher gas prices.
♦ First issue. – The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is a government mandate, passed in 2005 and expanded in 2007, that requires growing volumes of biofuels to be blended into U.S. transportation fuels like gasoline and diesel every year. Approximately 40 percent of corn grown in the U.S. is used for ethanol. Raising the amount of ethanol required in gasoline will result in the need for more biofuel (corn). With farming costs and outputs already under pressure this could be problematic.
♦ Second issue – The EPA enforces the biofuel standard by requiring refineries to submit purchase credits (known as Renewable Identification Numbers, or RINs) to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proving the purchases. This enforcement requirement sets up a system where the RIN credits are bought and sold by small refineries who do not have the infrastructure to do the blending process. They purchase second-hand RIN credits from parties that blended or imported biofuels directly. This sets up a secondary income stream, a trading market for the larger oil companies, refineries and importers.
The RIN credit trading platform is similar to what we might expect to see if the ‘Carbon Trading’ scheme was ever put into place. However, now that summer biofuel requirements for blended gasoline have gone from 10% to 15%, the price of the RIN credits will likely jump. This will cost refineries billions in additional expenses,…. which will mean the cost of the gasoline from the refineries will increase,….. which will mean the cost of the gasoline at the pump will go higher.
♦ Third Issue – “Ethanol is a valuable source of octane in finished gasoline, but it is chemically different than petroleum gasoline and cannot be used in concentrations above 10 percent in small engines — like outboard boat motors, motorcycles, lawnmowers, generators or chain saws — or in any cars made before 2001. Complicating matters further, most cars on the road today still aren’t warrantied to run on gasoline with more than 10 percent ethanol. Retail stations also must have compatible infrastructure in order to sell gasoline with higher ethanol blends.” This issue is known within the industry as “The Blend Wall.”
“Take a clear 5-gallon jug; pour about 2-3 gallons of gas into it; pour 2 quarts of water into it; shake well; let the cloudy mixture settle for two days; siphon off the new water/ethanol mixture. The pure ethanol-free gas remains.”
That’s brilliant!!! And the chemistry makes sense. The cheap containers of “water remover” at auto parts stores are alcohol, for that reason. Causes oil and water to mix.
The reverse should be true, too. Gonna try it! Need a clear glass jug...
Oh, and the water should sink to the bottom, correct?
One small problem with doing that is that the refiners long ago figured out that they can cut costs by using ethanol as an octane booster.
So they came up with something called BOB gasoline. That’s “Before Oxygenate Blending”.
And that has an octane rating lower than what it does when blended with 10% ethanol.
So if you do this with 87 octane E10 gas, you’ll end up with something closer to 85 octane gas.
This is one reason why E0 gas is more expensive than E10 gas.
Consider yourself lucky.
My tractor is in an open three sided shed. I wrap a tarp around it. Pull the battery and put moth balls around the engine compartment to keep the mice out.
No it’s not. E 85 is 51-83% ethanol.
Not to mention reduced gas mileage, leading to increased air pollution and higher gas bills.
Effing commies...
Yes, water/ethanol will separate after a day or so, forming a bottom layer.
I got a clear 5gal water jug from walmart. Clear, so you can see contents are fully separated.
I run a 1/2” tube from the very bottom of the jug to a pail somewhat lower. With my hand to mostly seal the jug opening, with my mouth between fingers and the tube, blow forcefully IN to start the siphon. Note, create the siphon with blowing rather than inhaling.
Thanks for that info... perhaps I should tweak my process, and use Super for the process.
OTOH, I'm experiencing no known issues with regular gas sans ethanol.
Ours is dual fuel propane or gas with the flip of A switch. We did the first 5 hour break in run on propane last weekend.
It has been discussed by many in this thread that E85 isn’t what they are proposing but E15 (Ethanol 15%). This is not the same as the winter formulation which adds oxidizers and other chemicals.
Only Flexfuel cars run on E85 and other high alcohol variants.
Spot on! Insanity
Thanks!
This would be good news.
You are only about the 5th person who pointed this out. Read the thread before getting all excited.
You can buy gas cans of this fuel at Home Depot ect
Good deal!
I bought a spare carb when I converted my genset to propane so I could change it back. It is still new in the box after 20+ years, I will never go back to gasoline.
I even have a 100 lb tank in the yard I can use if my BBQ propane tanks run dry.
Just a little bit of research on your part could have helped. I often get stuck thinking I’m right and make a complete fool of myself. I’m trying to slack up on that.
Interesting point.
My 2020 Power Wagon says 15%.
Thanks, I’ll check it out.
It is called True Fuel get the one in the RED gallon can there are different kinds this is the best!!!
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