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.”
“Ethanol is a valuable source of octane”
How is ethanol a source of octane?
This is interesting. I was under the impression this isn’t in place at this moment but being implemented.
It slows the burning speed of the gasoline. This is the effect that octane has. They used to use lead for this.
My 2012 F150 doesn’t support E85.
Why should I destroy a perfectly good truck?
There is a process available:)
Mix water with the alcohol tainted fuel, let stand, titrate.
You may have to add octane enhancers. Using the middle grade gas negates that need.
Don’t drink the water alcohol mix.
Newer cars also often have the maximum ethanol content printed on the fuel filler cap. My 2005 Corolla was marked for 10% Ethanol max ... my 2015 Corolla is marked for 15% ethanol max. If it's marked "Flex Fuel" it can eat anything currently sold at the pump, but your mileage definitely WILL vary.
That’s available in a couple of stations where I live too. It’s actually fairly common.
My Land Rover will not run safely on a 15 percent ethanol blend.
My 2012 Toyota Tacoma does not allow E85.
However, Freeper dalight is confused in his definition of E85. E85 is 53% to 85% alcohol. This is NOT what the POTUS was talking about. POTUS is talking about E15.
>>Fourth issue cars built before 2001 are not designed to run on e15. This fuel will likely damage these cars. Of course these cars are owned by mainly owned by poor people.
Easily solved! The government will just print up a bunch of new money and set up a subsidy to buy poor Democrats a new electric car (other than Tesla). It’s a win-win! Democrats buy themselves votes, Biden gets his 10%, and gas-powered cars get pushed off the road in favor of underpowered electric golf carts.
(/s just in case it wasn’t clear)
Inflation only matters to people who don’t live off the government dime.
Nor are boat motors. This is from West Marine’s website:
“We still don’t know how and when E15 will be offered for sale, or if it will ever be sold in your local marina. We do know that you don’t want it in your marine engine, as the experts are unanimous on the subject. According to Mercury Marine: “Fuel containing higher proportions of ethanol is not compatible with many fuel system and engine components and, if mistakenly used, will cause irreversible damage to these components that will lead to engine failure and potential safety risks.” At this time, we can only warn you about the possibility of confusion and the risk of accidentally filling your boat’s gas tank with E15.”
thanks
Where do you find that? (non-ethanol fuel)
..............
An Amoco station near me has it in mid-grade 90 octane.
Look near recreational lake or boating areas.
And the headline is misleading. E15 is allowed, not required, although E15 may be required to be offered by the states, under certain conditions.
Correction.....my sister said that a gallon of ethanol free gasoline here in Maine is one dollar more per gallon than the regular brand of gasoline (which is 10% ethanol).
She always buys the regular gasoline, but will have to switch to ethanol free if the percentage of ethanol goes above ten per cent.
The regular gasoline with 10% ethanol is about $4.84 - $4.94 per gallon.
On March 31, 2020, the price of a regular gallon of gasoline here in Maine was $1.69 per gallon.
I wonder who was president back then? s/
Isn't that like saying heating oil is a valuable source of Fahrenheit?
What is your octane rating after removing the ethanol?
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