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Greg Evers: Let Floridians Buy Ethanol-Free Gas
April 1, 2013
Sen. Greg Evers is calling for ethanol free gas for consumers that so choose.
Evers is proposing a bill to upend the 2008 law that all gasoline sold in Florida include ethanol, contending that the biofuel causes problems in boats, lawn mowers and old cars.
His efforts died last year in committee.
Comments
16 Responses to “Greg Evers: Let Floridians Buy Ethanol-Free Gas”
The video on the site also claims it now takes one unit of energy to produce 2.3 units of energy in ethanol. If so, that is a vast improvement since it used to take more than one unit of energy to produce each unit of ethanol energy. Just a few years ago, every gallon produced raised our dependence on fossil fuel. (I suspect it still does but that’s just because the video makes so many questionable statements.)
Dan,
One of the articles at the site you refrenced says ethanol reduces the price per gallon by four cents. Since ethanol has about half the energy content, that means E10 would have ninty-five percent the energy content of gasoline without ethanol. That five percent drop would mean more than five percent increase in the number of gallons needed for the same mileage. This more than offsets a four cents out of 350 cents per gallon reduction.
There are other reasons to consider ethanol but reduced transportation cost is not one of them. Drop the per-gallon cost of ethanol to half that of gasoline and you reach break-even.
David for Mr Fusion powered transportation
molino jim – I’m afraid I don’t agree with your contention that ethanol necessarily means cleaner air. The refining process used to make it requires more fossil fuels to power the plants and refining process (however, to be fair, some plants are implementing some solar power), and since it contains less energy, you have to burn more of it to travel a mile over the road. I know the proponents argue against this point strongly, but they have a financial interest in the subsidies and profits to be gained from ethanol sales.
It has to be transported by trucks, barges and rail, because it can’t be piped due to the fact that it picks up excess water and impurities and corrupts the gasoline in the pipe. This transportation process also adds to the burning of fossil fuels (probably diesel).
But, I’m afraid I just don’t feel objective. I hate the stuff, because of the damage it causes engines and fuel systems. Corn makes better whiskey than fuel, in my book.
Three short comments. Try and recall the reason we started using ethanol. Does “clean air” ring a bell? The main source of ethanol is corn– the market for corn is dropping on the world market. Way to go Greg, help farmers loose what little profit there is still left. He keeps bring up the same bills over and over and see them fail, can’t you find any new areas to try to raise the tax base or help jobs?
For the southern end of Santa Rosa Co….
The Pure Station has ethanol free gas (Hwy 98 just east of Bergren Rd)
The Parade Station also has ethanol free gas (Hwy 98 just west of the Wendy’s in Gulf Breeze)
@Dan Barlow –
I can tell you from personal experience that ethanol corrupted fuel actually costs more per mile to use than real gasoline. I have tested it and I know it to be true. Now, if the 100% gas is $1 more expensive per gallon, it probably doesn’t work out to be cheaper, but I don’t want that junk in my car to begin with.
Also, ethanol bonds to water. Have you ever noticed cars with mildew around the gas tank access? Usually these are cars that don’t get washed often, but you’ll notice it if you look. This means you could have moisture in your fuel as well.
Does anyone have the figures on the subsidies being paid to gas companies to produce this stuff? When you add that to the cost, it raises the price of ethanol a lot.
Two questions:
1. Ethanol reduces gas costs by 25-35% ($1.09 in 2011; http://www.ethanolrfa.org). Does this offset the cost of the worse fuel economy?
2. I hear ethanol scavenges for other molecules to bond to. They say that’s why it ruins classic car, boat and lawn mower engines — the ethanol bonds to the less modern hoses, untreated pistons, etc. So if they put an additive in it that took care of the scavenging, would there still be a problem using E10 or E15 in these engines?
The Pure Oil gas station in Atmore,Al also sells the ethanol free gas if anyone is looking for another place up on the northend.
THANK YOU MR. EVERS!!!! I use only ethanol free gasoline in my cars, the new ones and the old one. I have tested the mileage and get on average 4mpg improvement in my Chevrolet Tahoe, and about 6 mpg improvement in my Honda. I had some ethanol fuel in my old car, and it literally dissolved the rubber hose section of the fuel line from the inside.
The ethanol fuel crowd will dispute my mpg claim, but I tested it in both new cars, driving the same route at the same speeds over several weeks. Any scientist will also tell you that ethanol fuel does not have the same BTU potential as 100% gasoline. it’s a little more per gallon to buy real gas, but it’s cheaper per mile to use it, only a few pennies, but as long as you don’t use a whole lot of gas getting to the station, you’re saving money.
@ Bill,
That would be Jackson Street & New Warrington Road.
I agree with Sen. Evers efforts and I thank him for it. I have two older cars, one from the 1970’s and one from the 1960’s. My mechanic who reparied the carbs said to find ethanol-free gas and only use that. I belong to two area car clubs devoted to the preservation of classic cars and, believe me, it is an issue for us. Many publications and articles have been written about the damage, over time, that ethanol gas (E10) causes to older cars. The next formulation, E15 is even worse. Please make it easier for station owners to have two blends available.
The Convenience Store (BP) at I-10 and Scenic Hwy sells ethanol-free gas at the northern most pump island. I use it in my yard equipment and antique airplane.
I buy pure gas (marine grade) at the gas station at Jackson St. and Mobile Hwy. I think it’s called Quality Parade. Great mechanic there, too. Skip has worked on my ‘85 Caballero many times over the last 25 years.
Better yet let’s just use diesel engines and run bio diesel. Foreign oil companies and big brothers taxes can go jump in the lake then.
I have to go to Alabama to buy ethanol free gas for my yard equipment and my antique car. Ethanol ruins lawn mowers and you have to put in fuel stabilizer in other pieces of equipment just to get it to run! We should have a choice as to what we put in our cars and mowers…not everyone lives close enough to Alabama to have that choice.
Good Idea Mr Evers, thanks for your effort.