bioethanol

[Scanny]

http://www.whatgreencar.com/bioethanol.php

it makes your car faster and it doesnt really require much modification


so why arent we using this stuff?

[elnevio]

Tesco 99 is 5% bioethanol, AFAIK. This is to do with an issue regarding vehicle warranties (i.e. if a stronger mix has been used, the car manufacturers are refusing to undertake warranty work - any excuse eh!).

The other big issue is that a lot of land that has been used for crops for food, has now been converted to crops for bioethanol, which in turn is causing serious issues with the supply of food crops, and has helped increase the price of basic food ingredients like maize. Crops for bioethanol make more money for the farmers. This is why the government has recently announced that they will not be trying to achieve whatever percentage target it had set for fuel to be derive from such sources.

Personally, I'd like more bioethanol, as it is cleaner running and more fuel efficient - yes please!

EDIT: OK, maybe it isn't more fuel efficient after all, but a petrol-bioethanol blend is best.

[martin_y]

Maybe because:

Despite this, the retail fuel price of bioethanol can be higher than conventional petrol


and then the real problem:

- a car running on pure bioethanol typically uses around 50% more fuel per mile (by volume) than it would using conventional petrol.

so, whats the point then?

LPG seems far more attractive.

[I-S]

Ethanol has a lower energy density than petrol, despite its higher octane rating. In other words, it has better knock resistance, but less energy in it, so you need to inject more or you lose power.

Why aren't we using it? Where would we grow that much ethanol crop (eg soy, corn, etc)? It is already causing huge problems in mexico because US ethanol subsidies mean that too much corn is being diverted into ethanol production, driving up corn price and limiting supply. To supply the world's vehicles with ethanol or biodiesel would require several times the world's surface to be covered with fuel crop... then we'd all just starve to death.

[Beastlee]

There's a thread about petrol around here that mentions this. Tesco include some in the 99RON stuff. Apparently there's something about it burning better but not giving as many miles to the gallon. There was definitely a downside to it that negates a lot of the benefit.

[Scanny]

i read that it would take a land mass of 4 times the uk to feed the demand for biodiesel in america yet they seem to have adopted the stuff even though it is actually producing higher levels of pollution than normal diesel. since the labour government is up americas arse im surprised we arent having the stuff rammed down our throats. facts and higher prices including knock on prices has never put our muppets off before so why is this issue different?

[N9nebar]

in ireland a service station chain called maxol use 5% bioethanol ,they make it from whey a milk bi-product from Carbery cheese in Cork.............
i think this is more eco-friendly

[Roberto]

And I've been running on it (the maxol E5) since it came out, no issues at all.

And am actually getting a slightly better MPG.

They are trying to get ethonol from the parts of the crops that are not used for food and seems they are getting closer, if that happens there should be no food shortage issues.

Corn for people and the rest for fuel.:pimp2:

[Nevman]

i think this is more eco-friendly

But much less food-prices friendly.
The significant food prices rise in a last few years is a direct result of producing bioethanol.

[martin_y]

. . . .