From: ems@michael.apple.com (E. Michael Smith)
Subject: Re: Running out of oil.  Was Re: Is car pooling for real? (was Re: Are 
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 21:31:30 GMT

In article <1992Jul28.121653.5817@iscsvax.uni.edu> howard@iscsvax.uni.edu writes:
>I wonder why there is not more discussion of the use of ethanol
>as an alternative fuel (not methanol). There is plenty of evidence
>that it works fine when mixed 10% to 90% gasoline. 

It has been used on and off as long as there have been automobiles.
Gasoline was the original 'alternative fuel' and only replaced 
alcohol after some years of use.  Gasohol pops up every so often
when gasoline becomes scarce (i.e. both world wars).

The major reason you see methanol touted is that it is much cheaper
than ethanol and can be produced in much higher quantities from coal.

IMHO, this is a bogus way of thinking about it, but it is the way it
is thought about nontheless.

Were I Energy God, I'd plan for BOTH methanol and ethanol blends to 
be sold.  Ethanol blends for the present car stock.  Methanol blends
for the new 'flex fuel' vehicles.  i.e. have E5, E10 and M85 sold at
the pump rather than {regular, medium, super} unleaded.

>In Iowa, it is
>possible to buy this ethanol/unleaded mix at EVERY gasoline station
>in the state, and at the same price as regular unleaded. 

I used to get gasahol at BEACON, but the local stations seem to 
have phased it out.  Last I looked Rotten Robbie still sold it, 
but only as their Super (and my Honda eats any trash, so I can't
bring myself to buy Super ...).  It is becoming hard to find in San Jose.

>Therefore, 
>there is a large number of cars in Iowa who have been using this
>fuel mixture for at least 4-5 years. I finally put my VW to rest
>(following an accident), that had 202,000 miles on the stuff. 

There is no question that ethanol blends can be used in just about
any car with exactly ZERO risk.  It is also true that some (mostly
large US engines, in my experience) cars/trucks start hard when 
cold on gasohol.

>There's been an ad running, by ADM, that says that this 10/90 mix
>of ethanol/gasoline reduced CO2 emissions by 25% .

I would regularly tank up on gasohol prior to my smog check just
to get the additional insurance ...  It didn't matter much for the
Honda (it is incredibly clean and FAR below allowed levels) but for
the old Ford (nee Mazda) Courrier pickup it sometimes turned a near
fail into an easy pass ...  I now buy methanol at a race shop and will 
blend my own should the need arrise.  (But all my vehicles are pretty
clean now, what with the newer FORD F350 ...)

>So why is it not being promoted more? 

Cost.  Cost.  Politics. and Cost.  Ethanol is expensive compared to 
methanol.  The Integrated Energy Companies own lots of coal, but not much 
biomass.  Regan/Bush/Quayle regime doesn't care to promote things that
help farmers and threaten the position of their friends in the oil companies.
Especially if it smacks of a Democratic style subsidy for the poor farmers...

>At least we could reduce foreign
>oil purchases by up to 10% . 

More than that, we could put one heck of a dent in land fill costs for
garbage.  Most garbage is either yard plant waste or paper.  Both can
be easily converted to ethanol (enzyme to sugar, yeast to ethanol, 
vacuum distil to fuel).  San Jose is presently collecting 'green waste'
to composting.  They could just as easily dump it into an ethanol plant.

Non-recylable paper could be similarly handled.

Garbage to motor fuel has been done on a demonstration scale and works.
It just isn't as cheep as oil or methanol.

>Though I agree that other technologies, 
>such as solar power, should be pursued in the future, ethanol is 
>available now. 

Were I energy God, I'd have pushed ethanol years ago ... mostly as
a way to dispose of the crap we stuff in land fills...

-- 

E. Michael Smith  ems@apple.COM

'Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.  Boldness has
 genius, power and magic in it.'  -  Goethe

I am not responsible nor is anyone else.  Everything is disclaimed.
Xref: sparky sci.energy:3675 talk.environment:2977