Biofuel (E10) Push Stalls In 'Car Crazy' Germany

It makes *some* sense because there is no fundamental scientific upside to adding ethanol, only possible downside (corrosion/water issues/plastics compatibility etc). In the US we seem to have successfully minimized the downside, but I like the German sensibility on this issue.

 

E10 is warranted in virtually all cars sold in the last 10 years or so.

It's not popular here in Europe for many reasons. The main one is that it is being forced upon us but with no benefit. At least the benefit in the US is it helps local farmers whereas in Europe the ethanol comes from foreign produced product. It has come to light that rain forest was being chopped down in Indonesia to 'grow' ethanol for Europe and this isn't a particularly green or long term strategy. Two-thirds of UK biofuel fails green standard, figures show | Environment | guardian.co.uk

They were going to try and push E10 here in the UK but because of environmental concerns they have just kept the level at E5 or even E2.5. It is nearly impossible to find E85 despite some cars being sold as being compatible with it.

 

Just saw a lonely E85 pump on the PA Turnpike, Somerset exit. That's a cool exit because wind is 50-mph and you can watch the nearby wind turbines generating max.

Hey Grumpy, those rain forests were being whacked for bio-diesel right? Or also ethanol? I thought it was the palm oil farms that are endangering the rain forests.

 

lol you're right it was palm oil for biodiesel. Not sure where ethanol is coming from - Argentina or Brazil I think and again that could be causing strain on the rain forests, let alone the shipping costs to bring the stuff here.

I'm more a fan of using less (or using it more efficiently) than shipping from all over the place.

 

Well I guess you were correct if the ethanol comes from Brazil perhaps some toll on rain forests there too, as well as the palm oil. Not too green, but possibly could create jobs in EU due to the port business.

 

I think it is just a backward stance that 10% of car fuel be renewable. If the goal is to use less oil, that is a good one, but give the people a choice.

And GC ethanol is not good for America either. The bill mainly helps ADM which has a great deal of political influence. Family farmers don't benefit, but some of the mega farms do. The environmental cost here in pesticides and devotion of so many acres to corn is likely as high as the environmental benefits. If the US removed the tariff much of the ethanol would be imported here just like in Europe.