E-85 anybody using it?

Kinch

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For me, E-85 results in 14-15% mileage reduction. Have had no issues. E-85 is extremely cheap compared to regular unleaded right now. Average cost here is $2.85.
 
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nfrine

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How does ethanol production water usage compare to gasoline production water usage on a per gallon basis?
For Canadian tar sands, about 1.4 gallons of water per gallon of gas. For conventional crude, water consumption is 0.4 to 0.75 gallons for a gallon of gas.

For ethanol, 2.5 to 3 gallons of water per gallon of ethanol (assuming non-irrigated corn is used).
 

VeloClone

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For Canadian tar sands, about 1.4 gallons of water per gallon of gas. For conventional crude, water consumption is 0.4 to 0.75 gallons for a gallon of gas.

For ethanol, 2.5 to 3 gallons of water per gallon of ethanol (assuming non-irrigated corn is used).
Do these numbers include water used in fracking?
 
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95CLONE

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Time to build all the pipelines needed for CO(2) sequestration then to try to make it more carbon neutral. And don't worry about the water usage to produce ethanol. It's only over 25% of all the water used in Iowa.


The average single-family home in Ames uses about 160 gallons of water each day. There are more than 18,000 homes in Ames. That's 2.880,000 gallons a day.
The ethanol plant in Neveda, Ia. uses about 300,000 gal./day.
 

nfrine

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The average single-family home in Ames uses about 160 gallons of water each day. There are more than 18,000 homes in Ames. That's 2.880,000 gallons a day.
The ethanol plant in Neveda, Ia. uses about 300,000 gal./day.
So if they are at stated capacity, about 2.3 gallons of water per gallon of ethanol...slightly better than average.
 

BCClone

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Not exactly sure.
Do these numbers include water used in fracking?
All reports I saw showed traditional gasaoline usage was 2-2.5 gallons per gallon of gas produced so I’m not positive where he is getting such small numbers. I did t find anything like that. He is also using the pre 2015 ethanol numbers.
 

Clone83

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Wonder if the REG sponsorships will remain now that they're owned by Chevron.

Probably doesn't hurt that Kevin Lucke is an alum, I believe.

Chevron executive Kevin Lucke, an Iowan who has been named president of Chevron Renewable Energy Group, said closing the deal makes way for growth. ...
 
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shadow

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On the topic of E85, I like to splash a few gallons of it into my non-FFVs when the price spread between it and E10 is over $1/gallon for something like an E25. Sometimes, I noticed an mpg difference, sometimes I don't. When I calculate the times when I notice a difference, I still come out slightly ahead, but not by much.

A quick calculation that I came up with for E85 to account for the energy loss a while back was to divide the E85 price by 3 then add that figure to the E85 price and compare it to E10.
Say E85 is $3.30/gallon and E10 is $4.75/gallon; the math is:
  • 3.30/3=1.10
  • 1.10+3.30 = 4.40
  • 4.40 < 4.75 so E85 makes sense financially
I also do use Sea Foam every 3k miles or so in my gasoline tank. I have not figured out the spraying version yet.
 

nfrine

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All reports I saw showed traditional gasaoline usage was 2-2.5 gallons per gallon of gas produced so I’m not positive where he is getting such small numbers. I did t find anything like that. He is also using the pre 2015 ethanol numbers.
Worked with 40+ refineries in North America up through 2015. The numbers are based on actual production. Water usage and recovery were considered a big deal and closely monitored. Not sure where you got your information.
 

BCClone

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Not exactly sure.
Worked with 40+ refineries in North America up through 2015. The numbers are based on actual production. Water usage and recovery were considered a big deal and closely monitored. Not sure where you got your information.
Apparently the same place you are finding your ethanol information.
 
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BCClone

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Not exactly sure.
Really it’s better than that. Lincolnway also uses that water to produce distillers grain for livestock feed, corn oil for biodiesel and co2 for beverages and dry ice.
Yeah, they like to attribute all the water usage to just ethanol production and want to forget all the other things that are produced during the process of making ethanol.
 
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AgronAlum

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I’ve never used it because I’ve been scared to. The current car only takes premium, so it’s not in my future either.