Ethanol: Good worth the bad?

Randy Mitchell Staff Writer

Ada July 08, 2008 12:36 pm

— Proponents of ethanol mixed with gasoline say ethanol is a cheaper, cleaner burning fuel that’s better for the environment, while opponents have something different to say, very different.
Opponents have recently said that while an ethanol-blended gasoline does burn cleaner, it takes more of it to do what regular unleaded gasoline does. Opponents also believe ethanol takes more energy to produce, so it’s actually not as good for the environment. And since it is largely made from corn, it is driving up food prices.
Not so says the American Coalition for Ethanol. Their representatives say higher grocery prices have more to do with energy costs than corn costs. According to their website, crude oil at triple-digit prices makes it more expensive to process, package, and ship everything—including groceries.
They claim research has found energy prices have twice the impact of corn prices on the Consumer Price Index for food. Less than 20 cents of a consumer’s food price dollar goes toward on-farm costs like grain; more than 80 percent of the real cost of food comes from off-farm costs, energy-intensive costs like processing, packaging, labor and transportation.
Chakib Khelil, Algerian energy minister and current president of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, said in a recent interview with an Algerian newspaper the weak dollar and geopolitical worries are responsible for 60 percent of the rise in crude prices, but he also said “the intrusion of bioethanol on the market” was alone responsible for the other 40 percent.
As of July 1, retailers in Oklahoma selling blended fuel are required to post stickers on gas pumps saying the fuel contains up to 10 percent ethanol. Stations that use ethanol in their gasoline without notifying consumers can be fined $500 for each day of the violation and can be shut down by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
Some stations have stickers on their pumps proudly announcing 100 percent gasoline with an explanation of why they don’t use ethanol.
Some believe ethanol will ruin engines in cars and other gasoline powered machines.
Brooks Palmer, manager of Batey Small Engines in Ada, said gasoline with an ethanol mix is definitely not meant for small engines in lawn mowers, chainsaws, etc.
“It tears them up,” Palmer said. “It dries up the rubber and gasket material in them, any kind of rubber fuel lines; it eats them all up. These things (small engines) are just not designed for it at all. We have a lot of people come in with fuel problems.
“The problem with ethanol and gasohol type fuels is, if the unit is not made for it, it’s going to eat it up, gaskets and all,” he continued. Nothing lawn and garden that I’m aware of is designed for it. I tell everyone I see, it’s required for these people to put it on their pumps whether or not they have that stuff in there. They need to drive on by.”
One Ada resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said when she recently made an out-of-town trip she got less gas mileage than normal with an ethanol blend gasoline.
“I averaged 18 miles per gallon (on the trip) when I usually get 23,” she said.
Weldon Cravey, of Weldon’s Auto Center, said people should use a good fuel injector cleaner every three or four tanks of fuel whether or not they are using an ethanol blend gasoline.

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