EPA Raises Ethanol to 15%

Right now, any of the cars at Fredericksburg Toyota Dealer can go to the gas station and use any of the fuel types available.  But, if the EPA has their way, then only new vehicles could use the E15, or 15% ethanol gas mixture.  Currently there is only 10% ethanol in our gasoline, and that is satisfactory for the car engineers at Alexandria Mercedes-Benz Videos.  Ethanol is a fuel additive that is derived from corn, and its main claim to fame is that it is a renewable resource, so we have hopes of becoming less reliant on fossil fuels that have a limited quantity. 

The people who work at Ford Repair Service in San Diego caution people against using E15, and many auto makers agree that the higher percentages could damage your vehicle’s engine.  There are already warnings in place about the 10% ethanol gasoline, so we can only imagine that 15% would be even worse.  There are studies that show that the ethanol in the gas increases fuel lines to rot, and that over time, engine damage is definite.  Older vehicles can’t use the low-grade 10% ethanol fuel, and they have to pay more for the premium levels.  The same is true if you are buying gas for a lawn mower, your motorcycle, a chain saw, or any type of recreational vehicle like a boat or ATV.

This new endeavor by the Environmental Protection Agency again raises the question of whether or not using ethanol in our gasoline is even a green practice?  The amount of water, land, and resources used to produce all the corn is likely to outweigh the reduced amount of emissions that it eventually creates.  Plus, farmers are having a hard time keeping up with the demand and consumers are seeing higher prices on other items like meat that require corn to feed the livestock.

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