[ale] [OT] - Ethanol-free gas in the Atlanta area?

[Ron Frazier (ALE)]

Jim Lynch <ale_nospam at fayettedigital.com> wrote:

>On 09/17/2013 07:21 PM, David Tomaschik wrote:
>> Yes, it takes approximately 1.02 gallons of 10% ethanol gas to equal
>1
>> gallon of pure gasoline.[1]  On the other hand, I'd suspect you burn
>> far more by going out of your way for ethanol-free gas...
>Which is about $0.07 per gallon savings at todays prices.  Don't spend 
>over 7 cents more for non-ethanol gas if you're doing it to save money.
>
>Jim.

Jim,

When I first read the numbers David and you quoted, I thought, that can't be right.  I looked this page up, which is a good resource:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GGE - Gasoline Gallon Equivalent

So, I ran the numbers myself and ... well ... came very close to yours.  Using the baseline btu for gas (114,000 btu / gal) and the btu for ethanol (76,100 btu / gal), I come up with 1.034 gallons of E10 (10% ethanol) to equal 1 gallon of E0 (0 % ethanol).

For those wondering, using these numbers, the btu of E10 will be:
( (btu E0) * .9) + (btu E100 * .1) )
 = ( 114,000 * .9) + (76,100 * .1)
 = (102,600) + (7,610)
 = 110,210 btu / gal.

There is also a difference between the btu of the summer and winter blends of gasoline.  So that would change the numbers.

The winter blend of gas has less btu / gal, so the relative hit you'd take on the ethanol would be less.  The baseline btu for gas quoted above is slightly less than the number for the summer blend.

So, the cost difference could be as much as about $ 0.14 / gal.  But the concept is the same.

If you assume a 20 gallon tank, using $ 0.07 / gal, the total cost difference is $ 1.40.
If you assume a 20 gallon tank, using $ 0.14 / gal, the total cost difference is $ 2.80.

I guess driving 50 miles to get plain gas is a bad idea.  Burn up more than 1/2 gal of gas (which for my car means 4 miles out and 4 miles back) to get to the pure gas station and back, and you're in the hole.  Pay more than $ 0.07 - 0.14 more per gallon, and you're in the hole.  Do both, and you're really losing $$.

I do understand that there are other benefits to pure gas than the potential $$ savings.

Now, on the other hand, if you have a flex fuel car and are using E85 (85% ethanol), you're going to be taking a BIG MPG hit.

Sincerely,

Ron



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Ron Frazier
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