Ethanol Increase

[Kilroy]

Saw in the local paper yesterday that the epa has approved additional ethanol in our gas.  Not real happy about that headline.  What are your thoughts on how to get around this additional potential problem with our Valks?  Are we aware of any fuel additive that can counter act the down side of the ethanol?
Thanks for your thoughts and ideas
Kilroy

[T.P.]

This must be the EPA article

http://www.epa.gov/otaq/regs/fuels/additive/e15/

[ptgb]

From the above cited EPA article:

"What Vehicles and Engines May Not Use E15?

All motorcycles. {emphasis added}
All vehicles with heavy-duty engines, such as school buses, transit buses, and delivery trucks.
All off-road vehicles, such as boats and snowmobiles.
All engines in off-road equipment, such as lawnmowers and chain saws.
All MY2000 and older cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty passenger vehicles (SUVs)."

This tells me that gas stations won't/can't just wholesale change over to E15 as that will rule out many of their customers. There are still many, many pre-2000 cars on the road and all the other things listed above that won't use an E15 pump.

What business is going to do something that makes their customer base smaller? But, then again this is a program overseen by the federal gov't so they will probably just subsidize the gas station losses with our tax dollars.

[MP]

Probably more blender pumps will go in, that will allow you to choose your level of ethanol, up to 15%.

MP

[Farther]

I have heard of estimates of up to 10 grand for dispensers with card readers.  With limited space and changing of piping, this might prove a logistical/financial challenge to many service stations.

[X Ring]

I have heard of estimates of up to 10 grand for dispensers with card readers.  With limited space and changing of piping, this might prove a logistical/financial challenge to many service stations.

Currently most gas stations have 4 tanks.  Regular, Plus, Premium and Diesel.  If they add an additional one just for E10, what octane rating will it be as there are older vehicles that require each grade?  I can see two as a minimum.  Regular and Premium.  It's gonna cost stations a lot more than $10K to add all the tanks, extra lines and upgrade the dispensers.

Marty

[Farther]

Around here most stations carry regular and premium and blend the two for midgrade, some carry all three.  Some stations are also carrying biodiesel in addition to the diesel.  It is vary expensive in California to put new tanks in the ground because of the VPH standards that took effect in 07/2004.  I don't think we will be seeing E15 in the very near future where I live.  Plus all the UST components will need to be certified for the E15.