Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Strategies & Market Trends : 2026 TeoTwawKi ... 2032 Darkest Interregnum -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Slagle who wrote (457)	9/13/2005 9:44:47 PM
From: Elroy Jetson	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 219595

The purpose of adding 5.7% ethanol to gasoline is indeed to retard ignition (raise octane) and to provide oxygen to the mixture to ensure cleaner burning. The problems of water condensation in gasoline tanks has long been a problem. This occurs in storage tanks at the service station and in the automobile. For this reason, fuel tanks are designed so that the liquid at the very bottom of the tank, where water settles, are not used. Ethanol or MTBE in gasoline can dissolve a portion of this accumulated water into the gasoline. Fuel tanks which have built up corrosion, can deliver part of this corrosion to the engine when gasoline containing MTBE or ethanol are used. This is why fuel filters were added to cars built in recent decades. Older "antique" cars do not have the filtration system required to protect their engines - although it would be wise to add this non-period touch.

To: Slagle who wrote (457)	9/13/2005 9:51:23 PM
From: Elroy Jetson	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 219595

We can make a rough comparison between corn and sugar can by comparing market price. Corn ethanol costs $1.10 per gallon while Brazilian ethanol from sugar cane costs $0.90 per gallon. Obviously the relative efficiency in creating ethanol from these two crops is something marginal like the 22% difference in price. The problem is a relatively small percentage of each plant is either starch or sugar. Bio-conversion of cellulose into sugar can increase the ethanol yield per acre by 2 to 3 fold. It also enables the use of faster growing plants, like switch grass, which need neither herbicides not fertilizers. .