Biogasoline comes to Japan
Mainichi reports that biogasoline -- gasoline mixed with bio-ethanol made from plants -- was put on sale at 50 gas stations in and around Tokyo on Friday on an experimental basis. The Environment Ministry and the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry are pressing forward with the introduction of bioethanol saying that it helps prevent global warming because corn and sugar cane from which it is made absorb carbon dioxide.
According to NHK, the mixture is 5% ethanol and 95% gasoline, so I hesitate to call it "biogasoline", but ok, it is a small step in the right direction. Mainichi says it is is composed of regular gasoline and ETBE, a mixture of bioethanol and liquefied petroleum gas. The fuel will be sold at the same price as regular gasoline. The extra cost of producing biogasoline -- about 10 yen per liter -- is footed equally by the national government and the oil industry. Yomiuri explains that there is disagreement between the petroleum industry and Japan's Environment Ministry over how bioethanol should be mixed with gasoline: The petroleum industry favors ETBE and the ministry prefers the direct ethanol-gasoline mixture.
One year ago, I wrote this post about SAAB's new car that runs on 100% bioethanol and electric power. Farewell to oil.
According to NHK, the mixture is 5% ethanol and 95% gasoline, so I hesitate to call it "biogasoline", but ok, it is a small step in the right direction. Mainichi says it is is composed of regular gasoline and ETBE, a mixture of bioethanol and liquefied petroleum gas. The fuel will be sold at the same price as regular gasoline. The extra cost of producing biogasoline -- about 10 yen per liter -- is footed equally by the national government and the oil industry. Yomiuri explains that there is disagreement between the petroleum industry and Japan's Environment Ministry over how bioethanol should be mixed with gasoline: The petroleum industry favors ETBE and the ministry prefers the direct ethanol-gasoline mixture.
One year ago, I wrote this post about SAAB's new car that runs on 100% bioethanol and electric power. Farewell to oil.
Comments
As we start down a path of powering cars with ethanol, we need to look carefully at how the demand has already increased food prices and resulted in greater rain forest destruction.
We may end up replacing gasoline (high unlikely given the quantity involved) with bio-fuels only to find ourselves no better off in terms of net CO2 and with not enough food to go around. Even at the very early stages, these prospects are rearing their ugly heads.
IMO it's time to rethink the automobile paradigm.
California and other states need EPA's permission to waive the existing law so they can require automakers to build cars and trucks that reduce emissions by 25 percent by the 2009 model year. Sport utility vehicle emissions would have to fall 18 percent.
http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/41592/story.htm