What are the Pros and Cons of using Ethanol fuel in marine motors?
o It takes more ethanol to produce the same amount of energy as gasoline. If using straight ethanol as opposed to straight gasoline to get the same energy you have to burn more volume. On alcohol fueled cars (racing) they dump more fuel into the engine to get the same horsepower. Ethanol is not better or cheaper. It’s just something that is available and burns cleaner. Ethanol has many disadvantages over gas as a fuel. o Since ethanol has only 2/3 the energy content of gasoline, you should only see about a 3% reduction in MPG (1/3 times 10% ) using E10. Brazil burns more ethanol than gasoline. They make it from sugar cane which, is more efficient than making it from corn. Right now, the USA should be planting sugar cane on every unused square foot of ground on the Gulf Coast. But, of course, politics are in play with the corn lobby being very strong in this country. o The introduction of ethanol has nothing to do with delivering a more economical fuel source. Producing ethanol is more
