Ten Year Review of the Renewable Fuels Standard

[Angel Eyes]

Article on The Blaze:
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/10/20/ethanol-study-concludes-the-epas-biofuel-standard-created-more-problems-than-solutions/

The actual review
http://beag.ag.utk.edu/pub/TenYrReviewRenewableFuelStandard_1015.pdf

“Our analysis shows that the RFS has created more problems than solutions, particularly with regard to hampering advancements in biofuels. Corn ethanol was presented as a ‘bridge’ to advanced biofuels and a means of reducing GHG emissions,” De La Torre Ugarte said in a statement, referencing a comment made by former EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. “However, the reality is clear that this policy has been a bridge to nowhere.”

Is anyone surprised?

[brimic]

In almost related news today, I saw that farmers in the midwest are having a bumper crop of corn this year and are already bitching that the price of corn is too low- due to excess corn harvest.
http://www.jsonline.com/newswatch/334382031.html

[RoadKingLarry]

Sounds like the proper government solution is to mandate even more ethanol in our gasoline.


On a positive note, my little burg has a new gas station/convenience store to compete with the previously "only game in town for the last dozen or so years" gas station. The manager at the new station told me this morning that they will soon have pure gasoline and off-road diesel. 

[230RN]

To save time for others who did not know what off-road diesel is:

http://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_off-road_diesel_and_highway_diesel

Having never run diesel (I can't stand the smell of either the fuel or the exhaust) and having not farmed in almost 35 years, and having pretty much lived the "city life" for that time, that one threw me.

Terry

[Firethorn]

The article says that #2 heating oil will work, from what I've read the controls on it isn't as tight as for diesel fuel, so it WILL screw up internal combustion engines, given enough time.

[brimic]

To save time for others who did not know what off-road diesel is:

http://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_off-road_diesel_and_highway_diesel

Having never run diesel (I can't stand the smell of either the fuel or the exhaust) and having not farmed in almost 35 years, and having pretty much lived the "city life" for that time, that one threw me.

Terry

If you can get your hands on an older diesel with mechanical injectors, you can run it on all sorts of stuff, including transmission fluid.

[Boomhauer]

Let me drop some info on this thread real quick, since this is my field.

Diesel fuel pumps, even the old mechanical ones, are rather delicate beasts. The fuel system makes the diesel engine. Clean fuel is an absolute must and that fuel must have lubricity to keep the pump in good operational condition. The fuel injector nozzles can quickly and easily be eroded if contamination makes it past the filter. We encourage the use of high quality, high efficiency filters for a reason.

Diesel fuel pumps are expensive to rebuild and can easily be thousands of dollars to rebuild. Fuel injectors are also expensive. And a malfunctioning fuel system can cause damage to the engine itself.

The article says that #2 heating oil will work, from what I've read the controls on it isn't as tight as for diesel fuel, so it WILL screw up internal combustion engines, given enough time.

As far as offroad vs heating oil, I don't know if heating oil is ultra low sulfer diesel like offroad is, I don't deal with it. Furthermore, is the home heating oil kept as "clean" as the diesel? Is it the same quality?

Trying to be cheap with a diesel engine can easily cost you a lot...

[brimic]

Trying to be cheap with a diesel engine can easily cost you a lot...

But that money comes out of someone else's pocket and is deposited into yours, right? 

[Boomhauer]

But that money comes out of someone else's pocket and is deposited into yours, right? 

Yes yes it does. There is a reason I fix this *expletive deleted*it and don't own it