National Boat Racing Association Adopts E10 Ethanol Blend As Official Fuel For 2011

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and the National Boat Racing Association (NBRA) announced yesterday that Hydroplane and Runabout racing boats will be flying across the lakes of the Midwest on a new fuel:  E10 ethanol.  The newly-formed partnership between the RFA and NBRA will provide all powered boats competing in the 2011 NBRA series event races with E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline).

“American boaters have been utilizing ethanol-blended fuel safely and effectively for years,” said Vernon Barfield, NBRA Spokesperson. “Ethanol-blended fuel provides the high-performance engines in this series with the horsepower and performance they need to win.  We are excited to show that our racing boats are able to perform to their best capability using E10 fuel, shaking the myths that ethanol harms marine engines.”

Today, nearly every gallon of gasoline sold in the United States is blended with ethanol, most commonly in the E10 formulation.  This blend of fuel has been approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use in all engine types, including marine equipment, automobiles, and small or non-road engines. These two-stroke engine boats will be taking engine performance to the next level, reaching top notch speeds operating on E10 fuel purchased from the same retail fuel locations as local consumers.

“We are thrilled to partner with NBRA to dispel any notion that ethanol is an unfit fuel for marine engines,” said Robert White, RFA Director of Market Development. “The use of E10 in these racing boats proves that this fuel is as effective during your weekly commute in your automobile as it is on your weekend boating trips.”

Through the partnership of the RFA and NBRA, ethanol pride will be displayed at every race.  To educate and inform consumers about the use of ethanol, Fan Packs of ethanol information will be give out to the first 200 attendees at each event with RFA’s “Fueled With Pride” logo displayed on uniforms, course buoys and flags, t-shirts sold at the races by NBRA, trophies presented at national events, near refueling areas of all boats, and on signs placed throughout the viewing area.  Through the Ethanol Driver Contingency Program, cash awards will be given to those who promote their use of E10. It is important that America’s consumers are aware the benefits ethanol blended fuels and the positive impact this domestic made fuel has on our environment and our economy.

(Crossposted from American Fuels)

E10 Ethanol Blend Reduces Moped Exhaust Emissions

I recently ran across an interesting study from Denmark on the exhaust emissions from mopeds. Mopeds are evidently fairly common in Denmark so they were looking at ways to reduce harmful emissions from them.

The study was conducted by the Technical University of Denmark and measured how ethanol blended gasoline reduced the emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, smoke and particulate matter. The results showed that all emissions were reduced with introduction of ethanol but the most striking change was in the levels of particulate matter. E10 reduced the amount of particulate matter by up to 75%.

Emission from a Moped Fuelled by Gasoline/Ethanol Mixtures

This study may not seem all that relevant since mopeds aren't all that popular in the United States but the engine in the moped tested is of the same basic type as found in many pieces of small hand held equipment such as string trimmers and chain saws. And since the users of these types of equipment are forced to breath the pollutants they emit, any product that reduces the amount of harmful pollutants emitted should be considered.

MTD Products Fuel Recommendations

MTD manufactures outdoor power equipment under many names including Cub Cadet, Cub Cadet Commercial, Cub Cadet Yanmar, Troy-Bilt, White Outdoor, Yard-Man, Yard Machines, Bolens, Arnold, GardenWay, MTD Pro and MTD Gold. In the support section of their site a question and answer section and one question deals with what type of gasoline should be used.

It is recommended that customers use unleaded gasoline in the 84-90 octane range and avoid using gasoline with more than 10% alcohol.

Source : MTD Products Website

Yamaha Outboards Fuel Recommendations

Yamaha, makers of marine outboard engines, maintains a section on their website for frequently asked questions concerning the use of ethanol blended gasoline.

Are Yamaha engines compatible with E10 fuel?

All current models as well as most engines built since the late 1980’s have been designed with fuel system components that are tolerant to fresh fuel containing ethanol up to 10% (E10). Outboard fuel systems can still be affected by: water, dissolved gum, varnish, corrosion particles, and dissolved resins that E10 fuel has cleaned from the distribution system and your boat’s fuel tanks.

Source : Yamaha Outboard FAQs

Iowa E10 Sales Reach 75 Percent of Gasoline Market in 2008

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) announced that Iowans chose E10, a 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline blend, 75 percent of the time in 2008.

According to the Iowa Department of Revenue (IDR), in 2008 Iowans purchased:

Type               Gallons       Percentage
E0 Gasoline       397,245,643       25.0%
E10             1,193,833,838       75.0%

Previous E10 Usage in Iowa

2008 75.0%
2007 73.9%
2006 69.3%
2005 75.0%

* Note: These figures do not reflect E85 sales, which are reported separately and at a later date by the IDR.

Source : Iowa Renewable Fuels Association

Using E10 Unleaded In Snowmobiles

Lately there have been several news articles from the North East claiming that use of ethanol blended gasoline in snowmobiles was causing problems. It is hard to understand the difficulties they are having since other parts of the country have used ethanol blended fuel for some time. And examples of E10 being used successfully aren't hard to find.

For instance the Yellowstone National Park was looking for ways to reduce pollution within the park and after studying the situation concluded that the use of E10 in snowmobiles operated within the park would help cut emissions. The two-stroke engines common to snowmobiles typically emit several times more pollutants four-stroke motors. The use of E10 and low emission lubricating oil was found to reduce emission substantially.

Estimates based on the amount of fuel consumed in the 1997-1998 season suggest that use of low-pollution products by the rental machines (which are estimated to have traveled nearly 5 million miles) probably reduced emission of hydrocarbons (primarily unburned fuel and lubrication oil) by as much as 84 tons, and carbon monoxide by about 120 tons. This was a reduction of 16 percent in hydrocarbon emissions and 9 percent in carbon monoxide.

As a result the park started using E10 along with low emission lubricating oil in it's fleet of 100 snowmobiles in 1997. And the snowmobile rental agencies that operate within the park adopted E10 as well.

Project findings caused West Yellowstone snowmobile and snowcoach rental agencies to voluntarily use E-10 and bio-based lube oils to reduce emissions and increase power. The fleet operators experienced a 60 percent reduction in required maintenance calls, avoided carburetor freezing, and had better power and fuel economy.

The use of E10 may be new to the North East but it has been used successfully in other regions of the country with similar climates for some time.

Source : Montana Department of Environmental Quality

E10 Ethanol and Fuel Mileage

Visit any of the internet discussion forums where ethanol is being discussed and you will always see someone claiming large decreases in fuel mileage with ethanol blends. The problem though with user testimonials is that there is no way to control the other variables that effect fuel mileage in normal day to day driving. That is why formal tests conducted under controlled conditions is the only way to truly measure the effects of ethanol blends on fuel mileage.

Some time back California decided that they needed to move to lower carbon fuels. The move to greater use of biofuels in the transportation sector was part of this strategy and in preparation they started conducting tests to determine how the expanded use of ethanol would effect emissions. One of the studies conducted also reported the effects of ethanol blends on fuel mileage.

Fleet average fuel consumption increased by 1.4% when ethanol content was increased from the zero to the high level.

In this case the high level that they refer to is 10% ethanol. So in formal testing where other variables that could effect fuel mileage are controlled E10 increases fuel consumption by 1.4%. Putting that a different way, if a vehicle gets 30 miles per gallon on straight gasoline, the same vehicle should get about 29.6 miles per gallon on E10 if all other variables other than fuel selection are eliminated.

Source : Effects of Ethanol and Volatility Parameters on Exhaust Emissions

Ethanol Phase Separation

The EPA published a report in 1995 that deals with the issue of phase separation in oxygenated fuels. The primary oxygenates discussed in the report are ethanol and MTBE.

Phase separation occurs when the water content reaches the maximum amount that the gasoline blend can dissolve, any additional water will separate from the gasoline. If the only source of water is from moisture in the air, phase separation is unlikely to occur due to the length of time required.

For example, at a constant temperature of 100 degrees F and relative humidity of 100%, it would take well over 200 days to saturate one gallon of gasoline in an open gasoline can (assuming the only source of water is water vapor from the air). Water absorption from the air is far slower at lower temperatures and humidities. (At a temperature of 70 degrees and relative humidity of 70%, it would take over two years to saturate one gallon of conventional gasoline in the same gasoline can.) Again, oxygenated gasolines can hold more water than conventional gasoline, and would therefore take much longer to saturate with water.

Source : Water Phase Separation in Oxygenated Gasoline

Manufacturers Statements Regarding The Use Of Ethanol Blended Fuels

This is an ongoing effort to catalog the various manufacturers statements regarding the use of ethanol blended fuels.

Small Engines

• Briggs & Straton


• Echo Outdoor Power Equipment


• Honda Power Equipment


• Kohler


• RedMax


• Stihl

Marine Engine Manufacturers

• Evinrude


• Mercury Marine


• Yamaha Outboards