HAVE A GREAT THURSDAY READERS!

A VERY SCARY ETHANOL ARTICLE

Just when we thought things couldn't get worse with ethanol gas, read the story below from Minnesota. A blender failure resulted in high ethanol content gas being distributed to over 60 stations in 21 communities. One station tested with 63% ethanol! This level of ethanol will severely damage cars that are not 'Flex' vehicles and destroy marine engines, motorcycles, four wheelers and jet skis and all lawn and garden tools!

That's why I have strongly encouraged boaters who use ethanol gas out of choice or due to the inability to find ethanol free gas to purchase an ethanol test kit if you don't already own one. I have several links on my website's 'Links' page where you can buy test kits. One is from a guy north of the lake who has a website called 'Etha-Test' where you can buy a test kit for $8.95! See the links on PeteLandrysRealGas.com

Here is the story...................

UPDATE: State says more than 60 stations received tainted gasoline

Read more: Shakopee Valley News - UPDATE State says more than 60 stations received tainted gasoline

by Pat Minelli October 12, 2011 03:44 PM |

The Minnesota Department of Commerce received notice Monday afternoon that 108 loads of gasoline with above-regulation concentrations of ethanol were distributed to more than 60 gas stations and coops over a four-hour period on Saturday, Oct. 8. Commissioner Mike Rothman reassured Minnesota consumers today that the Commerce Department is closely monitoring the situation, and has been working with the distributor and gas station owners since Monday afternoon to swiftly address the problem.

“We are directing the full attention of our Weights and Measures Division to help resolve this situation and protect consumers from purchasing bad gasoline,” said Rothman. “Our investigators are completing inspections of stations we suspect were affected by this situation, and working directly with the distributor and station owners to ensure that bad fuel is not being sold to consumers, and is being replaced immediately.”

Due to a technical malfunction at the Magellan Midstream Partners Petroleum plant in Mankato on Saturday, gas containing high levels of ethanol reached more than 60 stations and coops in 21 communities throughout southern Minnesota on Saturday, including Austin, Mankato, North Mankato, New Ulm, Redwood Falls, Sleepy Eye, Albert Lea, Renville, Owatonna, Olivia, Winnebago, LeSueur, Springfield, St. Peter, Belle Plaine, Blue Earth, Hector, Winthrop, Morgan, Gaylord, and Fairmont.

Magellan informed the Commerce Department that they are working to retrieve and replace bad gasoline distributed from its Mankato facility. The department directed Magellan to provide a report detailing a specific account of what happened and which stations were involved, what specifically was done to correct the problem, a detailed plan to ensure this kind of problem will never happen again. Magellan has agreed to fulfill that request.

Weights and Measures staff is using bill of lading records to determine which stations in the area have been affected. This is a time-consuming process due to the fact that some contaminated gasoline was sent to bulk plants and secondary distributors. Commerce investigators are completing field inspections to verify that identified stations did receive contaminated product, have removed the product from sale, and have replaced it with product that meets ASTM standards. Part of that inspection will include taking laboratory samples. One sample tested late Monday afternoon contained a 63 percent concentration of ethanol – well above the standard 10 percent maximum.

“Minnesota consumers should know that our department has been, and will continue to be, vigilant in addressing this problem,” said Rothman. “The department’s investigators have been working on this issue since the situation was brought to our attention. Our field staff is identifying affected stations, ensuring bad gasoline is not being sold, and that it is being replaced as quickly as possible.”

Minnesota consumers with questions or concerns should contact the Minnesota Department of Commerce Weights and Measures Division at (651) 215-5821. To find out more about the Weights and Measures Division, visit our new website at http://mn.gov/commerce/weights-and-measures/.

Read more: Shakopee Valley News - UPDATE State says more than 60 stations received tainted gasoline

"Pete" Landry...........Comments welcome................way2gopete@yahoo.com

HAVE A GREAT WEDNESDAY READERS!

Part of the EPA's mandate for long term production of ethanol production is based on making ethanol from other than corn. This article clearly indicates that the technology for making ethanol from wood, grass and other materials does not exist in a form that can make ethanol in an economically competitive fashion. The article therefore claims that the EPA's mandate will not be met.

Ethanol fuel use goal likely a bust, science panel says

By James R. Healey, USA TODAY

The federal requirement for consuming 36 billion gallons of ethanol and other so-called biofuels annually by 2022 probably won't be met, and it might not reach its goal of cutting greenhouse gases even it were met, according to a report requested by Congress and published Tuesday by the National Academy of Sciences.

Meeting the standard "would likely increase federal budget outlays as well as have mixed economic and environmental effects," according to a summary. "We're not telling anybody, 'Don't do biofuels.' We're just saying it will cost more than you thought and won't go as quickly as you thought," says EPA

Wallace Tyner, co-chairman of the unit that produced the report -- the NAS' committee on economic and environment impacts of increasing biofuels production.

The report notes that the way biofuels (mainly ethanol) are produced, and changes in how land is used to meet the Renewable Fuel Standard, will determine whether greenhouse gases (GHG) increase or decrease. GHG are vilified as a global warming cause.

Tyner is professor of agricultural economics at Purdue University and co-director of the Center for Research on Energy Systems and Policy. The other 14 committee members represent an array of interests: agriculture, biofuels development, chemistry, sustainable energy, natural resources. Most are connected with universities.

Here's a look at the experts' report. The National Academy of Sciences is not connected with the government. It is an independent group of specialists and experts. Congress can consult the NAS for expertise on issues, and did so in the case of biofuels.

The portion of the requirements dictating the use of 15 billion gallons of fuel mainly from corn ethanol certainly will be met, he says: "We're at 14 billion today," and plenty of ethanol plants are in operation. But meeting the requirements for cellulosic biofuels is uncertain, the report says. That's key because cellulosic-derived fuels come from wood, grasses and other non-edible material. Those biofuels can be ethanol. That would end the fierce arguments about the propriety of using land to grow crops for fuel instead of for food.

"Everybody's been saying that cellulosic is the one that takes us home. We're saying, 'Not by 2022, it won't,' " Tyner says.

Whereas the technology and costs of making ethanol fuel from corn are well known, "cellulosic on the other hand is new technology. We don't know how it works. We don't know how much it will cost. There are no plants in operation. Here we are in 2011 at 0 gallons and we have to get to 16 billion gallons by 2022.

"That's double or triple" how fast ethanol fuel became commercially viable, he notes."Everybody in the industry wants to build the fourth or fifth plant. Nobody wants to build the first," he says. Even if oil were $111 a barrel, one of the scenarios forecast by the Department of Energy, cellulosic fuel could be a losing proposition, he says. Biofuel made using wood scraps, corn stalks and other leftover waste could be profitable. But growing plants specifically for fuel, such as switchgrass, wouldn't be unless the government continues the current $1.01 per gallon subsidy, he says.

"Pete" Landry............comments welcome at .......................way2gopete@yahoo.com