Proponents tout E85 ethanol gas benefits

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With discussion across the country about environmental issues, flex fuel is one topic raising questions and curiosities in Mid-Michigan.

Flex fuel, otherwise known as E85 ethanol-fuel, is slowly being introduced at gas stations around the country as an alternative fuel option.

According to the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, E85 is a motor fuel blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.

The Citgo on Pickard Street has offered E85 since May 2008, said David Coyne, president of the Coyne Oil Corp.

The station, 910 W. Pickard Road, is independently owned, “so it was our personal choice to install the E85 tanks,” Coyne said.

Michelle Kautz, deputy director of NEVC, said that there are 1,960 stations around the nation that offer E85 and 98 are in Michigan, putting Michigan in the top 10 states with the highest number of E85 fuel tanks.

“The E85 fuel burns cleaner than gas, is less dependable on oil, fuels like gasoline, and people can switch back and forth between regular gas and E85,” she said.

The reason there is not more of it is because the product is scarce outside of the west coast, she said.

Skeptics decry ethanol as a poor substitute to petroleum based gasoline because of the amount of energy that goes into the production from corn to fuel.

Congress passed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which mandates an increase in the use of biofuels, including ethanol, through the year 2022.

“Chrysler, General Motors and Ford all promised to produce at least half of their vehicles with the flex fuel option,” she said.

The flex fuel prices differ from regular gasoline depending on several variations.

“Last year when gas was really high, flex fuel was about 40 cents cheaper than regular gas. Now E85 costs about the same as regular unleaded because although gas prices are down, corn prices are still up,” Coyne said.

“Some customers currently use our flex fuel, but it’s basically farmers and people who are willing to pay more for vehicles that take E85,” he said.

Brad Blair, manager of the Blodgett Shell Food Mart, 1911 S. Mission St., said the E85 option has been in use for several months at Shell

“As more people buy hybrids and flex fuel vehicles, the trend should increase,” Blair said.

Using E85 is no harder than pumping normal gasoline, Kautz said. There is a label to guide customers.

“At Citgo, the flex fuel pump works just like the other pumps. The only difference is the nozzle and fittings are made of nickel, and the tank is made of fiber glass in order to handle the amount of ethanol,” Coyne said.

Pocket to pump

- (AP) – AAA Michigan states gasoline prices have risen 6 cents per gallon over the past week to a statewide average of $1.96.

- The auto club said the statewide average is $1.07 per gallon less than last year at this time.

- Of the cities it surveys, AAA Michigan says the cheapest price for self-serve regular fuel is in the Saginaw/Bay City area, where it’s $1.90 a gallon. w The highest average can be found in the Marquette area at $2.04.

- The statewide average for biodiesel is $2.41 and $1.86 for ethanol.

- Dearborn-based AAA Michigan surveys 2,800 Michigan gas stations daily.

metro@cm-life.com