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Posted on April 24 at 8:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Ethanol contains 30% less energy per gallon than gasoline. So right off the bat, you lose 3% for a 90/10 gasoline-ethanol blend. This is simple physics. Beyond that, ethanol could impact your fuel system, causing further degradation over time, but this would be more likely at higher concentrations.

Ethanol releases 20% less CO2 per gallon than gasoline, yet provides 30% less energy. So the same amount of driving for an ethanol-fueled vehicle, you'll actually put MORE CO2 into the atmosphere. Someone call Al Gore before it's too late.

Also, corn is a lousy fuel source. Ethanol production took up about 1/3 of our domestic crop last year without meeting a significant fraction of our energy needs, driving up worldwide food prices in the process. Cellulosic ethanol from switchgrass would be cheaper and be better for the environment.

In the longer term, plug-in hybrid vehicles (powered by nuclear, solar, and wind, in that order) are the answer, perhaps with switchgrass-based ethanol in place of gasoline for trips that exceed the battery capacity of these vehicles. Better mass transit and urban planning would also help immensely.

On Chattanooga: Mixed fuel for your tank