105-Octane E85 From Reclaimed Beer
In our initial quest for information on E85, we were told the reason it was virtually nonexistent in California was because ethanol was only produced in the corn-belt states and the expense of shipping it cross-country was prohibitive. Another theory we learned directly from NEVC spokesperson Michelle Kautz was E85 is not CARB-approved and therefore hardly sold in California. We learned from the NEVC's website there were three E85 outlets in California-only one is accessible to the general public-so the information we were gathering wasn't quite adding up. We delved deeper into the State of California's website and learned that it wasn't E85 that was not approved, but the E85 fuel nozzle itself. "E85 components have not been certified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB)." It went on to state, "A vapor recovery equipment manufacturer working in collaboration with R&D applicants working together may submit an application for an E85-compatible vapor recovery system." This means the E85 nozzles currently in use in California are operating under an R&D permit. Apparently, no manufacturer wants to step up to the plate because there isn't a monetary incentive to market an E85 CARB-compliant nozzle.
The State of California spent millions of dollars on its failed EV (Electric Vehicle) recharge stations. Have they even considered E85 (Ethanol) as an alternative fuel? The following report is a direct quote from the State of California's website on the subject:
"Ethanol Raises Questions But Also Represents Opportunity For California
Ethanol, a form of alcohol derived from corn and other biological sources, has been used as a gasoline additive for many years. ARB's cleaner-burning gasoline regulation allows the use of ethanol. Ethanol use in California is expected to increase significantly even if the federal oxygen requirement is eliminated. For this reason, the Governor directed the ARB, the State Water Resources Control Board, and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment to perform an analysis of the health and environmental effects of the use of ethanol as a fuel oxygenate. The analysis found that there will be no significant risk to public health or the environment.
While most ethanol currently is produced from corn, it can be produced from agricultural waste, forest waste, and other types of 'biomass.' An increase in ethanol use in California could stimulate the formation of businesses that convert these waste products to ethanol. Because some agriculture and forest wastes are burned, air-quality improvements could occur in some areas if these wastes were instead converted to ethanol. The Governor directed the California Energy Commission (CEC) to conduct a study of the potential for a California-based 'biomass-to-ethanol' industry by the end of 1999. This study indicated that ethanol could be produced from biomass resources with technologies that are available in the near term. The CEC has also published a report on the costs and benefits of a California biomass-to-ethanol production industry."
Prior to discovering the state of California actually had a clue regarding E85, we ran across this article in the October 24, 2005, edition of the Denver Post."
Coors Doubling Its Fuel Ethanol From Waste Production.
Coors Brewing Company is doubling its current production of 1.5 million gallons of ethanol per year from beer waste by adding a second ethanol processing plant at its Aurora, Colorado, brewery. The ethanol is sold under a contract with Valero Energy Corp., which distributes the ethanol to Diamond Shamrock stations. The new $2.3-million plant will open later this month on the same site.
Coors and Merrick are also building a second facility to process waste biomass to ethanol. The biomass conversion plant will produce in excess of 4 million gallons per year of ethanol through conventional processes."
So much for the theory that shipping ethanol cross-country made it prohibitive; and Colorado isn't the only place that has breweries either. There are numerous breweries across California-Miller Brewing and Anheiser-Busch just to name a couple. One can only imagine how many million gallons of beer waste has already been poured into California's sewers.