[Healeys] Ethenol from Time Magazine

[WILLIAM B LAWRENCE]

What everyone glosses over is that ethanol is a piss poor motor fuel 
containing only about 65% of the heat capacity of gasoline and much less 
than fuel oil. The price increase may only be 30% of the increase in 
gasoline, but if you are lucky you will only about break even in the fuel 
economy comparison. My old Rover gets about 18 miles per gallon on unblended 
fuel, but drops to 15 MPG on the winter ethanol blend. The more ethanol the 
lower the fuel economy. The energy produced by a fuel depends on the number 
of carbon/hydrogen bonds that are broken in the combustion process. I don't 
care what fuel you choose the energy produced will be limited by that 
immutable fact.

Bill Lawrence.