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There has been ethanol in gasoline for a lot longer than most people suspect. Henry Ford's first car was actually powered solely by this biofuel back in 1896. Standard Oil began using it in its fuel formulas in the 1920s to help engine performance. It wasn't until the latter part of the twentieth century that this sustainable fuel product began to be sold commercially. The combination of rising oil prices and environmental concerns has resulted in the use of this additive as a replacement for other petroleum-based ingredients that power the nation's vehicles. In recent years, there has been a growing controversy over the accepted amount of ethanol in gasoline; trying to balance costs, environmental concerns, and performance has made this a somewhat daunting task. The legal limit for gasoline-powered engines is 10 percent; some producers of this product are in the process of obtaining a waiver to increase the permissible amount to 15 percent. This is where the conflict between manufacturers of engines and producers of this renewable energy source is the sharpest. Proponents of increasing the amount of ethanol in gasoline cite the compelling argument that since this product is produced domestically, increasing its usage would help reduce dependence on foreign fuel supplies. As the industry grows, the number of American jobs that would result would also increase. Lastly, since this renewable energy source is less environmentally harmful than its petroleum counterparts, the overall quality of life both within the country and elsewhere could be improved. The arguments of opponents are also compelling. Manufacturers point out that the lower energy content of these fuel blends ultimately translates into more fuel usage and higher prices for the consumer. The newer flex-fuel vehicles, which use a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, actually have a lower gas mileage than their traditional counterparts. A second argument is that older engines (those made before 2001) are not approved for the newer blends and could suffer damages. Lastly, there is an ongoing discussion as to whether land that can be used for growing food crops should, instead, be used to produce crops for fuel. With all of these competing positions, measuring the level of ethanol in gasoline is more important than ever. With the number of suppliers increasing, end-user merchants need to be able to verify that the products that they receive are blended correctly and are the fuel loads that were specified in their orders. State-of-the-art instruments, such as portable computerized analyzers and infrared spectrometers can be used on-site to provide information in as little as a minute. With this information, merchants and end-users can rest assured that the fuel that they are using is in line with the specifications for their particular application. When seeking more information about ethanol in gasoline, visit http://wilksir.com/products/ethanol-blend-analyzers.html.
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