Flying in the face of current policy, there’s finally been an emissions study of blended fuel.
The head of Environment Canada’s toxic emissions research was quoted as saying,
“Looking at tailpipe emissions,
from a greenhouse gas perspective,
there really isn’t much difference between ethanol and gasoline.”
The study found no statistical difference between the greenhouse gas emissions of regular unleaded fuel and 10 per cent ethanol blended fuel. Although the study found a reduction in carbon monoxide, a pollutant that forms smog, emissions of some other gases, such as hydrocarbons, actually increased under certain conditions.
Others are responding by pointing out that the issue is more than just tailpipe emissions. It’s between the tailpipe and the whole cycle. [story]