Pictures 1 and 2: Tom and I at a fueling station talking to the manager. Upon request, he tested a small sample of gasoline. All gasoline sold in Brazil (for any kind of Otto-cycle combustion engine - cars, boats, etc.) is required to have between 20% and 25% anhydrous ethanol. The exact amount is determined by government regulation and changes throughout the year, according to the supply of ethanol on the domestic market. Dishonest distributors and station owners, however, adulterate the product by adding ethanol above the legally-permitted limit (credit: Picture 1: Tom MacDonald).
Picture 3: In this case, the sample, which is always collected from the pump in the presence of the customer, contained 75% gasoline and 25% anhydrous ethanol, meeting government specifications.
From April to September 2007, I traveled around Brazil comparing the Brazilian and American biofuels market. In August I was joined by Tom MacDonald, senior alcohol fuels specialist with the California Energy Commission. All photos shown on Ethablog were taken during that time.
1 comment:
Interesting to learn that fuel stations / blenders may blend higher ethanol volumes than prescribed. As far as I am concerned, it is anhydrous ethanol that is blended, not hydrous ethanol.
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