HT to my direct boss :)

The Houston Chronicle posted an AP report (link dead) about brewing your own ethanol to add to gasoline.

Adding 15 percent ethanol to $3 gasoline reduces the cost to $2.40 per gallon, McClanahan said.

A blend with 85 percent ethanol cuts the cost to $1.09 for a blended gallon, she said.

Sasher’s stills, which stand about 6 feet and easily fit in a garage corner, sell for about $1,400. Blueprints each sell for about $45, and buyers who are good salvagers can build a still themselves for less than $1,000, McClanahan said.

A quick run on the numbers gives us an idea when the savings pay for the cost of the still.

Sample calculation: Commercial still, 15% ethanol for normal vehicles
$1400 commercial still
$2.40 E15, or 60 cents/gal savings on $3 gas
$1400/$.60 = 2333 gallons to pay out

Number of gallons needed to pay for still
E85 E15
Home-built still 523 1666
Purchased still 732 2333
Number of fill-ups, 20 gal tank
E85 E15
Home-built still 26 84
Purchased still 37 117

Brewing your own also has disposal costs for the mash that is produced. I’m told it can be fed to farm animals.

I was looking at Ford’s Flexible Fuel Vehicle fleet site and noticed the following:

“** FFV powertrains are not available in CA, NY, MA, VT & ME.”

FFV not a good thing in some of the “greenest” states? Interesting.

Related from Forbes Auto: Hybrids Stuck in Neutral