More gas stations to sell biogasoline

Monday 28th April, 06:08 AM JST

TOKYO —

The Petroleum Association of Japan says that 50 gas stations will launch biogasoline sales in fiscal 2008. The number of Japanese service stations offering biogasoline will increase to 100. Sales started in fiscal 2007 at 50 gas stations in Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures—Saitama, Kanagawa and Chiba.

Of the 50 additional outlets, 39 are in Tokyo and the three prefectures, and 11 are in five other prefectures—Osaka, Miyagi, Gunma, Ibaraki and Shizuoka.

Biogasoline is made by blending ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE), a mixture of plant-derived bioethanol and a petroleum gas called isobutene, with gasoline. The proportion of ETBE in biogasoline stands at 7%.

Biogasoline is more environmentally friendly than regular gasoline.

The association plans to make biogasoline available at service stations throughout the country by fiscal 2010.

JCN

15 Comments

nisegaijin at 10:08 AM JST - 28th April

They should ban this stuff. Not only it destroys engines, it deprives us from our food!
jambon at 10:50 AM JST - 28th April

a mixture of plant-derived bioethanol

(cough) Corn?
Fair dinkum! at 12:48 PM JST - 28th April

Yeah, I don't think I'll be putting it in my Legacy.
Hikozaemon at 03:06 PM JST - 28th April

Check this out - some people run their car for free on this kind of stuff: http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=CsUgM8Mi3J0
Weasel at 03:11 PM JST - 28th April

Expect to see fuel economy go down by a few percentage points when you use "biogasoline" (I.E. ethanol) in your car. One study by Consumer Reports a couple of years ago (http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/new-cars/news/2006/ethanol-10-06/overview/1006ethanolov1_1.htm) found that the fuel economy dropped 27% when E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gas) was used as a fuel source. Considering that ethanol only has 65% of the BTU's that gasoline has, so much for "thinking green."

It would be interesting to know what is the percentage of ethanol or whatever "biogasoline" is comprised of that's being used at these ever growing fuel stations.
nisegaijin at 05:55 PM JST - 28th April

Yeah, I don't think I'll be putting it in my Legacy.

I am not putting it in my Legacy either :-) www.legacygt.com
some14some at 11:23 PM JST - 28th April

More gas stations to sell biogasoline? if so, few supermarkets will sell food stuff ! +-=- !
WhiteHawk at 02:14 AM JST - 29th April

Oh yeah, that's what we need to do - compete with our cars for food.
adaydream at 02:36 AM JST - 29th April

They are doing it here with great success in the states. Corn and wheat farmers are making money hand over fist. Produce has jumped in prices not seen except over the period of six months to a year in a matter days.

Now we get gasoline that doesn't get as good of mileage as pure gasoline, it cost even more every day and we get to pay more at the grocery stores.
WhiteHawk at 03:47 AM JST - 29th April

Yep, corn has tripled in price just since 2005. I remember my late grandfather grew tobacco as his money crop, and grew corn every other year to preserve the soil. I guess corn would be his money crop now.

Will the true alternative fuel source please stand up?
Nessie at 09:21 AM JST - 29th April

my late grandfather grew tobacco as his money crop, and grew corn every other year to preserve the soil. I guess corn would be his money crop now

That...or weed.
presto345 at 07:35 PM JST - 29th April

Greed is as always the name of the game, which goes hand in hand with dumb policies. Trying to reduce CO2 emissions by starving millions of people - depriving them of their basic food needs by causing spiraling food prices.
usaexpat at 12:17 AM JST - 30th April

Nope the world food crisis has nothing to do with the myth of bio-fuels. Let's get working on more hydrogen cars, Mazda has a fleet of hydrogen powered RX-8s running around California I hear. This is the future not bio-diesel and ethanol.
usaexpat at 12:17 AM JST - 30th April

Nope the world food crisis has nothing to do with the myth of bio-fuels. Let's get working on more hydrogen cars, Mazda has a fleet of hydrogen powered RX-8s running around California I hear. This is the future not bio-diesel and ethanol.
WhiteHawk at 02:07 AM JST - 30th April

Nessie, that er, crop wasn't in demand as much during his time. Tobacco had more demand and held more profit. But there are a few pot farms in the area now. Not as many as there are meth houses. It's sad, really.

Say, I wonder if we can get cars to run on either of those...?