FAQ
Can I fill up my vehicle at Renew?
Renew features fuels for all gas vehicles. If you can use unleaded gasoline, you can fill up at a Renew station with a credit card, debit card, or cash.
What is ethanol and what is it made from?
Ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, is essentially alcohol made either from sugars or by converting starches to sugars then fermenting them. U.S. Ethanol, while commonly made from corn starches, is made from a variety of sources including sorghum, wood pulp, grass, cheese whey, and a host of other bio-mass materials.
Is it safe for my vehicle?
Absolutely. Ethanol burns cleanly and leaves fewer deposits in your engine. Today's vehicles are designed to use a blend of ethanol. Every auto manufacturer has endorsed the use of up to 10% ethanol in their vehicle since 1980.
Do I need to add additives to the fuel?
No. Most additives are designed to keep fuel lines clean or to keep them from freezing. One of the many benefits of ethanol is it acts as a fuel line cleaner and prohibits freezing.
Will I get the same gas mileage?
While ethanol contains fewer British Thermal Units (BTUs) of energy compared to gasoline, variables such as speed, air filter clarity, tire pressure, driving habits, road condition, etc., have much greater impact than the addition of ethanol to your fuel. If you are using unleaded plus, these factors will contribute to loss of fuel economy much more than the addition of 10% ethanol. If you are using E85, you may notice a drop in miles per gallon due to the greater amount of ethanol, but at the lower cost per gallon compared to straight gasoline the benefits should be measured in miles per dollar. Example: a vehicle with a 25-gallon tank averages around 300 miles on a tank of gasoline at $3.00/gallon. The same vehicle averages around 265 miles on a tank of E85 at $2.25/gallon. It costs the driver of the vehicle 25 cents for every mile on gasoline, but only 21 cents per mile using E85.
How do I know which fuel I can use?
Renew currently offers three fuel blends – Unleaded Plus (89 Octane), E20, and E85. All gasoline vehicles can use Unleaded Plus which is very similar to the gas found at other stations. E85 and E20 are for use in flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs). To determine if your vehicle is a FFV, see the "Can i use E85?" Quick Link on this page.
What is the difference between a flexible fuel vehicle (FFV) and a regular vehicle?
A FFV allows you to fuel your vehicle with E85, gasoline, or any blend of ethanol in between. Essentially, there is little difference between how a FFV and a regular vehicle is constructed or operates. The three notable areas are the fuel tank, line, and sensor. The fuel tank will be made of a material other than aluminum and the fuel lines will be teflon-coated, because alcohol in large quantities over long periods of time may cause corrosion on certain rubber or aluminum components. The final difference, the fuel sensor, gauges the ratio of ethanol to gasoline and adjusts the injection system to adjust for the difference. The cost difference between a FFV and a regular vehicle is minimal compared to other options and features available for vehicles.
Can I use E20 or E85 even if my vehicle is not an FFV?
If your vehicle is not an FFV, use of any percentage of ethanol over 10% is not covered by warranty or endorsed by the EPA. Some people have reported successful use of higher percentages of ethanol in regular, unmodified vehicles, but more long term studies are required before Renew or the EPA will endorse the use. Use of ethanol percentages over 30% may also cause computer sensors in newer non flex fuel vehicles to set off check engine lights or cause other performance issues. The first course of action would be to remove some of the fuel and replace it with straight gasoline or to take the vehicle to your maintenance shop to have the issues resolved.
Can i convert my existing vehicle to run E85?
While there currently are conversion systems on the market available online or through retailers, Renew does not endorse any particular conversion as their use may void existing manufacturers warranties.
Do ethanol-based fuels take more energy to make than petroleum-based fuels?
According to the latest U.S. Department of Energy studies, to make 1 BTU of energy, ethanol requires .74 BTUs of fossil fuels compared to 1.24 BTUs of fossil fuels to make 1 BTU of gasoline energy. Advances in production such as heat exchangers and alternative energy such as replacing natural gas with methane created from agricultural waste will only increase the energy efficiency over time.
Does ethanol take away from food sources?
Ethanol made from corn has received much criticism. First, not all ethanol is made from corn, but the ethanol that is is not as bad as some would lead the public to believe. In 2006, only 9% of all corn crops were for human consumption in products like cereal, sweeteners, etc. No corn is grown strictly for the production of ethanol. The majority (over 65%) is grown as a feed for livestock. This is the corn that can be diverted for ethanol production without removing it from the food chain. The corn is harvested and milled by the ethanol manufacturer where the germ and oils are removed to be sold into other industries. The remaining grain is cooked and added with enzymes to remove the starches. These starches are converted to sugars and fermented to make ethanol. The remaining high-fiber and protein product, commonly called distillers grains, is used as a feed for livestock at a significantly reduced price over the straight corn. Last year, only 20% of the crop went into the ethanol production chain meaning there is still a significant amount of corn available without effecting food sources. Reports regarding rising food costs due to ethanol production are speculation and more likely can be attributed to rising transportation costs or other inflationary reactions.
Can ethanol be made from other sources?
Ethanol can be made from any crop high in starch or sugar. Corn is currently used in the us due to its availability to be grown in a variety of climates, high yield for starches, relatively low cost, and multiple end products throughout the process. Other countries such as brazil have used sugar cane due to availability in their climate. It is likely the future of ethanol in the us will include the use of cellulosic ethanol. Cellulosic biomass – corn stalks and husks, straw, sawdust, grasses, etc. - holds tremendous promise due to it's widespread availability, lower costs, and high potential for yield. The problem currently facing the industry is, unlike in grain such as corn, the sugars in cellulose are locked in complex carbohydrates called polysaccharides, or long chains of simple sugars. While there are few operations currently using this type of stock, separating these sugars in an efficient and economical way is essential to the future. Realizing the future in the market, enzyme companies are hard at work at enzymes that are strong enough for the process, leading experts to believe the technology is on the way in the near future.
What is the ethanol "subsidy"?
The "subsidies" attributed to the ethanol industry is actually the volumetric ethanol excise tax credit, better known as the blenders credit. Ironically, this 51 cent per gallon credit does not go to the ethanol industry, but rather to the oil industry as an incentive for oil companies to mix ethanol into its gasoline. Left to their own devises, most oil companies would not choose to use any renewable fuel such as ethanol because it is not something they produce, even though blending it with gasoline increases octane allowing them to charge a premium for it. At renew, we do not buy pre-blended fuel from the oil companies. Our fuel is blended at each station at the time of purchase. This allows us to pass along the tax credit created for the oil companies back to the consumers reflected in the price of the fuel.
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