Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - How much energy does it take to produce a gallon of gasoline?

NeilBlanchard · 10-30-2011, 11:53 PM

Patrick, if the overhead of making the electricity is counted for the EV, then it also has to be counted for making the electricity used in making the gasoline.

So, this overhead "cancels out" since it is on both sides of the equation. This is the main point!

If the gasoline has all that electricity (and also a lot of natural gas and a lot of water -- which each have their own embedded electricity use!) embedded in it, then it is the same proportion of overhead for both the gasoline car and the EV.

With today's crude oil getting lower and lower quality (re: the tar sands in particular and heavy sour crude) then the energy used to produce and to transport the makings of gasoline gets higher and higher. Heck, they are using solar heat to loosen really thick crude (see post #63 in this thread) -- and lots and lots of natural gas and lots and lots of water -- just to get the stuff up out of the ground.

Pumping the tar sand goop through many of miles of pipeline takes *lubrication* (!!!) and a lot of pumping energy. Pumps are not particularly efficient. The pumps used to get water that is then heated to wash the sand out of the tar, that is then dumped out into pools, and all the electricity to get the water alone is probably staggering.

And refining this stuff takes more effort and energy -- and it yields less quality fuel.

The best equation I can think of is the 110MPGe Edison2 VLC (which burns E85, so the alcohol has it's own proportion of energy overhead that is probably higher than that of gasoline) compared to the 245MPGe VLCe. I think it works out that the ICE powered VLC uses about ~2/3 as much electricity as the VLCe -- but remember that is only the *electricity* used to make the E85! When you add in the carbon in the fuel itself, and the natural gas used to make it (both fertilizer and at the refinery) and the diesel used to make it (farm equipment and transportation) and the oil used in the crankcase (can't forget about regular maintenance!) -- then the EV looks better and better.

Folks, these are facts, not opinions.

10-30-2011, 11:53 PM	#71 (permalink)
NeilBlanchard Master EcoModder Join Date: May 2008 Location: Maynard, MA Eaarth Posts: 7,908 Mica Blue - '05 Scion xA RS 2.0 Team Toyota 90 day: 42.48 mpg (US) Forest - '15 Nissan Leaf S Team Nissan 90 day: 156.46 mpg (US) Number 7 - '15 VW e-Golf SEL TEAM VW AUDI Group 90 day: 155.81 mpg (US) Thanks: 3,475 Thanked 2,952 Times in 1,845 Posts	Patrick, if the overhead of making the electricity is counted for the EV, then it also has to be counted for making the electricity used in making the gasoline. So, this overhead "cancels out" since it is on both sides of the equation. This is the main point! If the gasoline has all that electricity (and also a lot of natural gas and a lot of water -- which each have their own embedded electricity use!) embedded in it, then it is the same proportion of overhead for both the gasoline car and the EV. With today's crude oil getting lower and lower quality (re: the tar sands in particular and heavy sour crude) then the energy used to produce and to transport the makings of gasoline gets higher and higher. Heck, they are using solar heat to loosen really thick crude (see post #63 in this thread) -- and lots and lots of natural gas and lots and lots of water -- just to get the stuff up out of the ground. Pumping the tar sand goop through many of miles of pipeline takes lubrication (!!!) and a lot of pumping energy. Pumps are not particularly efficient. The pumps used to get water that is then heated to wash the sand out of the tar, that is then dumped out into pools, and all the electricity to get the water alone is probably staggering. And refining this stuff takes more effort and energy -- and it yields less quality fuel. The best equation I can think of is the 110MPGe Edison2 VLC (which burns E85, so the alcohol has it's own proportion of energy overhead that is probably higher than that of gasoline) compared to the 245MPGe VLCe. I think it works out that the ICE powered VLC uses about ~2/3 as much electricity as the VLCe -- but remember that is only the electricity used to make the E85! When you add in the carbon in the fuel itself, and the natural gas used to make it (both fertilizer and at the refinery) and the diesel used to make it (farm equipment and transportation) and the oil used in the crankcase (can't forget about regular maintenance!) -- then the EV looks better and better. Folks, these are facts, not opinions. __________________ Sincerely, Neil http://neilblanchard.blogspot.com/ Last edited by NeilBlanchard; 10-31-2011 at 12:10 AM..