Advantages of E85
The main advantage of E85 is ecological - it emits just one quarter of the CO2 produced by conventional petrol. It is produced from renewable resources and as can be seen from the illustration below, its production consumes far less equivalent crude oil than does conventional petrol.
Consumption compared with non-renewable primary energy
As can be seen in the illustration below, it requires four times more non-renewable primary energy (expressed in litres of crude oil) to produce 1 l of conventional petrol than it does to produce 1 l of bioethanol.
E85 also has economic advantages. Its price is not subject to the same geopolitical uncertainties as oil, which is likely to continue to rise over the long term. The raw materials can be produced in Switzerland, which would provide an outlet for agricultural and forestry products while securing a more reliable supply chain for the country. Moreover, from 2007 onwards, bioethanol will enjoy general tax exemption on the federal level. The cantons should also encourage the production and use of E85 by introducing tax incentives. In Sweden, flexi-fuel vehicles (FFVs) benefit from other advantages as well, such as free parking, no-pay access to centre Stockholm, etc. It is also of note that FFVs develop higher power when they run on E85 (results obtained with the Saab BioPower).
Where can I fill up with bioethanol?
More and more service stations are selling bioethanol petrol. To find the service station nearest you, click here.
