Detractors can talk all they want, but the math cannot be argued. Ethanol blends at the pump are saving consumers real money, especially when the fuel retailers pass along the full value to their customers.

With oil prices where they are, wholesale ethanol prices are extremely favorable when compared to wholesale gasoline. Last week, the average savings was 92 cents per gallon at the wholesale level.

If you put pencil to paper, the math works out like this:

For a 20 gallon “fill up” at a 10 percent ethanol blend (over 94% of all fuel sold in the U.S. is a 10 percent ethanol blend):

                   $1.84 savings

Research shows that there is no appreciable loss in fuel economy at a 10% blend! So snip that argument in the bud if you hear it!

Just imagine the savings if the allowable blend level was bumped to 15%, as the U.S. EPA as approved for car models 2001 and newer. AGAIN, research shows less than a 1% mileage loss when going from E10 to E15.