Wonder if it was a different forum where I responded to this.
Alcohol burns very cleanly the by products of alcohol combustion are water and co2. This was of great benefit to me back in about 1978 by the way... I would rather not say why.
Richard Prior can do a much better job of explaining it than I can, (IN my case a space heater, alcohol fueled, flared in my face, He did the whole body experience).
Gasoline, I'm not sure how PURE gasoline burns (Have not looked it up) but there are several additives added to gasoline and they are kind of nasty when they burn.
That said, when one figures the formula there is more to it than has been discussed so far.
With booze in the tank there is one advantage, as little as 1-2 percent booze in the tank can prevent a problem I and others have had in the great frozen north,,, Gas Line Freezup.. Standard, back when it was Standard, used to advertise "My Advice Sir, Get De-Icer" De-Icer was HEET brand gas line antifreeze added to the underground tanks by the driver at least on occasion when he delivered fuel in the great north.. I can tell you it worked well. Three stories all of which I am personally involved in. (Upon reaquest only).
But at higher levels it harms engine performance so as has already been noted you really do not save that much gasoline.
Plus you have all the oil (Diesel or gasoline) the farmer used to plow, drag or disc, the land, Plant the seed (not to mention the petroleum based fertilizer), cultivate, and harvest the corn, Transport it to the elevator and from there to the still, and distill it to booze. I can see no way this benefits the enviorment.. I suspect the major benefits are
1: The OIL companies (increased sales)
2: Assorted middlemen (Increased after initial sale prices/mark up)
3: Some slight benefit to the farmer (Couple cents per bushel if he is lucky).
I might add the higher markups at the middlemen stage means higher cost of food both animal feed and people feed.
And for the record.. I grew up on a farm, I have prepared the ground, planted the seeds, cultivated and harvested corn.
