Ethanol demand has increased as gasoline prices have increased, but gasoline supply remains more favorable in most states. Only São Paulo, Goiás, Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso had, last week, more advantage when filling the car tank with hydrated ethanol, according to the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP). In this way, know how to calculate the advantage of ethanol over gasoline.
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Calculate the advantage of ethanol over gasoline
We can calculate the advantage of ethanol when we take into account that biofuels have an average of 70% of the calorific power of gasoline, that is, of total fuel burning. So, to check if ethanol offers more advantage, multiply the value of a liter of gasoline by 0.7. Therefore, if the result is lower than the liter of ethanol, it is better to fill the tank with gasoline.
However, if this value is higher, ethanol will be considered a better choice. In this way, if the price of ethanol is less than 70% of the price of gasoline, the former will be more beneficial for your pocket. If it's bigger, then choose gasoline as the fueling option.
According to the ANP survey, in the week ended March 26, the average price of gasoline per liter in the country was R$7,210, ranging from R$6,099 to R$8,949. A liter of ethanol costs an average of R$ 4.952, ranging from R$ 4.099 to R$ 7.899. Thus, in 22 states (including the Federal District), the regular price of gasoline is more competitive than the average price of ethanol.
São Paulo: main consumer and producer
In the state of São Paulo, considered the main producer and consumer, the average price of hydrous ethanol is R$ 4.686 per liter, meaning a parity of 68.34% in relation to the average price of gasoline (in the amount of R$ 6,857).
However, now considering the state of Rio de Janeiro, the average price of hydrous ethanol is R$5.915. In this case, the cost is equivalent to 76.88% of the price of gasoline, so it is less competitive.
In the national average of more than 4,000 service stations surveyed by the ANP, a liter of ethanol costs 68.7% of the price of gasoline (R$ 7.27), indicating a small advantage for the biofuel, ethanol. However, it is important to remember that this ratio varies greatly between seasons and between cities – so research is required.
