Did you know that gasoline and diesel fuel are more expensive in the warmer months than in the cooler months? That’s because different types and blends of fuel must be used depending on the temperature in order for automobiles to burn gas efficiently and in accordance with EPA standards. Main Energy, a fuel oil provider in Palmyra, NY, explains why fuel prices are lower in the winter than in the summer.

Gasoline is a volatile substance that is made up of compounds and hydrocarbons, which determine how quickly it will burn and evaporate. Because fuel will burn and evaporate at a different rate at different temperatures, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that gas and diesel must be blended differently when the temperature changes.

The additives that are used in blending the different types of gasoline are what make the fuel more or less expensive. In the winter time, gas used in cold regions—particularly those in the northern part of the U.S.—is blended with higher vapor pressure compounds so that it can evaporate in the cold. 

In the hot summer months, gasoline needs expensive compounds to help it burn cleaner. One might think that winter gas should be used all year round to keep gas prices down, but this wouldn’t be good for the environment; winter gasoline would emit more toxic fumes in the hot weather than it would in the cold weather. Therefore, cars need the right gasoline or diesel not only to work properly all year round, but also to limit the harmful byproducts of the fuel as it is consumed.

For more information on how Main Energy can serve your diesel or gasoline needs in any season, call (315) 597-5200 or visit the fuel provider on the web.