Ethanol has been added to 'gasoline' because it burns cooler and thus reduces nitrous oxide emissions that have to be cleaned up by your catalytic converter. With less EGR needed to make it cook better, your engine is no longer adding lots of unburned fuel to heat the converter up to operating temperatures and keep it there.
That’s an interesting view you have there. I don’t think “ethanol has been added to gasoline
because, it burns cooler”. Pretty sure it’s mandated for other political reasons,
Straight ethanol burns at a very slightly lower temperature than straight gasoline does. Like 3% lower temperature.
At 10, or 15% concentrations, the temperature difference is almost negligible.
The whole process of internal combustion engines is simply turning heat, into pressure, resulting in piston movement. You can’t say it burns cooler, without admitting it will result in less pressure/power. The adjustment, of course, is more ethanol is fed to the engine to produce the same power. Since ethanol contains oxygen, an engine can produce more power, but it’s consuming more fuel.
The big ethanol lobby industry has had ample time and funding to convince people, that ethanol is better for the environment ( regarding your EGR, catalytic comments), but the fact is, you’ll find studies have shown reductions in some pollutants, but increases in others, when comparing 85% E85.
Not very impressive for so much lobbying money.
Lastly, regarding burning cooler, this video shows how engines not computer controlled, will most likely run hotter, not cooler.