Wood Bioenergy » E15

EPA Releasing E15 Decision Late Summer

Web Editor — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:58:43 +0000

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will decide by late summer whether to allow higher levels of ethanol to be blended into standard transportation gasoline, the head of the agency recently reported. The EPA is considering an industry request for a waiver from federal rules to allow gasoline to contain up to 15% ethanol. EPA administrator Lisa Jackson said the agency is on track to receive final Energy Department testing results by May. “We expect that once we get that additional data…then EPA will be in a position to move toward the final decision on waiver, late summer is the time period,” Jackson told lawmakers at a recent Senate budget hearing. In December, EPA officials said initial tests showed vehicles made after 2001 probably will be able to use gasoline blended with as much as 15% ethanol.

Pols Ask GAO To Study E15 Impact

Web Editor — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:55:36 +0000

Two U.S. congressmen have asked the Government Accountability Office to study the impact of boosting the amount of ethanol that is blended into U.S. gasoline supplies following a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency statement that it may approve next summer an industry proposal to increase the volume of ethanol in gasoline by 50%—by going from 10% to 15% ethanol (E15).

Representatives Joe Barton of Texas and Greg Walden of Oregon, both Republicans who requested the GAO study, said there are concerns that automakers’ warranties may be voided if gasoline with more than 10% ethanol is used and that higher ethanol blends could also damage engines in lawnmowers, boats, chain saws and small tractors.

“Congress may consider whether the federal government should assume liability for costs associated with increasing ethanol blends,” the lawmakers wrote. “It is imperative that Congress have some measure of the potential costs of infrastructure and liability risks, should higher blends be mandated.”

The lawmakers asked the GAO to find out the federal government’s risk if it allowed intermediate blends of ethanol, such as gasoline that contains 12 percent ethanol, and assumed liability for damage done to vehicles and non-auto engines. They also wanted to know what research has been conducted on the effects intermediate ethanol blends would have on engines.

The request also asked GAO to spell out the economic challenges of building pipelines that would be dedicated for moving ethanol supplies from the Midwest to the East and West coasts since ethanol can be corrosive when mixed with other petroleum products in current pipeline configurations.

Refiners Want 15 Liability Waiver

Web Editor — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:07:21 +0000

The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to rule this week whether 15% ethanol-blended gasoline will now become the nation’s standard transportation fuel, but that doesn’t mean the higher E15 gas-ethanol blend will be found at the pump any time soon: even if the agency approves the switch—the agency has already asked for more time and information—refiners are saying they won’t put more ethanol into their gasoline unless Congress gives them protection from potential lawsuits from motorists or consumers who claim the ethanol hurt their engines.

Just because the agency can approve higher ethanol content, “that doesn’t mean anybody is forced to sell it,” said Charles Drevna, president of the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association. The group may not want to use E15, but they still must comply with the federal usage mandates. Refiners could do that by purchasing credits, instead of buying the actual ethanol. Liability issue isn’t the only concern for refiners. They are operating under capacity because gasoline consumption is down and adding more ethanol to their fuel means gasoline usage could fall still more.

The pro-ethanol trade group Growth Energy and 54 ethanol manufacturers petitioned the EPA last March to allow gasoline rated as standard transportation fuel to contain up to 15% ethanol by volume. The group filed the request as an emergency waiver appeal to forego the usual multi-year data gathering and research process associated with such fuel changes. According to agency rules, the appeal required a yea or nay response within six months, yet in mid November agency officials said that time frame won’t likely be met. The head of the EPA said the agency may have to work past the December 1 deadline because it is still reviewing test results on the engine effects of higher blend rates on a variety of products.