September 29, 2010
Energy Department to Report on E15
Published in DTN
The Department of Energy this week is expected to release a report to the Environmental Protection Agency summarizing DOE's research on what effects, if any, a fuel blend of 85 percent gasoline and 15 percent ethanol would have on the engines of cars and trucks manufactured in 2007 and afterward.
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson last week said her agency would need around two weeks following receipt of the analysis before deciding whether to grant a request for a waiver that would allow such a blend. And, according to Jackson, a second round of DOE vehicle testing for 2001-2006 model vehicles is expected to be released by the end of the year. (DOE Administrator Steven Chu says the tests would be done by the end of November.)
One thing to keep in mind is that even if E15 is approved for some vehicles, it will not be in retail service stations for a long time after the EPA announcement. Before E15 is routinely available, both federal and state regulators will need to rewrite some of their current rules. And, service stations would need to adequately label their fuel pumps to help consumers avoid putting an unapproved fuel into their cars and trucks. However, a favorable decision by EPA would allow this process to begin.
