U.S. EPA considering E15 labeling changes at gas pumps: sources

[wemay]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering changes to labels for gasoline containing higher blends of ethanol, or E15, in an effort to appease the biofuel industry's concerns that current labels discourage use of the fuel, according to four sources familiar with the matter.

Expanding the market for E15 has long been a policy goal for farmers and producers of ethanol, a corn-based product, but concerns that some older vehicles don't run well on the product have been a headwind. Current federal E15 labels warn of possible engine damage.

The Trump administration, meanwhile, has been trying to shore up support in the Farm Belt ahead of the election through favorable announcements for biofuel advocates.

An announcement for a proposal on the labeling changes could come soon, two of the sources said. None of the sources could say exactly how the administration might alter the labeling.

EPA and the White House did not immediately comment.

President Donald Trump in mid-September said in a tweet he would allow states to permit fuel retailers to use their current pumps to sell E15.

Under U.S. law, refiners must blend billions of gallons of biofuels into their fuel pool, or buy credits from those that do. Refiners that prove the requirements harm them financially can get waivers from the obligations.

So-called small refinery exemptions, or SREs, have been a lightning rod of controversy between the Corn and Oil lobbies. Biofuel advocates say the exemptions hurt demand for their product, while the oil industry refutes that and says the waivers helps small refiners stay afloat.

The Trump administration in September sided with farmers in the ongoing debate when it rejected scores of requests from refiners for waivers that would have retroactively spared them from their obligation.

U.S. EPA considering E15 labeling changes at gas pumps: sources

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering changes to labels for gasoline containing higher blends of ethanol, or E15, in an effort to appease the biofuel industry's concerns that current labels discourage use of the fuel, according to four sources familiar with the matter.

www.reuters.com

 

[LenZee]

I don't understand why we don't have a E100 option nationwide or Butanol.

 

[oldhp]

Current vehicles would not run on 100% ethanol to my knowledge. Heck in the colder northern states the auto makers flat say don't use E85 in winter because of hard starting issues. Less fuel mileage is not what you would think the government would want. I guess it saves "a lot" of oil per year, even though we have oil running out of ears now-a-days. IDK............

 

[LenZee]

Current vehicles would not run on 100% ethanol to my knowledge. Heck in the colder northern states the auto makers flat say don't use E85 in winter because of hard starting issues. Less fuel mileage is not what you would think the government would want. I guess it saves "a lot" of oil per year, even though we have oil running out of ears now-a-days. IDK............

I'm talking new vehicles specifically made to run on 100% alcohol. Other countries have them. Probably run much cleaner also. Quite a few southern states wouldn't have much of a problem running it year round.

 

[earlyre]

I don't understand why we don't have a E100 option nationwide or Butanol.

heck, we can't even get E 85 at most stations around here.. even though we have the refinery that produces 25% of the gas sold in Ohio, and Several Ethanol plants in the area...

Until Casey's moved in, we had maybe 2 stations with it in the county. Casey's increased that count by 3.
those 3 Casey's stations are the ONLY place in the county with "unleaded 88"(E 15).
and until a month or 2 ago, they were also the only places with any E0 gas. (they had E0 91, for 5cents more than their E10 91)
now, they've replaced that with E10 93, for a dime more than their E10 91. (every other station in the county has E10 93 as their premium for the price Casey's is charging for E10 91 )

what i've always wondered is why have both flex fuel and non flexfuel versions of the same engine? why not just make ALL of your new cars Flex.....the differences are injectors, Tune, and a sensor. maybe a bigger fuel pump. aftermarket sensors are around $100. In Bulk manufacturing situations, we're likely talking $100-$200 difference in the manufacturing cost per car for all the parts....

 

[oldhp]

heck, we can't even get E 85 at most stations around here.. even though we have the refinery that produces 25% of the gas sold in Ohio, and Several Ethanol plants in the area...

Until Casey's moved in, we had maybe 2 stations with it in the county. Casey's increased that count by 3.
those 3 Casey's stations are the ONLY place in the county with "unleaded 88"(E 15).
and until a month or 2 ago, they were also the only places with any E0 gas. (they had E0 91, for 5cents more than their E10 91)
now, they've replaced that with E10 93, for a dime more than their E10 91. (every other station in the county has E10 93 as their premium for the price Casey's is charging for E10 91 )

what i've always wondered is why have both flex fuel and non flexfuel versions of the same engine? why not just make ALL of your new cars Flex.....the differences are injectors, Tune, and a sensor. maybe a bigger fuel pump. aftermarket sensors are around $100. In Bulk manufacturing situations, we're likely talking $100-$200 difference in the manufacturing cost per car for all the parts....

Bad part is in Illinois E85 can be E51 to E83 and still be called E85. Why? Premium better be 93 octane when listed as such, but not E85. Stupid.

 

[MNgopher]

E85 doesn't work great in cold weather - so much so that even the E85 pumps here are labeled to contain anywhere from E70 to E85, depending on the season. So when the question gets asked, why not 100 percent ethanol, the weather in the north is big reason why. This is corn country, and we've had E10 forever, and E85 is widely present, and so is Super 88 E15. If it would work, you can bet it would have been tried here before...

 

[Dave9]

I don't understand why we don't have a E100 option nationwide or Butanol.

1) Most vehicles on the road are not new vehicles.

2) You're not personally going to every gas station and buying enough fuel to make that profitable for the stations to bother. There are replacement cycles where these kinds of things can be changed but it has to be cost effective.

3) It's not cost effective for consumers either, once you get rid of government subsidies it is more expensive per mile to use ethanol.

4) It will make more sense once we find more efficient biofuel manufacturing methods and more vehicles on the road can take higher alcohol fuel.

5) Many people want quite the opposite, to pull in every gas station and get 100% gasoline, E0, and not have to figure out if pump labeling is trying to trick them.

The obvious long term solution is not E100 or Li battery based EVs, it's biochem conversion of waste cellulose to gas for fuel cells. It is the only thing current tech can do to make sustainable fuel. Future tech is sure to provide superior solutions, will prove itself through cost effectiveness.

 

[gregk24]

Will E15 have a negative effect on engine and fuel system life?

 

[Skippy722]

Will E15 have a negative effect on engine and fuel system life?

Depends. I ran it in my caliber that was rated for E10 with no problems, while the manuals for both of my current vehicles say E15 is okay. I’d hesitate to put it in anything older though.

 

[chemman]

Skippy722, what year was your Caliber?

 

[Skippy722]

Skippy722, what year was your Caliber?

2012 with the 2.slow 4 cylinder.

 

[chemman]

Thanks. I'm considering trying it in my 04 TrailBlazer sometime.

 

[Revving2Redline]

1) Most vehicles on the road are not new vehicles.

2) You're not personally going to every gas station and buying enough fuel to make that profitable for the stations to bother. There are replacement cycles where these kinds of things can be changed but it has to be cost effective.

3) It's not cost effective for consumers either, once you get rid of government subsidies it is more expensive per mile to use ethanol.

4) It will make more sense once we find more efficient biofuel manufacturing methods and more vehicles on the road can take higher alcohol fuel.

5) Many people want quite the opposite, to pull in every gas station and get 100% gasoline, E0, and not have to figure out if pump labeling is trying to trick them.

The obvious long term solution is not E100 or Li battery based EVs, it's biochem conversion of waste cellulose to gas for fuel cells. It is the only thing current tech can do to make sustainable fuel. Future tech is sure to provide superior solutions, will prove itself through cost effectiveness.

Oklahoma been resisting ethanol for the longest. I myself try not to buy it and if I have to its QT 91 e10 til I can get back to real fuel. These high ethanol fuels also seem to worry car manufacturer car manuals as oci recommended is dropped significantly so thats telling me its harder on the oil. More oil changes,energy spent,landfills clogged up on oil filters and the list goes on. I'm sure its great on a I-70 or I-80 on a 70 degree day going about 80mph or more.