Will E-15 Ethanol Blend become the new standard for gas?

[Melensdad]

E-15 contributes to smog, but in a move to lower costs at the pump, the Biden administration is looking at a new rule that will allow E-15 year round across the nation. It also has slightly lower "energy" than the current standard gasoline. With less octane, it yields slightly less engine performance and slightly less fuel economy.

One has to wonder if the EPA will, in the future, switch this to the standard fuel for testing fuel economy of cars? In my skeptical mind, doing so would make it harder for auto manufacturers to meet the EPA's mandated fuel economy standards.

Biden To Okay Year-Round Sales of Higher-Ethanol Gasoline From 2025 | ZeroHedge

ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero

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Biden To Okay Year-Round Sales of Higher-Ethanol Gasoline From 2025​

By Tsvetana Paraskova of OilPrice.com​

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The Biden Administration will soon allow year-round sales of E15, gasoline with higher ethanol content, but only from 2025, to avoid potential regional spikes in gas prices ahead of the presidential election in November, sources with knowledge of the talks have told Reuters.​

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The Administration is prepared to approve by the end of March a request from Midwest governors – whose states are some of the battleground states in the presidential election – to allow year-round sales of E15, gasoline with 15% ethanol content.​

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Currently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has an effective ban on E15 fuel sales for the summer season because it contributes to smog, but in 2022 the ban was lifted for the summer sales in an emergency waiver to lower prices at the pump. ​

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Back in 2022, governors of Midwest states asked the EPA in a letter to issue a regulation applying to all fuel blends containing gasoline sold and supplied in Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The governors urged the EPA to issue a permanent fix and allow the sale of E15 year-round annually.​

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E15, or Unleaded 88, is a mix of regular gasoline and 15% ethanol, a plant-based fuel typically made from corn, and is cheaper for consumers, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers said at the time.​

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Last month, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) and seven additional Midwest renewable fuels groups asked the Biden Administration’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to finalize the Midwest Governors’ Year-Round E15 fix, which has now been delayed for a year and a half past the legal deadline, with the final rule sitting at the OMB for over a month.​

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“Quick adoption of the rule will ensure that motorists do not face fewer options and higher prices at the pump this summer,” said IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw.​

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The Biden Administration is inclined to approve the year-round sale of E15, Reuters sources say, but only from 2025 onwards, due to concerns that potential issues in supply logistics this year could raise the risk of regional shortages and higher gas prices just before the November election.​

 

[tommu56]

It won't work for me, I got old vehicles' that won't do E15

 

[Melensdad]

It won't work for me, I got old vehicles' that won't do E15

Not going to do a lot of good for lawn mowers and small engines either.

But when was the last time you saw the government take things like that into account or use common sense?

The whole push is to force people away from ICE engines, be they in lawn equipment or on-road vehicles.

 

[waybomb]

Who needs corn for anything but fuel?

 

[300 H and H]

Who needs corn for anything but fuel?

Fred you should know better. Beef, pork, and poultry all need it for feed. Not a big fan of ethanol, but it is what it is.

E10 will still be available. The title of the OP is not correct. It is not E85 that is the topic. But it shows that higher blends can be used.
Non ethanol gas will still be available as well for a price.

It will only be in 8 States for now. Maybe more later if it works well and consumers like to buy it. Nothing until after the 2024 elections.

 

[Smilingreen]

Did you know that E85 is not blended 85% ethanol? The maximum ethanol content is 83% and it can be as low as 51% and still be classified as E85. It never really made any sense to me, as to run it in a vehicle, you had to basically have a super charger on your engine or buy one of those strange flex fuel vehicles. You have to run a colder spark plug. It doesn't perform well in colder regions. Much harder to start an engine in colder regions. It absorbs water at a much higher rate and enhances corrosion on internal engine parts. It doesn't store well. And.........you get terrible fuel mileage burning it. Really not seeing much of a benefit here....