Ethanol industry finds voice on E12

Now that we've covered the ethanol-related debate surrounding a move from E10 to E15 from almost every angle, it's time to move on to a discussion about E12. With the Environmental Protection Agency choosing to postpone its decision regarding E15 until further testing can be conducted, an interim move to E12 is now the suggested solution by farmers, ethanol blenders and proponents of renewable fuels.

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) have teamed up to convince the EPA that an immediate move to E12 is necessary. The three groups issued a joint letter to EPA administrator Lisa Jackson, a portion of which reads:

Based on the EPA's delay in acting upon the full E15 waiver and on our concerns that the Agency will restrict the use of E15 to cars made in 2001 and thereafter, we encourage the EPA to formally approve the use of E12 for all motor vehicles as an immediate interim step pending any ongoing additional testing on E15.

While a move to E12 may seem harmless to some, we still believe that even a two percent increase in ethanol content in gasoline should trigger thorough testing prior to approval. Click here to read the entire letter sent to the EPA and voice your opinion on E12 in the comment box below.

[Source: Domestic Fuel | Image: r-z – C.C. License 2.0]