Today's gasolines include up to 10 percent ethanol. AutomakersPosted on 10/12/2010 10:35:43 AM PDT by Kaslin
Today's gasolines include up to 10 percent ethanol. Automakers
are opposing a move to boost the ethanol content to 15 percent.
Automakers are seeking to head off an EPA ruling that would allow gasoline to contain 15 percent ethanol, up from 10 percent now, and they've won some bipartisan congressional support.
The two main automaker industry lobbies have argued that the U.S. Department of Energy has done insufficient testing to assure that gasoline containing up to 15 percent ethanol won't harm vehicles.
Increased ethanol composition could affect engine durability, emissions, driveability and on-board diagnostics systems, the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers says.
In a Sept. 21 letter to the EPA, the other automaker lobby, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, wrote: "It is in the best interest of all participants, including EPA, DOE and the ethanol industry, that the agency not rule prematurely on such a sizable change significantly impacting government, industry and a huge national market of consumers."
Tests being performed by the industry and academia probably will be completed within a year, said General Motors Co. spokeswoman Sharon Basel.
The EPA, responding to a request from ethanol makers, expects to make a final decision this fall on whether to raise the allowable ethanol portion of gasoline to 15 percent from the 10 percent limit set in 1979, spokeswoman Cathy Milbourn said.
The Energy Department soon will complete testing to determine the impact of higher ethanol blends on vehicles built after 2007, she said. The agency also is testing some vehicles built before 2007, as well as tanks and other fuel-handling equipment, to see how they might be affected by the higher ethanol blend, known as E15, Milbourn said.
"While results from the tests conducted to date look good, EPA will not make a final decision until DOE completes its current comprehensive testing of the newer vehicles," she said.
The Energy Department tests are the only ones of their size and scope that are looking at vehicle exhaust system durability, EPA Assistant Administrator Gina McCarthy said in a Sept. 17 letter to Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Waxman, D-Calif., and three other lawmakers including the committee's senior Republican, Joe Barton of Texas, had asked the EPA to delay a decision until it "has sufficient test results to allow you to assure consumers that use of E15 will not harm their vehicles or engines."
In March 2009, a group of ethanol makers called Growth Energy asked the EPA to raise the ethanol limit, arguing that they were sandwiched between two federal standards.
The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act sought to increase the amount of domestically produced fuel by requiring the production of 15 billion gallons of renewable fuel by 2015, up about 25 percent from today's levels. Most of that renewable fuel is ethanol, said Growth Energy spokesman Chris Thorne.
At the same time, though, ethanol makers are limited by the EPA's 10 percent limit in the amount of ethanol that can be mixed into gasoline. Most U.S. gasoline has 10 percent ethanol, he said. Many vehicles also can run on E85, an alternative fuel that is 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.
Without an EPA increase in the ethanol blend, Growth Energy has argued, Congress would have to reduce the domestic fuel production mandate.
Paul Merrion contributed to this report
Mike
Someone told me that the government subsidized ethanol to the tune of 75 cents a gallon.
Meanwhile, my mileage decreases significantly when I burn the mixture vs pure gasoline. People need to google it and discover for themselves the difference in energy content in a gallon of gas vs a gallon of alcohol. It’s significant. That is why “flex fuel” is a dollar a gallon cheaper. It won’t take you nearly as far.
There should be no limits on the percentage of ethanol in fuel.
That should be determined by the market.
There also should be no subsidy to ethanol.
Take off the limits and the subsidies all in the same bill.
All things being equal, I’ll pay 10% more for a gallon of pure gasoline than for a “10% alcohol” gas.
You are obviously a rich bastard, so no one in this administration cares about you or your boat.
Don't you see? They are trying to save the world!
Congress’ never ending quest to repeal the laws of physics
10% ethanol equals 10% less mileage. 15% means 15% less miles per gallon. Plus neither of my cars is not designed to run on E-15.
Also not only that, food prices are going to rise even more then they already do
And all the while, the price of our meat at the grocery goes sky high because of the price of corn? We can’t win with the DC dipsh ts!
15% ethanol will destroy all older gas engines.
Lawn mowers, trimmers, boat motors, small tractors, you name it. I think all gas engines prior to mid 1990 mfg will be trashed.
Hows that for reviving the economy? Those antique cars you drive? Done.
The EPA and idiot democrats have to be stopped.
Corn fuel? Corn is for whiskey!
My Scion gets a steady 33 mpg with gasoline. It gets a steady 30 mpg with 10% mix.
Be aware that ethanol stored in certain fiberglass tanks can degrade the fiberglass and leak, resulting in a potential explosion.
Plastic portable tanks are okay. It is only certain grades of epoxy resin in built in tanks that are affected by ethanol.
Frgds, 3/M
FUEPA!
The new House should DEFUND the EPA, amongst other entities. We can't let the Communists control and run our lives by terrible political decisions that have no basis in science. All of a sudden, starving the poor Third World people of food is not a concern of the Communists and their Media allies. How compassionate, indeed!
Yep, agora’s "science is settled" works only for ignoramuses like him, 0b0z0 and the Chicago Communist Regime.
agora’s = algore’s
Mike
Last I knew, there was a “blending credit” of up to 0.53/gal.
Idiot Liberals: “Hey, we’re entering a worldwide food crisis! Let’s use food to make gasoline rather than drill for oil!”
No there is an over production of ethanol at this time.
So the ethanol industry lobbies for the 50% increase in the amount in every gallon of gasoline in the US.
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