U.S. EPA Issues Renewable Fuel Rules (For 2013 16.55 billion gallons required)

Finance.Yahoo ^ | 6 Aug 13 | Paul Ausick

[xzins]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today issued a final rule for the amount of renewable fuels to be added to the nation’s transportation fuel supply in 2013.

The most publicized issue related to renewable fuels has been the ethanol “blend wall,” the theoretical point at which ethanol use will be surpassed by the amount of ethanol required by law. As Americans drive less, demand for gasoline falls also reducing demand for ethanol. Because blenders are required either to use the mandated amount, regardless of demand, or pay for credits for the amount they don’t use, the EPA has been granted authority by Congress to adjust the mandated levels if necessary.

The EPA ruled today that the mandated 16.55 billion gallons of renewable fuels will not be changed. The major change to the mandated levels came in the area of cellulosic ethanaol, where the 1 billion gallon statutory mandate was reduced to 6 million gallons, reflecting the reality of the situation with cellulosic ethanol production.

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), which represents some of the country’s largest ethanol makers, applauded the decision. The American Petroleum Institute (API) has fought the renewable fuel standard (RFS) vigorously, saying that the RFS will raise gasoline prices by 30% and cost the U.S. $770 billion in GDP by 2015.

The RFA counts among its members leading biofuels producers like Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM), The Andersons Inc. (ANDE), and Pacific Ethanol Inc. (PEIX). Valero Energy Corp. (VLO), Kior Corp. (KIOR), and privately held POET Inc. are not on the RFA’s membership roster.

To take some of the sting out of the blending requirements for 2013, the EPA is extending the compliance deadline for blenders until June 30th of next year.

[Balding_Eagle]

I hear it attacks the plastics used in the non-auto engines

Have your hearing checked.

[Excellence]

I’ll ask. Thanks for the suggestion.

[xzins]

I went and checked the hearing. What do you think?

• However many older car engines have plastic and rubber components which can become brittle over the engine life. These components are susceptible to alcohol and can disintegrate when exposed to alcohol, causing leaks and blocking filters and fuel systems.

  Also, years of accumulated dirt and sediment will have built up inside engine components, should this be washed off by the ethanol it will contaminate the engine oil and block filters eventually leading to engine seizure.http://www.brighthub.com/environment/renewable-energy/articles/76658.aspx

• Answer 1

  Ethanol is said to attack some rubber components such as fuel lines and seals and gaskets.

  __________________________________________ Answer 2

  There are huge variations in what cars can be modified to use ethanol due to the car manufacturer and year the car was made. If car was made after 1985, ethanol should not be as corrosive as for cars made before 1985.

  Higher concentration (for example E85 or fuel with 85% ethanol) will have corrosive effect on rubber, plastic and/or aluminum parts that are not designed for it. Aluminium can be protected by anodizing it which will add protective layer to it.

  Smaller concentration (E5 or E10) will not affect unprotected aluminum parts at all. They might still have negative impact on unprotected rubber parts (fuel lines, injector seals etc). Fuel tanks (or the lining within) might have problems withstanding the ethanol and should be replaced with suitable tank. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Does_ethanol_have_a_negative_effect_on_rubber_fuel_lines_andor_carburetors

[Rich21IE]

ping

[LibLieSlayer]

The only thing that works is non ethanol gas. The chemicals will keep the alcohol suspended better in the gas but it will not mitigate the rot and cancer that fuel systems suffer. It is like running battery acid through an engine. It also pollutes more and costs much more because it is heavily subsidized and it robs 20% of your power and mileage. I know... I deal with this problem almost every day. You should see the layers of fuel with some of these ethanol additives... one product even creates a layer of foam that looks like Burma Shave but eventually dissipates back into the lowest level... usually water due to the alcohol binding with humid air and condensing inside the fuel tank.... some are worse than the ethanol.

[Balding_Eagle]

My apologies. I thought you were referring to newer non-automotive engines.

I have a couple of old chainsaw that are useless.

[xzins]

I was referring to engines in general. My Mercury outboard is only 3 years old and E10 gummed it up bad. My generator is older and E10 shut it down. My son’s husquevarna chainsaw (~5 years old) also had to have work. All blamed on ethanol.

[xzins]

Thanks for your experience. No place I know of to buy non-ethanol gasoline.

[LibLieSlayer]

Regular Stabil is good for water absorption and will work as well as anything... and it is everywhere including Walmart.

[LibLieSlayer]

Some of the stuff “designed for it” and meeting epa and LEAP guidelines is failing within two years... I have samples.

LLS

[lgjhn23]

“...Good reason is that cellulose ethanol production is hardly above a demonstration level and nowhere near the 1 billion gallons. However the government continues subsidize this boondoggle....”
Boondoggle it is too.
I’ve worked in one of those places. IF getting a gallon of gasoline out of a barrel of crude oil is tough, try getting a gallon of ethanol out of several hundred pounds of cane waste is about 100 times tougher. Liberalism is a MENTAL DISEASE.

[itsahoot]

When will the states say NO!

Certainly not in my life time.

[Balding_Eagle]

A 3 year old engine and the manufacturer hadn’t engineered it for ethanol? Ethanol has been part of our fuel years longer than that.

I think your disgust is aimed the wrong direction.

Ethanol, good, bad, or indifferent, is what that engine was going to use, and for the engineers to pretend otherwise was immoral, unethical, and I’d say damn near criminal.

I’d raise holy hell with Mercury.

[mbj]

Hasn’t Texas been fighting the EPA?

http://fuelfix.com/blog/2013/07/27/texas-loses-another-battle-against-epa/

http://fuelfix.com/blog/2011/02/09/texas-battle-with-epa-moves-to-capitol-hill/?cmpid=eefl

[xzins]

I actually agree with you. And I probably will. Just got the boat back.

The problem is that most places that sell pure gasoline tend to be marinas or around bodies of water, so they have a measure of deniability. The problem is that they’re all about a 100 miles apart.

I’ll have to read the manual and see if they covered themselves with a warning about ethanol. If you’re a lawyer, do you think there’s a case?

[GeronL]

world starves as food used for fuel

Bush’s fault

news at 11

[GatorGirl]

www.buyrealgas.com

Most places I find near us are at a marina.

[43north]

Go to www.pure-gas.org to see if there are any stations in your area that sell unadulterated gasoline.

I stopped using corn juice in my small engines after the same kind of costly repairs that you endured. Since I’ve been using pure gas, no problems.

[43north]

“A 3 year old engine and the manufacturer hadn’t engineered it for ethanol? Ethanol has been part of our fuel years longer than that.”

Corn juice works OK in fuel-injected engines because they are high-pressure systems. Carburetors have float bowls where some of the gas is “stored”. Most small engines and plenty of outboards still use carburetors. Corn juice will kill a carburetor within weeks even if the engine is used regularly.

The solution? Unadulterated real gasoline. Don’t use additives. They are expensive and in my experience all they do is delay the inevitable damage for a short time.

An even better solution? Get rid of ethanol and abolish the EPA.

[Jacquerie]

When will the states say NO!

When they are once again represented in the Senate.