EPA sits on the ethanol blend wall
The US industry expected to hear the news this month, but now the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will further delay a decision to raise ethanol in blended petrol to 15% from 10%.
The decision date is likely to be mid-2010, something which will frustrate ethanol producers which have expressed concerns sitting on the E10 wall will limit growth of the industry to about 12 billion gallons. The industry this year will produce and sell about 10.5 billion gallons of ethanol.
The addition of 5% means an additional potential 7 billion gallons of demand to the market for ethanol-blended petrol.
‘We want to make sure we have all necessary science to make the right decision,’ Gina McCarthy, assistant EPA administrator, explains. ‘Should the test results remain supportive and provide the necessary basis, we would be in a position to approve E15 for 2001 and newer vehicles in the mid-year timeframe.’
The decision date is likely to be mid-2010, something which will frustrate ethanol producers which have expressed concerns sitting on the E10 wall will limit growth of the industry to about 12 billion gallons. The industry this year will produce and sell about 10.5 billion gallons of ethanol.
The addition of 5% means an additional potential 7 billion gallons of demand to the market for ethanol-blended petrol.
‘We want to make sure we have all necessary science to make the right decision,’ Gina McCarthy, assistant EPA administrator, explains. ‘Should the test results remain supportive and provide the necessary basis, we would be in a position to approve E15 for 2001 and newer vehicles in the mid-year timeframe.’
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