The quickest way to immediately grow ethanol demand in this country is a simple two word fix to a section of the Clean Air Act, but nothing in Washington can ever be that easy.

American Coalition for Ethanol Executive Vice President Brian Jennings talked about the “Industry’s Best Opportunities to Grow Ethanol Demand Here at Home” during a session at the 2017 Fuel Ethanol Workshop this week, the easiest of which would be allowing the sale of 15% ethanol in all markets year round. The Consumer and Fuel Retailers Choice Act would make that happen by extending the ethanol Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) waiver to E15 but as last week’s hearing in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee illustrated, the bill faces a challenge just getting out of that committee.

“We have to convince probably at least six senators on that committee to go our way,” said Jennings. “We’re just going to work with (Senators) Fischer and Ernst and just see if we can build momentum between now and the August recess.”

Jennings notes that there are other ways the E15 summer penalty can be addressed. “We also have a new administration, a new EPA, that has said they are going to revisit this issue, so I like the double barrel approach,” Jennings added.

Learn more in this interview: Interview with Brian Jennings, ACE

2017 Fuel Ethanol Workshop Photos