ASTM International recently published a new high-octane fuel standard which creates a broadly accepted specification for high-octane fuel that could help drive engines that utilize ethanol’s octane boost with higher blends of 25 to 40 percent.

The new standard, D8076-17, follows a year-long joint effort by the U.S. Department of Energy, engine manufacturers, ethanol industry representatives and others who contributed to the committee that developed the standard, which defines a test fuel that can be used by engine designers throughout the global auto industry, according to American Coalition for Ethanol senior vice president Ron Lamberty. “This new ASTM standard shows that we are making progress toward a future where ethanol’s value as a source of affordable octane is recognized, and it is a visible example of why it’s important that we’re involved in that group,” said Lamberty, who represented ACE as a member of the ASTM committee.

Lamberty says the efforts of the Ag-Auto-Ethanol Alliance were key to getting the standard approved. The AAE work group selected Bob McCormick of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory as the technical lead to provide the evidence needed for what could be the fuel for the future. “Automakers must design their engines to operate on a common fuel that is broadly available in the marketplace, and this new specification is a crucial step toward commercialization,” McCormick said.