U.S. ethanol stakeholder groups have submitted comments on a proposal to implement a nationwide E10 ethanol blend level in the United Kingdom (UK).
Growth Energy, the U.S. Grains Council, and the Renewable Fuels Association jointly submitted comments to the UK Department of Transport this week highlighting the proven benefits of ethanol for fuel and the experience of the United States in implementing a similar nationwide E10 fuel blend.
“Ethanol has a number of proven benefits including reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, reductions in harmful tailpipe pollution such as carbon monoxide and particulates, consumer cost savings, as well as job and agriculture development,” according to the comments. “In the UK, there are 31.3 million vehicles on the road and only 250,000 deemed to be incompatible with an E10 blend. There is no reason to deny the benefits of ethanol to British consumers.”
In addition, the joint comments strongly support moving directly to an E10 blended fuel, as the overwhelming majority of gasoline-powered vehicles are approved for this fuel. Doing so would offer benefits for consumers and ensure certainty for UK producers.
“It is imperative that the government move E10 forward to give these producers a predictable market for their fuel,” the comments noted. “Just this week, we saw the largest ethanol producer in Britain announce that they are ceasing production simply because they do not have a market and because the government has not moved fast enough in its adoption of E10.”
The organizations aim to achieve the goal of substantially reducing transportation sector greenhouse gas emissions to combat global climate change and provide consumers with more affordable, cleaner fuel.
Click to read the comments.