EPA Announces Summertime Waivers for E15

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today issued the first in a series of waivers to allow sales of 15% ethanol blended gasoline, E15, to continue this summer. The first waiver begins on May 1, 2025, and lasts through May 20, 2025.

By doing so, EPA will keep E15 on the market giving consumers more options across the nation. This is consistent with President Trump’s Executive Order Declaring a National Energy Emergency, directing the EPA to consider issuing emergency waivers to allow for year-round E15 sales.

“On his first day in office, President Trump declared a national energy emergency and identified year-round E15 as a solution for extending fuel supplies and reducing pump prices,” said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “With geopolitical conflict roiling energy markets worldwide, we applaud President Trump and Administrator Zeldin for acting quickly to combat potential fuel shortages and help keep a lid on gas prices this summer. Allowing uninterrupted sales of E15 will help boost gasoline supplies, bolster the farm economy, and protect air quality.”

This is the fourth consecutive year, EPA has had to issue waivers to allow E15 to be sold during the summer driving season, and American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings says it is time for that to end. “Last year, EPA finalized a rule to allow permanent, year-round E15 sales in some Midwest states starting today — thanks to strong leadership from state governors and persistent grassroots pressure from our industry,” said Jennings. “Nevertheless, emergency waivers and a patchwork of state-specific rules are a temporary remedy, and we badly need a permanent fix to allow E15 year-round on a nationwide basis.”

ACE, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Corn Growers Urge Ford to Make FFVs

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Corn growers across the nation are calling on Ford Motor Company to restart production of Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) capable of using up to 85 percent ethanol fuel (E85), and reaffirm its support for rural America.

In a joint letter addressed to Ford President and CEO Jim Farley, the National Corn Growers Association and 20 state corn grower groups expressed concerns over the automaker’s move away from FFVs, particularly in its F-Series truck lineup.

“Farm families have historically chosen the F-150 not only for its towing and payload capabilities but also because it was a truck they could fuel with ethanol – a domestic, renewable fuel made from corn, grown and refined in the very communities where Ford trucks are most popular,” the letter states. “Today’s farm families want to continue driving trucks made in America, powered by fuel made in America.”

In 2014, nearly half of all light-duty vehicles produced by Ford, GM, and Chrysler were FFVs. Since that time, flex-fuel options have disappeared from Ford’s production lines and despite the F-150 remaining the top-selling vehicle in many of the nation’s corn-producing states, Ford no longer offers a flex-fuel model.

“We believe Henry Ford’s original vision to empower farmers and reduce our reliance on foreign oil remains as relevant today as it was in 1908,” the letter concludes. “Let us work together to ensure Ford continues to be Built for America—including the farmers who help feed and fuel it.”

Car Makers, corn, E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, NCGA

Research Finds Breast Cancer Risk Link to Aromatics

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Research out of The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota has discovered links between breast cancer risk and exposure to carcinogens and aromatics from gasoline.

Professor Leena Hilakivi-Clarke, PhD, The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, is the author of a paper appearing in the scientific journal iScience titled “Aromatics from fossil fuels and breast cancer.” In a review of existing scientific literature, researchers identified links between exposure to benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) aromatics and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from fossil fuels and breast cancer risk in humans.

“It is essential to reduce exposure to the products from burning fossil fuels to prevent breast cancer. We are studying if reducing BTEX exposure will reduce susceptibility to PAH induced breast cancer. One way to reduce BTEX compounds is to reduce exposure by adding ethanol to gasoline,” Dr. Hilakivi-Clarke said.

Listen to Dr. Hilakivi-Clarke summarize her findings:
Leena Hilakivi-Clarke, PhD, The Hormel Institute 4:59

Researchers have been studying the carcinogenic effects of compounds originating from burning fossil fuels through the Biofuels Research Project which is supported by 15 different ethanol and biofuels funding agencies, including the Renewable Fuels Association. The research is important because ethanol could substitute for the octane-enhancing additives in gasoline that may contribute to the risk of cancer.

In the next episode of The Ethanol Report podcast, we will take a deeper dive into The Hormel Institute research and its significance to the biofuels industry.

Audio, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, Research, RFA

Waiting on E15 Summer Waivers

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

For the past three years, EPA has announced in April that waivers would be issued to allow nationwide summertime sales of 15% ethanol fuel, or E15. Last year, the announcement was made April 19, and the previous two years it was April 28 and 29, but the Trump administration has yet to take that action for this summer.

This week, 25 members of the House of Representatives sent a letter urging the Administration to lower prices at the gas pump by allowing the nationwide sale of E-15 this summer. The bipartisan letter, led by Reps. Angie Craig (D-MN), Adrian Smith (R-NE), Ashley Hinson (R-IA) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) asked the Administration to extend the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) waiver from June 1 through September 15, 2025.

“The administration’s efforts to unleash American energy independence is a long-term goal but can begin in the short term with preserving flexibility in our domestic energy production and supply through this emergency waiver,” they wrote. “As affirmed when you first allowed for year-round E15 in 2019, and those approved for the summers afterward, the sale of higher blends of biofuels during the summer months supports the domestic fuel supply, reduces consumer costs, and promotes American biofuels and agriculture feedstocks.”

On his first day in office, President Trump declared a National Energy Emergency which includes “issuing emergency fuel waivers to allow the year-round sale of E15 gasoline to meet any projected temporary shortfalls in the supply of gasoline across the Nation.”

Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper thanked the lawmakers. “We join them in calling on the Trump Administration to take swift action to allow the nationwide sale of E15 through the coming summer,” said Cooper. “As geopolitical conflict continues to create uncertainty in global energy markets, it is important that drivers have access to an American-made supply of lower-cost, cleaner fuel.”

The ethanol industry remains optimistic that this will be the last year waivers for summer sales of E15 will be necessary. “Just from a common sense standpoint, E15 makes sense,” said RFA Chief Economist Scott Richman in the latest Ethanol Report podcast. “It’s approved in 2001 and newer vehicles, we’ve driven billions of miles on it, and in terms of air quality, the metrics around E15 are as good or better than E10…at this point, it’s why wouldn’t we just go ahead and do this?”

Ethanol Report 4-16-25 24:07

Audio, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Ethanol Production Gains, Stocks Fall

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

Per the Renewable Fuels Association’s analysis of EIA data, U.S. ethanol production for the week ending April 18, rose 2.1% to 1.03 million barrels per day (b/d), or 43.39 million gallons daily, up 8.3% from last year and 7.5% above the three-year average. While higher than the previous two weeks, the four-week average production dipped 0.5% to 1.03 million b/d, equating to 15.86 billion gallons annually.

Ethanol stocks fell 5.0% to a 14-week low of 25.5 million barrels, down 1.0% from last year but 3.3% above the three-year average, with declines across all regions. Gasoline supplied to the market, a demand indicator, jumped 11.3% to 9.41 million b/d (144.71 billion gallons annualized), the highest since October 2024, up 11.8% year-over-year and 5.9% above the three-year average.

Refiner/blender ethanol inputs increased 2.1% to a 25-week high of 921,000 b/d (14.16 billion gallons annualized), 2.4% above last year and 3.0% over the three-year average. Ethanol exports dropped 45.3% to 75,000 b/d (3.2 million gallons/day), with no imports reported for over a year.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

California Receives LCFS Comments

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

This week was the final deadline to provide comments to the California Air Resources Board regarding proposed modifications to the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard.

The Renewable Fuels Association filed comments on the proposal Monday.

In its comments and an attached analysis, RFA said empirical data clearly undermine CARB’s rationale for including the new sustainability requirements for grain-based ethanol. CARB alleges the requirements are necessary to provide “guard rails” against “rapid expansion of biofuel production and biofuel feedstock demand…that could result in adverse land use change.” But as RFA pointed out, the number of corn acres needed to meet California ethanol demand has decreased by more than 700,000 acres—or 20 percent—since the LCFS program began in 2011. “This empirical data clearly invalidate CARB’s rationale for implementing its additional sustainability provisions,” writes RFA Chief Economist Scott Richman.

Additionally, RFA encourages California to continue moving toward the approval of E15 since it is the only state that does not currently approve the use of E15.

On November 8, 2024, the California Air Resources Board approved amendments to the LCFS regulation to maintain momentum for global, national, and local private sector investment towards increasing cleaner fuel and transportation options for consumers, accelerating the deployment of zero-emission infrastructure and clean fuel production to support clean vehicle regulations, and keeping the state on track to meet statutorily mandated air quality and climate targets.

Carbon, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Unleaded 88 Saved Minnesotans $24 Million in 2024

Cindy Zimmerman

Unleaded 88, or E15, saved Minnesota drivers over $24 million at the pump last year, with prices an average of 17 cents per gallon less than 87 octane, according to data from the Minnesota Department of Commerce.

The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association reports that the annual volume of Unleaded 88 sold in Minnesota last year hit a new record of 142.75 million gallons and Minnesota became the first state in the nation to have over 500 stations offering the blend.

“In partnership with the state of Minnesota, USDA, corn farmers, and fuel retailers, the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association has been aggressive in helping expand access to higher blends of ethanol fuels like Unleaded 88. These investments are now paying dividends, and Minnesota drivers can be confident that when they visit one of the over 500 retailers offering Unleaded 88 in our state, they will save money,” said Brian Werner, executive director of the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels).

Over a three-year period from 2022 to 2024, Unleaded 88 saved Minnesotans $62.66 million at the pump.

MN Bio-Fuels is launching a seven-month Unleaded 88 promotional campaign at gas stations in the Twin Cities metro area next week to continue the momentum.

E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Iowa E15 Momentum Continues

Cindy Zimmerman

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program (RFIP) awarded almost $1 million in grants this week to add E15 to 94 Iowa retail fuel sites throughout the state.

Momentum toward compliance with Iowa’s E15 Access Standard continues to build as these 94 grant follow the record 111 grants awarded just last month. To date, there have been a total of 297 E15 projects awarded this fiscal year, which began last July 1. The RFIP board is expected to hold at least one more meeting to award grants before the fiscal year ends on June 30.

“This continued momentum is reflected all across Iowa from retailers, to consumers, to farmers who are all asking for increased access to E15,” said Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) Monte Shaw. “Today’s grants follow the recent Higher Blends Infrastructure Program announcement of $537 million in grants and the release of the 2024 Iowa Retailers Motor Fuel Gallons Annual Report that showed an increase of E15 sales to 257 million gallons, up 45% year-to-year. This attests to the push to make E15 a standard option at the pump.”

For this fiscal year, RFIP has awarded just over $10 million in grants which includes 297 E15 projects and 39 biodiesel grants to date.

E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Iowa RFA

Ethanol Report on E15 Optimism

Cindy Zimmerman

U.S. sales of E15 reached a record 1.24 billion gallons in 2024, an increase of 11% over 2023, according to a Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) analysis of data released by state agencies in Minnesota and Iowa.

While it appears the Trump administration will have to continue the practice of issuing waivers this summer to keep E15 at the pump, there are several reasons for optimism that this will be the last year that will be necessary.

In this edition of the Ethanol Report podcast, RFA Chief Economist Scott Richman discusses a recent blog post he authored on the current growth of E15 and the potential for boosting the blend nationwide.

Ethanol Report 4-16-25 24:07

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Audio, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Rollins Talks Ethanol With Fox News

Cindy Zimmerman

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has taken a much more visible role in the new Trump Administration than previous agriculture secretaries, appearing three times this month already on Fox News, most recently this past Sunday.

In a wide-ranging interview with Shannon Bream, Rollins talked about a number of issues, from tariffs and trade to the price of eggs, and spent some time discussing the importance of ethanol.

“President Trump has been unequivocal in his support for ethanol and in his support for the year round sale for the E15. In fact, at the end of our last administration, we put that rule out. A court gutted that. So now we’re working on it again,” said Rollins. “We are hyper-focused on the energy independence and ethanol and biofuels is a very, very important part of that.”

Bream interviewed Rollins Sunday after spending time in White Cloud, Kansas interviewing former National Corn Growers Association president Ken McCauley and his family.

See the Rollins interview here or listen to the audio below.
Fox News Sunday interview with Sec. Rollins 9:03

E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, USDA