Ethanol Blended Gas Lowers Carbon Even More

Cindy Zimmerman

New research was released this week showing that gasoline blended with ethanol lowers carbon intensity (CI) even more than what is currently believed. The research, conducted by Transport Energy Strategies (TES) and THiggins Energy Consulting, found that blending ethanol into gasoline enables a reduction of aromatics in the fuel, and since aromatics have a high CI, their reduction further decreases …

ACE, corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Urban Air Initiative

E15 in Court

Cindy Zimmerman

The D.C. Circuit Court heard oral arguments this week in a case brought by oil refiners challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2019 rulemaking allowing the year-round sale of E15. The Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers Association argued as intervenors in support of the rule that oil refiners are seeking to block American drivers from year-round …

ACE, corn, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA, Urban Air Initiative

New Research Tool to Improve Ethanol Testing Data

Cindy Zimmerman

Future Fuel Strategies has published a new Fuel Blending Guide for Ethanol for researchers conducting fuel and emission testing. “This guide presents a step by step approach to designing a comparative market fuel emission study. This should matter greatly to the affected industries, auto, oil, ethanol- because it is these studies that are being used to design fuel/emissions regulations that …

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Urban Air Initiative

Groups Say Proposed Rule Would Penalize Ethanol Blends

Cindy Zimmerman

The Urban Air Initiative (UAI), a coalition of state corn grower organizations, and the American Coalition for Ethanol, and the Clean Fuels Development Coalition filed comments last week opposing a proposed EPA rule they say would penalize ethanol for its lower carbon profile. In a notice of proposed rulemaking, EPA is proposing to penalize the current Tier 3 test fuel …

ACE, corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Urban Air Initiative

Brief Filed in Case Over EPA Limits on Higher Blends

Cindy Zimmerman

An alliance of ethanol, agriculture and clean fuel organizations led by the Urban Air Initiative is challenging the EPA over regulatory barriers to higher blends of ethanol they say are illegal. An opening brief in the case was filed this week in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals and oral arguments are expected this fall. Specifically, the brief argues that …

EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News, NFU, Urban Air Initiative

Coalition Wants EPA to Reconsider Higher Ethanol Blends

Cindy Zimmerman

A coalition of ethanol, agriculture, and clean fuel organizations has requested judicial review of a recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rulemaking that would limit ethanol blending and restrict the use of blender pumps. The Urban Air Initiative (UAI) and National Farmers Union (NFU) are leading the alliance. The petitioners believe that while the rule EPA approved to allow year round …

blends, EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News, NFU, Urban Air Initiative

Study Finds Mid-Level Ethanol Blend Benefits for More Cars

Cindy Zimmerman

A new study concludes that mid-level ethanol blends can be used in most cars, not just flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs), and can help cars run more efficiently while reducing greenhouse gas emissions along with other pollutants. The study was conducted by North Carolina State University and commissioned by the Urban Air Initiative. Researchers tested regular E10 with 10% ethanol to a …

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Flex Fuel Vehicles, Urban Air Initiative

Independent Study Finds Vehicle Emission Testing Unreliable

Cindy Zimmerman

The Urban Air Initiative (UAI) has released the results of an independent study that finds “many of the test fuels used in emissions research studies do not reflect the makeup of consumer fuels, limiting the ability of ethanol to be used to reduce emissions and improve vehicle efficiency.” The study, titled Effects of Ethanol Blends on Light-Duty Vehicle Emissions: A …

EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Urban Air Initiative

South Dakota Farmers Union Advocates for E30

Cindy Zimmerman

With EPA yet to start the rulemaking process for year-round sales of 15% ethanol, South Dakota Farmers Union president Doug Sombke penned an editorial this month advocating approval of blends double that amount, up to 30 percent. “As fuel prices decrease, farmers are seeing corn ethanol markets drop. What to do? Well, let’s hope we don’t see the price at …

Ethanol, Opinion, Urban Air Initiative

Urban Air Initiative Releases Research Report

Cindy Zimmerman

A research project conducted by the Urban Air Initiative claims the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is failing to enforce the Clean Air Act by not taking steps to reduce toxic aromatics in transportation fuel. The research project titled “Beyond a Reasonable Doubt” walks through the problems that toxic aromatics pose to public health and details the history behind the Clean …

Audio, EPA, Ethanol, Urban Air Initiative