Ethanol. Right. Now.

New blender pump and FFV bills are exactly what we need

A bipartisan bill was introduced today in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin and by Congressman Adrian Smith, the "Consumer Fuels Choice Act."

The bill will improve consumer choice at the pump by providing grants for the installation of blender pumps.  As shown here, a blender pump offers motorists with a variety of choices from straight unleaded gasoline up through ethanol blends of up to 85 percent.  This particular pump offers unleaded, E20, E30, E50, and E85.  Blender pumps take up the same amount of space as a standard pump, but use two underground tanks (typically one with unleaded and one with E85) to mix the two fuels together according to what selection the customer makes at the pump.

In addition, Congresswoman Herseth Sandlin has also introduced a bill to increase the number of Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) available to motorists.  These two pieces of the puzzle -- blender pumps and FFVs -- will work together to unlock the possibility of U.S. energy independence. 

Today our nation's transportation system is built around oil, and this status quo officially limits biofuels like ethanol to only a 10% slice of the market -- or a 90% petroleum mandate, to look at it from another perspective.  Vehicles are made to run on 90% petroleum, fuel dispensers are made to pump 90% petroleum, and the U.S. EPA enforces the 90% petroleum per gallon rule through its regulations.

Blender pumps and FFVs will build much-needed flexibility into the nation's fuel system.  If vehicles and pumps had the flexibility to use and dispense any blend of fuel, consumers would finally have choices instead of the 90% petroleum mandate we have today.  If consumers prefer gasoline, they would have that choice.  But if they want to use something more renewable and affordable, they could choose from several different biofuel options instead.  Energy independence cannot come until we have meaningful choice.  We hope these key pieces of legislation can be enacted soon.

Posted by: Kristin Brekke

Join the conversation about ethanol, E15, and EPA

What do you think about the EPA's delay of a decision on E15?  Join the conversation happening right now on the social network site, Ethanol Collective: www.ethanolcollective.com

EPA delays E15 decision once again

EPA is required by law to make a decision on the request to allow the use of cleaner burning blends of up to 15 percent ethanol, and by the time they actually make a decision, it will be a full year later than the law requires. Every addict needs enablers, but frankly we could not have imagined the Environmental Protection Agency would be one of the major defenders of the status quo that is now fouling beaches from Louisiana to Florida.

We also have to wonder who is influencing EPA when they agree it will be impossible to meet the Renewable Fuels Standard but refuse to remove the requirement that fuel contain a minimum of 90 percent petroleum. That decision can only be good news for the likes of BP and ExxonMobil, and anyone else who chooses to ignore the dangers of relying on unstable and hostile foreign regimes for our fuel, or the dangers of drilling two miles below the ocean.

EPA could be accused of slow-walking this E15 decision, but that would imply that progress is being made. This decision has been pushed back an entire year, and has gone from making cleaner burning E15 available to all cars, to only 2001 and newer cars, and now possibly to only those made after 2007. Those vehicles were practically fresh off the assembly line when the data was submitted proving blends beyond E10 are safe for all vehicles, and now two years and millions of dollars have been wasted as EPA defends the status quo. Meanwhile, oil has been spilling from the Gulf of Mexico for 60 days and counting. What do government bureaucrats need to see to be convinced that our nation desperately needs take action to reduce our use of oil?

When ACE met with EPA in March of this year, we were told that by mid-year EPA was planning to approve E15 for 2001 and newer vehicles, a commitment the Agency put in writing in a December 1 letter. While there are many practical challenges to implementing E15 for only 2001 and newer vehicles, it may have been better than the status quo of being limited to only E10. But to add insult to injury, EPA is now indicating that they will consider E15 for only vehicles made after the 2007 model year – only 20 percent of the U.S. fleet. Even if every single vehicle made after 2007 used E15 every time it filled up, it would barely allow the U.S. to meet the 2012 Renewable Fuels Standard requirement.

As oil is ruining livelihoods and closing businesses, the economic and job-creation benefit of ethanol is being told it must wait in the wings. With the price of ethanol being almost a dollar less per gallon than gasoline today, EPA’s approval of a 5 percent increase in the ethanol content could save the U.S. more than $19 billion in fuel expenditures every year – almost as much as BP has committed so far to clean up the damage that oil has done in the Gulf.

ACE is encouraging all ethanol supporters to contact their Members of Congress to urge their support of legislation for more flexible fuel vehicles and blender pumps, such as S. 1627, the Harkin-Lugar ‘Consumer Fuels and Vehicles Choice Act.’ More FFVs and blender pumps would bring flexibility into the U.S. fuel system and give consumers greater fuel choice, while bypassing the bureaucracy that is preventing the cleaner alternative fuels from reaching the marketplace.

Posted by: Brian Jennings

Ethanol offers big savings for motorists over Memorial Day holiday

With ethanol trading for nearly a dollar less than gasoline at the rack, motorists can capture those savings at the pump by choosing ethanol-blended fuel.  The savings over the recent Memorial Day holiday were significant.

According to fuel price data* published May 24, the E10 blend is an average 9.5 cents per gallon lower than straight gasoline right now.  Based on AAA’s expected travel distances** for the holiday weekend and a national average gas price of $2.85 per gallon, this 9.5 cent discount for E10 could have equaled $95.8 million in savings nationwide.

The savings on E15 would be nearly 14 cents per gallon.  If the E15 blend was available nationwide, the total savings for motorists this holiday weekend could reach $138 million.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is expected to make its ruling this summer on whether to allow all consumers access to the 15 percent ethanol blend.

At the current ethanol price, the E30 blend is 28.5 cents per gallon less than gasoline, and E85 is 75 cents less per gallon.

“Every little bit of cost savings helps in a tight economy, and American families are saving money at the pump thanks to the availability of ethanol,” said Ron Lamberty, Vice President / Market Development for the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), the nation’s largest grassroots ethanol association.  “With the wide spread right now between ethanol and gasoline prices, the higher the ethanol content per gallon of your fuel, the higher the savings.”

“Motorists deserve to have access to these cost-effective fuels at the pump instead of just being limited by government red tape and Big Oil’s grip on the market,” said Brian Jennings, Executive Vice President of ACE.  “We need to give consumers the power to choose whatever fuel is most affordable by making flexible fuel vehicles and blender pumps more widely available.”

* Source: Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) Chicago Average Rack Price for the week ending May 21, 2010

** Source: AAA Memorial Day 2010 Travel Forecast, May 20, 2010

American consumers deserve fuel choice

This op-ed was written by Lars Herseth, President of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE).  It was published in the Omaha World-Herald on Saturday, May 8 in the "Midlands Voices" section.

As a farmer, rancher, businessman, former lawmaker, and current president of the American Coalition for Ethanol, it won’t surprise you that I support making renewable and homegrown fuels more widely available.  But just like you, I am also a consumer.

I believe that American motorists should have lots of choices at the pump – including fuel not blended with ethanol.

You may have read that statement twice, knowing that I am the president of ACE, a grassroots advocacy association for ethanol.  But ACE members believe that motorists deserve the right to choose what fuel to put in their cars, and we’re not afraid to have our fuel of choice – ethanol – compete with petroleum.  When consumers are given meaningful choices at the pump, we are confident they will choose ethanol.

Today, ethanol-blended fuel is the most affordable and clean-burning alternative to gasoline.  And more importantly, unlike some other promising alternative fuels, we don’t have to wait for ethanol because it is here now as the only commercially viable substitute for fossil fuels. 

ACE has partnered with others to support a waiver pending before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow up to 15 percent ethanol per gallon of gasoline.  We have done so because today EPA arbitrarily restricts the volume of ethanol that can be blended into a gallon of gasoline to just 10 percent, and because our competitors work hard to block ethanol from gaining additional market access.

If EPA approves E15, consumers would pay less for fuel because wholesale prices for ethanol are currently at a significant discount to gasoline – in some places a dollar less per gallon.  Unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly clear that when EPA does approve E15 it will be on a limited basis, restricting its use to only model year 2001 and newer cars.  We are concerned this will cause unnecessary confusion for consumers and may even prevent station owners from choosing to offer the fuel.

So, in anticipation of an inadequate EPA decision on E15, ACE believes the focus should be on consumer fuel choice.  The power of fuel choice needs to be transferred from Big Oil back to the consumer, and the most straightforward way to do so is the combination of Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) and blender pumps.

If every automobile sold in the U.S. were an FFV, which is capable of using virtually any blend of ethanol and gasoline, we know ethanol will compete at the pump.  Similarly, blender pumps, which dispense ethanol-gasoline blends at various percentages at the retail level, empower consumers to choose the most affordable and reliable blend of fuel for their car.

To this end, ACE supports S. 1627, the “Consumer Fuels and Vehicle Choice Act,” legislation by Senators Tom Harkin and Richard Lugar to provide more FFVs and blender pumps.  ACE has launched an online petition at www.ethanol.org/petition, giving consumers a chance to express their support for this bill and for freedom of fuel choice at the pump.  I encourage you to sign the fuel choice petition today.

The longer we wait to provide Americans with real fuel choice, the more consumers will pay at the pump, the more the environment will suffer, and the more our nation will rely on foreign sources of oil.  Please make your voice heard at www.ethanol.org/petition.

What is an ethanol blender pump, and where can I find one?

Blender pumps are coming up more and more often in conversations about renewable fuels, so I thought it might be useful to pull together some basic blender pump information in one location -- including a link to a map of current U.S. blender pump locations.

Blender pump basics:

Blender pumps give motorists more choices at the pump by offering a variety of ethanol blends between E10 and E85, as seen here.

A blender pump looks like a standard gasoline dispenser and takes up the same amount of space, but features two underground tanks -- one with unleaded and one with E85.  The two fuels are blended in the appropriate percentages to create mid-level ethanol blends such as E20, E30, or E50, in addition to E10 and E85.

This map of U.S. blender pump locations is maintained by the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE).

Links for more information about blender pumps:

• Section on Ethanol.org: http://www.ethanol.org/index.php?id=91&parentid=8
• The national "Blend Your Own Ethanol" campaign, led by ACE and the Renewable Fuels Association: www.byoethanol.com
• A diagram of a blender pump: http://www.ethanol.org/index.php?id=84&parentid=29 

Ron Lamberty ([email protected]) or Lacey Dixon ([email protected]) at the American Coalition for Ethanol can be your point of contact for any questions about mid-level ethanol blends or blender pumps.

Second annual ACE ethanol fly-in wraps up in DC

Thirty members of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) have spent the last two days on Capitol Hill for the second annual ACE "Biofuels Beltway March," a DC fly-in that puts grassroots ethanol advocates in touch with Members of Congress.  We'll provide a full report as the staff members return to the office tomorrow, but initial reports are that the event was a great success!

What a critically important time to visit face-to-face with Congress.  So many important issues are at hand, including the extension of the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit, the need to approve E15 for all vehicles, and legislation to promote more flex-fuel vehicles and ethanol blender pumps.

To see brief reports from some of the fly-in participants, go to www.twitter.com and search for #ACEflyin to see all 'tweets' marked with the official event hash tag. 

Posted by: Kristin Brekke

Lawmakers need to hear from the real ethanol experts

This photo was taken March 4, 2009 of part of the group that traveled to Capitol Hill for the American Coalition for Ethanol's first-annual "Biofuels Beltway March."  These folks are the real ethanol experts -- the best and most effective lobbyists.

In their day jobs they are farmers, small business owners, ethanol producers, bankers, educators, and accountants.  Last March these ethanol advocates became ethanol lobbyists and met personally with more than 70 Members of Congress or their staff, and with Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the U.S. EPA.

The word "lobbyist" so often has a negative connotation, but here that's not the case.  These people each had real-life experience with ethanol and a personal message to bring to Congress.  They were able to share first-hand stories and answer questions in a way that a paid lobbyist can't. 

I was part of a small group that visited the office of U.S. Senator John Thune, as seen below.  Two members of the group were farmers from South Dakota, both members of the board at one of the state's ethanol plants.  They had the incredible opportunity to sit down across the table from a person in DC who makes decisions that directly impact their business -- both farming and ethanol production.  They told about the current difficult financial situation and offered suggestions for ways federal programs could be altered to be of much better service to ethanol producers.  This face-to-face interaction with Members of Congress is simply the most effective way to get our message across about ethanol.

Will you join us in sharing the ethanol message in DC?  Please consider taking part in ACE's second annual fly-in, set for March 22 and 23.  More details and registration information can be found at www.ethanol.org under the "Get Involved" tab on the right.  An article recapping last year's event can be read at www.ethanoltoday.com in the April 2009 issue located in the Archives. 

ACE needs your help to tell Congress to extend the ethanol tax credit, approve E15 for all vehicles, and push for more flex-fuel vehicles and ethanol blender pumps.  Thank you!

Posted by: Kristin Brekke

 

Small engine arguments against ethanol are getting air time

"Everything in this room would be destroyed," a lobbyist from the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute tells KSTP-TV as he stands in a showroom filled with lawn mowers, chain saws, and other small engines. He is warning of what he calls the "dangers" of increasing the ethanol blend beyond 10 percent.

The Minneapolis-based TV station aired a special investigative report last night on the efforts to increase the ethanol blend level from E10 to E15 or E20. Although the piece wasn't as one-sided as the promotional video posted earlier in the day (the ominous voice-over warning of voided warranties and your family's safety being in grave jeopardy), KSTP still missed some basic facts that deserve a hearing.

First, the government requires volumes of testing to be completed before any new fuel blend is approved, and they're not going to approve anything that is unsafe.

Second, even when E15 and E20 are eventually approved, there will still be choices at the pump for consumers who prefer to use E10 or unleaded. Those with classic cars or small engines, for example, will not be forced to use any fuel they don't want to use. The American Coalition for Ethanol believes in the consumer's right to choose, and we will continue advocating strongly for this.

Third, a point for conversation.  Ethanol is being required to provide volumes of scientific proof that these blends will indeed work, yet ethanol's opponents are not required to provide this same volume of evidence when they say things like "Everything in this room will be destroyed."  We will continue to work with policymakers and regulators to provide all the documentation they need to make sound decisions on ethanol, because we know the facts are on our side.  All we ask is that people -- including the media -- ask for the same amount of information on both sides of the discussion.

Posted by: Kristin Brekke

For more information, take a moment to view this video response to the KSTP story from ACE's Executive Vice President, Brian Jennings:

Letter to EPA: E15 for all vehicles, proper labeling, consumer choice

Brian Jennings, the American Coalition for Ethanol's Executive Vice President, wrote to U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson on 12/16/09 -- here are some key excerpts from the letter:

“While ACE strongly preferred that EPA would have announced approval of the use of E15 in all motor vehicles on December 1, we also recognize the Agency was under extraordinary pressure from special interests that oppose biofuels to reject the waiver outright. In the letter dated November 30 explaining EPA’s decision, we are very gratified that the Agency refuted these critics of ethanol, affirming ACE’s long-held position, saying that ‘it is clear that ethanol will need to be blended into gasoline at levels greater than the current limit of 10 percent.’  This statement and others contained in your response encourage us that the approval of up to E15 is inevitable – a matter of when, not if.”

“If EPA approves the use of E15 in newer vehicles by mid-year 2010, it will be a step in the right direction, but ACE will continue to note that the data supports the use of E15 in all vehicles. It has been pointed out that the data available to date does not contain any ‘showstoppers’ regarding the use of E15 in vehicles older than the 2001 model year. Surely we can all agree that if the data supports the use of E15 in all vehicle engines, than dividing the vehicle fleet will only cause unnecessary confusion for motorists and complications for petroleum marketers."

“It is ACE’s strong contention that E15 should not be the highest and final mid-level blend of ethanol permitted to be used in the motor fuel supply,” ACE stated.  “Ultimately we need to provide a range of choices for consumers.  Lurching from the E10 blend wall to the E15 blend wall to the next blend wall is unintelligent and unsustainable.  Instead, ACE advocates for consumers to be able to use E10, E15, E20, E30, E85 or ‘ethanol-free’ gasoline, and we believe that when consumers are finally given these meaningful choices through blender pumps, they will select the fuel that works best in their vehicles.”

Read the full ACE letter here

What does the EPA announcement on E15 mean for ethanol?

From Brian Jennings, Executive Vice President of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE)

On December 1, the U.S. EPA announced its plan to take more time to study the data concerning our industry’s E15 waiver request, and to prepare for a final decision around June of this year.ACE views this as a “glass half-full” circumstance.  We would have strongly preferred that EPA approve the use of E15 in all cars now, yet we recognize the Agency was under pressure from special interests to reject the waiver. 

It is inescapable – approval of E15 is certain this year, and three encouraging details in EPA’s announcement give us clues to the direction they are heading.

First, in the letter explaining its decision EPA acknowledged “it is clear that ethanol will need to be blended into gasoline at levels greater than the current limit of 10 percent.”  They don’t simply mean E85; EPA recognizes for the first time that midlevel blends are necessary.

Second, EPA indicates that “our engineering assessment to date indicates that the fuel, engine, and emission control systems on newer vehicles (2001 and newer model years) will likely be able to accommodate higher ethanol blends such as E15.”  EPA cannot gracefully backpedal from a statement like that.

Finally, EPA announced plans to establish a working group, which ACE will participate in, to address retail labeling issues.  Again, this signals that EPA recognizes that E15 and other midlevel blends are bound to happen so they want to prepare retailers and consumers for the eventuality.

Between now and mid-year EPA plans to examine the catalyst durability data in a dozen cars and they indicate that based on the results of that data, the Agency may be in a position to approve E15 for newer cars (2001 or newer) by June.  This is directionally encouraging, but ACE will continue to make the case that the data supports the use of E15 in all vehicles, and we cannot be satisfied with E15 as the final move.

Further, it is ACE’s strong position that ultimately we need to shift the power to decide what fuels motorists use away from government agencies and oil companies and to the consumer.  We believe in maximum consumer choice to use E10, E15, E20, E30, E85, or “ethanol-free” gasoline, and ACE believes that when consumers are finally given these choices, they will select the ethanol-blended fuels that work best for them. 

That is why ACE will continue to work aggressively over the next several months to enact legislation introduced in the U.S. Senators Harkin (D-IA) and Lugar (R-IN) to provide incentives for the installation of blender pumps and to require the production of more FFVs.  Their legislation, S. 1627, the “Choice Act,” will be one of ACE’s top legislative priorities for 2010.  We encourage you to ask your Senators to cosponsor this bill.

EPA makes progress toward the approval of E15

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency made an announcement today on the E15 waiver request, stating that it should be in a position by mid-2010 to approve E15 for vehicles model year 2001 and newer.

 

“While we would have strongly preferred that EPA approved E15 today for all vehicles, we’re pleased that progress is being made toward this goal,” said Brian Jennings, Executive Vice President of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE).  “We are confident that in the long run the data will demonstrate that E15 and higher ethanol blends such as E20 and E30 can effectively be used in all vehicles.”

 

ACE is the nation’s largest ethanol advocacy association with nearly 1500 grassroots members nationwide and was one of the ethanol groups to submit the original waiver request on March 6 of this year. 

 

The EPA letter stated, “it is clear that ethanol will need to be blended into gasoline at levels greater than the current limit of 10 percent.”  The full letter can be read here.

 

“EPA’s recognition that ethanol will need to be blended at levels greater than 10 percent is significant,” said Lars Herseth, President of ACE.  “We look forward to the approval for E15 being granted mid-year, and we fully expect the testing to support the use of E15 and even higher blends in all passenger vehicles on America’s roads today.”

 

The EPA letter stated: “Although all of the studies have not been completed, our engineering assessment to date indicates that the robust fuel, engine, and emissions control systems on newer vehicles (likely 2001 and newer model years) will likely be able to accommodate higher ethanol blends, such as E15.”

 

EPA said it is waiting for the full results of long-term testing by the U.S. Department of Energy on 19 vehicles, and although these tests are not expected to be done until August 2010, the agency expects to have a “significant amount” of the total data by mid-June.  “Should the test results remain supportive and provide the necessary basis, we would be in a position to approve E15 for 2001 and newer vehicles in the mid-year timeframe,” EPA stated.

 

EPA says it will be creating a working group to address the issues of fuel pump labeling, and ACE will be in contact with the agency to participate in this process.

 

“ACE has worked with America’s petroleum marketers for a decade to answering their questions about offering ethanol blends, and we look forward to working with EPA to help implement the use of E15 at gas stations nationwide.  The Blend Your Own Ethanol campaign is a perfect fit to help carry out this change,” said Ron Lamberty, Vice President / Market Development for ACE.

 

ACE’s market development program has worked with petroleum marketers for 10 years, and in August the “Blend Your Own Ethanol” (BYO) campaign was launched as a partnership between ACE, the Renewable Fuels Association, the National Corn Growers Association, and leading corn-producing states.  “BYO” works to show gas station owners the benefits of blending ethanol and of using blender pumps, a single pump that uses two underground tanks to blend fuels from E10 to E85 and anything in between.

  

“EPA has acknowledged that we need to use higher ethanol blends, yet given EPA’s delay of the decision on E15, it is more important than ever that Congress enacts the Harkin-Lugar ‘Choice Act,’ S. 1627, which promotes flexible fuel vehicles, blender pumps, and ways for fuel retailers to economically add more options for their customers,” Jennings said.  “Ultimately we need to shift the power to decide what fuels motorists use away from government agencies and oil companies and to consumers.  We support maximum consumer choice for motorists to use E10, E15, E20, E30, E85, or ethanol-free gasoline, and we believe that when consumers are finally given these meaningful choices they will select the ethanol-blended fuels that work best in their vehicles.  Senate Bill 1627 will be one of ACE’s top legislative priorities for 2010.”

 

ACE will sponsor a grassroots “fly-in” to Washington, DC in March to lobby Congress to support the “Choice Act” legislation for blender pumps and FFVs and extension of tax credits for ethanol.  More details will be provided soon on the opportunities to participate in the grassroots “fly-in.”

 

ACE has researched the issue of higher blends for several years, data which was included in the E15 waiver request.  In 2006 a fuel economy study of blends between unleaded and E30 was conducted, plus the tear-down of a non-flex-fuel Chevrolet Tahoe that drove 100,000 miles almost exclusively on E85. In December 2007, ACE was the first biofuels advocacy group to bring the issue of midlevel blends to Capitol Hill with the unveiling of its “Optimal Blends” study which showed the potential of blends beyond E10 in standard vehicles and served as a catalyst for further study.  Just days before the E15 waiver request was filed in March, ACE brought 30 of its grassroots members to DC for a "fly-in" and met with Members of Congress and EPA Administrator Jackson to communicate the importance of moving beyond the E10 “blend wall.”  Nearly 7,000 people signed ACE’s pro-E15 petition, signatures which were submitted to EPA during the public comment period. 

 

ACE members include farmers, ethanol producers, industry suppliers, rural electric co-ops, the agriculture community, and others supportive of ethanol.  Learn more about ACE at www.ethanol.org or about the BYOethanol campaign at www.byoethanol.com.

Flex-fuel SUV vs. gas-electric hybrid: the surprising oil comparison

In any conversation about efficiency or energy consumption, few would believe that a sport utility vehicle could be considered superior to a gas-electric hybrid car.  If your goal is to burn less oil, however, you should choose the SUV – specifically a flex-fuel model running on E85.

To travel a year’s worth of miles, a Prius, for example, may consume 300 gallons of gasoline (15,000 miles @ 50 mpg).  To travel that same year’s worth of miles, a Tahoe, for example, may consume 1000 gallons of fuel (15,000 miles @ 15 mpg) – but if the SUV runs on E85 for those miles, it consumes only 150 gallons of actual gasoline (15% of the fuel is gasoline, 85% is renewable ethanol).  The hybrid car in this example consumes twice as much oil as the ethanol-powered SUV.

The future will likely hold a variety of ways for all of us energy-consumers to cut our fossil fuel habit, but here is an important point that often gets overlooked – ethanol is here today as a clean replacement for gasoline from petroleum, and higher ethanol blends like E85 are the fastest way to slash the oil consumption in your daily driving.  

NREL tests higher ethanol blends: "Cars don't seem to mind"

A sub-heading in a news report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) sums up recent testing there on blends of ethanol beyond 10 percent -- the cars don't seem to mind.  

The vehicles used in the lab's tests on E15 and E20 represent a cross-section of cars currently in use, 16 vehicles ranging from model years 1999 through 2007 with odometers reading from 10,000 to 100,000 miles.

"So far nothing has jumped out at us and vehicles don't show a significant impact with ethanol blends of 15 and 20 percent," said Keith Knoll, senior project leader for NREL's Fuels Performance Group.

Testing shows that as ethanol content increases, tailpipe emissions stayed largely the same, with carbon monoxide emissions declining for all of the ethanol blends.

The article states that, generally, the tests have shown no big surprises or short-term effects when using greater blends of ethanol in existing cars.

The full article is available at this link: http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090918_ethanol.html

Brazil's sugarcane industry rep speaks at ACE ethanol conference

Joel Velasco, Chief Representative in North America for Brazil's sugarcane industry association (UNICA), told ACE conference attendees that the U.S. and Brazil agree on 99 percent of things.  "We believe in the power of farmers and agriculture to solve many of these problems," Velasco said. 

Forty-six percent of Brazil's total energy use is considered renewable, he noted, and sugarcane makes up about 16 percent of the country's entire energy matrix.  Thanks to co-generation at the mills from burning the bagasse, sugarcane makes 3 percent of the country's electricity demand - and that may climb to 10 percent in the near future.  They don't have distillers grain to sell, but they have electricity to make, Velasco said.

Half a billion tons of cane were grown last harvest, making 7 billion gallons of ethanol.  This equals 31 billion metric tons of sugar.  Brazil's sugar output for food is up by 20 percent, responding mainly to India's shortfall in sugar production.  Velasco noted that India has shunned biofuels and now is short on sugar for food.

"There is no correlation between deforestation - it exists in Brazil, and it's a tragedy - but it has nothing to do with growing cane in Brazil or growing corn here in the U.S.," Velasco said.

In Brazil, the "gasoline" is actually E25.  Ethanol competes with gasoline and keeps gas prices in check.  "Gasoline in Brazil is now the alternative fuel," he said.

"The flex-fuel car has been very, very successful in Brazil," Velasco said, noting that General Motors does not offer a single car in Brazil that's not flex fuel today.  The Honda Civic can run on pure ethanol and meet all emissions standards in Brazil, the U.S., and in Europe.

Velasco says that Brazil supports the move to E15 in the U.S.  In UNICA's official comments to the U.S. EPA, they noted that throughout all of Brazil's many fuel changes over the years with different blends of ethanol, there were very, very few incidents with engines.  "We believe the technology is all there," he said, noting that if they could do it with 1970s automotive technology, it's probably ok today. 

Leading ethanol companies are making cellulosic ethanol happen today

Three leading companies spoke at the ACE Ethanol Conference during a panel discussion on cellulosic ethanol.  Range Fuels was represented by Bill Schafer, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Government Affairs.

Range Fuels was formed in July 2006 by Khosla Ventures and broke ground in November 2007 at its cellulosic ethanol facility in Soperton, Georgia.  This month, the company expects to be 50 percent done with construction. Construction is expected to be complete during the first quarter of next year, and they will be producing cellulosic ethanol at a commercial scale in 2010.

The Soperton facility is permitted to up to 100 million gallons of ethanol per year.  Range Fuels' technology converts the biomass into syntehsis gas, and in phase two the gas is cleaned up and converted into ethanol.  They also have a module for the co-generation of power, which Schafer noted has a pretty dramatic impact on your lifecycle GHG emissions.

Range Fuels uses a thermochemical process rather than a biochemical process because it's more flexible on feedstocks, yields are better because there's no lignin separation, and it presents a lot of product options because of the syngas.  Range Fuels is using wood as its source of biomass, a commodity they believe offers superior price stability.  Their location is in the middle of the timber belt and study as shown it is a good location because it will have minimal impact on existing indutries and supplies.  In phase 1 the company will use pulpwood and mill residuals, in phase two pre-commercial thinnings and in-forest residue, and eventually in phase 3 herbaceous energy crops.

"There are a lot of moving parts out there and it's difficult to get that legislative clarity today that we'd like to get, but what isn't in doubt is that there's a huge push behind this," Schafer said.  "The benefits that can be realized through this industry are in high demand."

Doug Berven, Director of Corporate Affairs for POET, spoke about his company's efforts to integrate cellulosic technologies with existing corn-based technologies. 

"We've been making excellent progress," Berven said.  "We're very excited about the future of cellulosic biomass."

This year POET is planning 25,000 acres of corn cob harvest to meet the needs of Project Liberty, its cellulosic biorefinery being added to its existing corn-based ethanol plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa.  They are working with ag equipment companies and with farmers on adding cob collection to the farmers' annual corn harvest.  This year four cob harvesting methods will be unveiled.  Next year 100,000 acres and 70,000 tons of cobs will be collected.

POET is producing cellulosic ethanol today at its pilot plant in Scotland, South Dakota.  By June of this year they report achieving a five-fold reduction in enzyme cost, putting the current total process cost at one dollar per gallon greater than that of the company's corn-based ethanol.

"The thing that stands in the way more than anything else is market development," Berven said.  "We are in total agreement with what Brian (Jennings) said the other day that blender pumps are the future in this country.  The blend wall is holding up potential investment in cellulosic ethanol."

TMO Renewables Inc. of the United Kingdom was represented by Associate Director of Engineering Jason Robinson.  The company has designed and built the UK's first demonstration facility for cellulosic ethanol and aims to license its technology and process to the U.S. market.  TMO's platform is a flexible and scalable industrial system, low energy costs, low enzyme requirements, short process times (hours, not days), and an operational demo facility with a fully integrated process.

TMO's demonstration plant has been operational since June 2008, and it's fully staffed running 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"You can't just offer the industry a tin can of organisms or a portion of the process.  You really need to offer the client a fully integrated process," Robinson said.

They report having achieved a higher amount of dry solids, which translates into much lower energy costs.  TMO's process can fully utilize the biomass' sugars in less than 8 hours, unlike the 50-70 hours common in other processes.  The organism they use for conversion is "thermophilic" - it likes heat - and can convert the biomass to sugar quickly without contamination issues.  Also, no antiobiotics are added to the process.

Robinson says the company is looking at "captive" feedstocks like distillers grain or corn fiber, which can take harvesting and all the transportation issues out of the mix.