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September 15, 2010
New Engineering Analysis Confirms E15 Safe for Use in Older
Vehicles
(September 15, 2010) Washington – According to a new comprehensive
engineering analysis performed by Ricardo, Inc, an internationally
recognized engineering firm, moving from 10 percent ethanol in
gasoline to 15 percent will mean little, if any, change on the
performance of older cars and light trucks, those manufactured
between 1994 and 2000.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently considering a
fuel waiver request to allow ethanol to be blended up to 15 percent.
The Agency has previously stated it expected to approve E15 for 2001
and newer vehicles only.
This study, which analyzed the vehicles manufactured by six
companies and which represent 25% (62.8 million vehicles) of light
duty vehicles on the road today, concluded “that the adoption and
use of E15 in the motor vehicle fleet from the studied model years
should not adversely affect these vehicles or cause them to perform
in a sub-optimal manner when compared with their performance using
the E10 blend that is currently available.”
“This analysis provides conclusive evidence for the EPA that there
is no reason to limit the availability of E15 to newer vehicles
only,” said Bob Dinneen, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA)
President. “This analysis together with affirmative results in
reports from the Department of Energy and other academic and private
testing institutions show that there are no significant issues with
the use of E15 in virtually all vehicles on the road today.”
The Ricardo, Inc. report, prepared for the Renewable Fuels
Association (RFA) and utilizing acceptable EPA statistical sampling
methodology, analyzed a wide variety of findings:
• Changes in EPA emissions regulations during this timeframe
increased the tolerance of fuel and vapor handling systems to
ethanol blended fuels.
• Vehicles of this vintage were certified by the manufacturers with
a high compliance margin.
• Careful review of the effects of exposure from E15 on vehicle
driveability, catalytic converter durability and on board diagnostic
systems of these model years determined no significant effect from
an increase of 5% ethanol.
In analyzing the various vehicles, the Ricardo Inc. analysis found
minimal effects on engine components and materials, emission systems
(including catalytic converters) and overall performance of raising
the ethanol percentage from 10 percent to 15 percent.
In June 2010, in its second delay in seven months, EPA deferred a
decision until this month about whether to increase the permissible
level of ethanol in gasoline from 10 percent to 15 percent, pending
the results of further research into whether ethanol damages cars
and other vehicles.
The following is a summary of the Ricardo, Inc. study:
EPA and the ‘Blend wall’: Removing the Artificial Barrier on Ethanol
Blends in Gasoline
New Engineering Analysis Confirms E15 Safe for Use in Older Vehicles
EPA Decision on E15 Usage Should Incorporate Findings
In spite of ethanol’s environmental advantages, the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) currently caps the amount of ethanol that
can be blended with gasoline. Because of this artificial barrier,
commonly called “the Blend Wall,” the potential domestic market for
ethanol tops out at approximately 12.5 to 13.5 billion gallons. The
US ethanol industry expects to exceed this volume this year, with
the result that producers are increasing their exports and the
nation is losing many of the biofuel’s benefits for the environment
and our energy security.
In June 2010, in its second delay in seven months, EPA deferred a
decision until this month about whether to increase the permissible
level of ethanol in gasoline from 10 percent to 15 percent, pending
the results of further research into whether ethanol damages cars
and other vehicles.
Significant testing has already occurred to assess the safety of
higher level ethanol blends. Those results from the Department of
Energy and other academic and private testing institutions all show
that there are no significant issues with the use of E15 in all
vehicles.
A new comprehensive light duty vehicle fleet analysis conducted for
the Renewable Fuels Association by Ricardo, Inc., an internationally
recognized engineering firm, concludes “that the adoption and use of
E15 in the motor vehicle fleet from the studied model years should
not adversely affect the vehicles or cause them to perform in a
sub-optimal manner when compared with their performance when using
the E10 blend that is currently available.”
This conclusion provides additional support for a positive
determination by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to allow
the use of E15 ethanol blends in America’s cars and light trucks.
The EPA is expected to announce a long-deferred decision this month
on whether to increase the permissible level of ethanol in gasoline
from 10 percent (E10) to 15 percent (E15). EPA appears to be heading
down a path that would limit the use of E15 to only those vehicles
made after 2001 or perhaps even after 2007.
While much research has been conducted about the effect of 15%
ethanol blends on vehicles from model years from 2001 and more
recently, there has been little investigation of the impact of E15
on older vehicles.
The engineering analysis performed by Ricardo, Inc. determined that
moving from 10 percent ethanol in gasoline to 15 percent, will mean
little, if any, change on the performance of cars and light trucks
manufactured between 1994 and 2000.
The study analyzed the vehicles manufactured by six automobile
manufacturers and which represent 25% (62.8 million vehicles) of
light duty vehicles on the road today.
The Ricardo report, prepared for the RFA and utilizing acceptable
EPA statistical sampling methodology, analyzed a wide variety of
factors:
• Changes in EPA emissions regulations during this timeframe
increased the tolerance of fuel and vapor handling systems to
ethanol blended fuels.
• Vehicles of this vintage were certified by the manufacturers with
a high compliance margin.
• Careful review of the effects of exposure from E15 on vehicle
driveability, catalytic converter durability and on board diagnostic
systems of these model years determined no significant effect from
an increase of 5% ethanol.
In analyzing the various vehicles, the Ricardo Inc. analysis found
minimal effects on engine components and materials, emission systems
(including catalytic converters) and overall performance of raising
the ethanol percentage from 10 percent to 15 percent.
July 26, 2010
Farmers, Ethanol Industry
Ask EPA Approve E12 Immediately (7-26-10)
From NCGA's News of the Day
Three major farmer and ethanol groups today called on Environmental
Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson to formally approve the
use of E12 (12% ethanol) in the nation’s gasoline supply. The
groups, American Coalition for Ethanol, National Corn Growers
Association and the Renewable Fuels Association, in a formal letter
to the EPA Administrator wrote, “based on the EPA’s delay in acting
upon the full E15 waiver and on our concerns that the Agency will
restrict the use of E15 to cars made in 2001 and thereafter, we
encourage the EPA to formally approve the use of E12 for all motor
vehicles as an immediate interim step pending any ongoing additional
testing on E15.”
The groups pointed to President Obama’s stated goal of reducing
reliance on oil imports and reiterated that expanded use of
domestically produced ethanol will help accomplish that goal.
According to the letter, “Decreasing dependence on foreign oil is a
key to this country’s environmental, energy and security policy, and
the EPA must provide a practical and workable solution to the
ethanol blend wall issue and do so soon. Allowing E12 for all motor
vehicles as an interim step to a full waiver for E15 is a reasonable
and defensible first step to solve the immediate problem.”
The groups’ letter reviewed previous EPA findings, policy positions
and research to demonstrate the reasonableness of approving E12 for
use in the nation’s automobile and light truck fleet.
“The EPA has a clear basis and the authority to approve E12. While
we think delay on E15 is unnecessary and will slow progress on
expanding the use of ethanol, we all agree that approval of E12 is a
vital interim step that EPA can and should take,” the groups wrote.
All three groups remain fully committed to efforts to approve the
use of E15 for all vehicles.
Read the letter in its entirety here.
July 23, 2010
Stanford Research Shows Higher Crop Yields Save
Land, Greenhouse Gases
From NCGA's News of the Day
"Yields over the past 50
years have reduced the need to convert several billion uncultivated
acres to farmland. This has avoided the addition of greenhouse gases
equaling a third of the world’s total output since the Industrial
Revolution of 1850. If one would put a dollar figure to avoiding
greenhouse gases by investing in crop yield research, the cost would
be between $4.00 and $7.50 for each ton of carbon dioxide emitted
during this period."
Most people like a good
‘whodunit’, and apparently so does Stanford University researcher
David Lobell. If you follow environmental news, greenhouse gas
alleviation seems to cause more consternation than revelation.
However, a new study co-authored by Dr. Lobell and published in last
month’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences seems to be
uncovering some much needed clues on the subject.
Dr. Lobell, a research fellow in Stanford’s Program on Food Security
and the Environment and assistant professor of environmental earth
system science, focuses his research on identifying opportunities to
raise crop yields in major agricultural regions with an emphasis on
adaptation to climate change. He currently conducts projects in
Africa, South Asia, Mexico and the United States using tools such as
remote sensing, geographic information systems and crop and climate
modeling.
What makes the recent work of Dr. Lobell and his research team
unique is their methodology for identifying climatic implications of
agriculture through the comparison of actual production data with
hypothetical scenarios expanding farmland rather than yields. By
creating and comparing alternatives to what actually happened in the
period from 1961 to 2005, the researchers were able to dismiss the
idea modern agricultural production is more damaging to the
environment than old fashion means.
The study revealed that increased yields over the past 50 years have
reduced the need to convert several billion uncultivated acres to
farmland. This has avoided the addition of greenhouse gases equaling
a third of the world’s total output since the Industrial Revolution
of 1850. If one would put a dollar figure to avoiding greenhouse
gases by investing in crop yield research, the cost would be between
$4.00 and $7.50 for each ton of carbon dioxide emitted during this
period.
“The size and cost-effectiveness of this carbon reduction is
striking when compared with proposed mitigation options in other
sectors,” said Lobell. “For example, strategies proposed to reduce
emissions related to construction would cut emissions by a little
less than half the amount we estimate has been achieved by yield
improvements and would cost close to $20 per ton.”
In the last half century, the world’s population increased by 111
percent while crops grew by 162 percent. It has become clear that
innovation and science have enabled us to feed more people. Coupled
with conservation and development efforts, further yield sleuthing
should be prominent among efforts to reduce further GHG emissions.
David B. Lobell, Ph.D.
Program on Food Security and the Environment Fellow
Assistant Professor of Environmental Earth System Science
Stanford University
READ MORE
July 1, 2010
Now is the time...for ethanol
As Congress prepares for an Independence Day Recess to be
followed by vigorous discussion of a new energy bill, the National
Corn Growers Association has stepped up its campaign to ensure that
corn-based ethanol is part of the formula that brings our country to
energy security and independence.
“With nearly two-thirds of our oil imported, we need to focus on a
broad range of domestic fuel solutions,” said NCGA President Darrin
Ihnen, a South Dakota farmer. “Legislation is before Congress to
continue much needed incentives and there is a new energy bill on
the horizon, making it an important and critical time to talk about
ethanol’s many environmental and economic benefits to our country.”
Front and center in the NCGA campaign is a new television ad using
powerful images and common sense to stress the importance of
ethanol. It will air starting Monday, June 28, on local news
programs in Washington and on major cable channels such as Fox, CNN
and MSNBC.
“It’s now clear that events both here at home and abroad demand a
different solution to our energy needs,” the ad states. “One that
protects our national security, safeguards our environment and
promotes economic growth. One answer grows in our own backyard.
Turning American corn into America’s energy. It’s renewable,
efficient, abundant and safe. And it creates American jobs. We feed
the world; we can fuel it, too. Ethanol. Now is the time.”
This campaign follows closely on recent news that ethanol production
has grown more efficient in the past few years, and is considered to
be “energy positive” — For every unit of energy required to make
ethanol, 2.3 units of energy are produced, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture reported on June 21.
In addition, according to a University of Nebraska report last year,
ethanol directly emits an average of 51 percent less greenhouse gas
than gasoline, as much as three times the reduction reported in
earlier research, thanks to recent improvements in efficiency
throughout the production process.
“It’s no wonder we’re saying ‘Now is the time’ for ethanol,” NCGA’s
Ihnen said. “The industry is making great progress and corn growers
have another record crop in the fields so we can meet all needs.”
The advertisement is available for viewing at
www.ncga.com.
View the video on YouTube
FIND
KANSAS ETHANOL BLENDER PUMPS HERE!
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