Department of Energy to explore E12, E15 and E20

In Washington, the assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy, Alexander Karsner, said that the Department of Energy would explore the feasibility of high ethanol blends, noting that Brazil has a baseline blend of E22, compared to the US E10 baseline.  “We will be testing for E12, E15 and eventually E20 and working together with the Environment Protection Agency and others,” he said.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley recently called on President Bush to direct the Environmental Protection Agency to approve E15, E20, E30 blends. Grassley said that with E85 not gaining acceptance, the US had to find other ways to ensure a market for higher blends of ethanol.

South Dakota Senator John Thune met earlier this year  with the director of President Bush’s economic council to push for an E20 mandate to increase demand for ethanol. Thune said that lack of support from automakers was unimportant compared to the importance of reducing US dependence on foreign oil.

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