Nine top US cellulosic ethanol execs plea with EPA for E15 blending

In Washington, executives at nine US-based cellulosic ethanol companies signed a request to increase ethanol blending from 10 percent to 15 percent. Signatories included the CEOs of Coskata, Qteros, Range Fuels, ZeaChem, ICM and Edenspace Systems. The letter reads:

Dear Administrator Jackson:

As leading U.S. cellulosic biofuel companies, we are writing in strong support of the E15 waiver recently submitted for consideration by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

As with other alternative energy technologies, assurance of a continued and growing market for ethanol is essential to commercializing cost-competitive advanced biofuels.  Current ethanol producers have hit a regulatory cap, producing more ethanol than can be used under current restrictions.  Removing the regulatory cap will ensure the product market necessary to encourage continued investment in the commercialization of advanced biofuels.

Ethanol offers a practical solution to fuel our country’s environmental sustainability, economic growth and energy independence.  As we invest in the near term deployment of advanced biofuels, grain-based ethanol production is an important foundation upon which scientists and producers have begun to build. As we move from making ethanol from corn, to also producing it from agricultural waste, wood chips and other biomass materials, ethanol will continue to be a sustainable and effective energy solution for the U.S. and the world.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, advanced biofuels, such as cellulosic ethanol, promise to reduce GHG emissions by 86 percent relative to gasoline.  The U.S. Departments of Energy and Agriculture found that 1.3 billion tons of U.S. biomass feedstock is potentially available for the production of biofuels – more than enough biomass to meet the new renewable fuel standard (RFS) mandated by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.  Further, a recent study by Sandia National Laboratories and General Motors found that plant and forestry waste and dedicated energy crops could sustainably replace nearly a third of gasoline use by the year 2030.  Biomass feedstock used for fuel production is available all over the country, which means there is the potential for green-collar job expansion into regions that do not yet produce ethanol.

Thank you for considering this recommendation. We urge you to carefully examine this waiver submission and look forward to working with you to advance the use of biofuels to achieve a more affordable, cleaner and secure energy future for our nation.

Free Subscription to the Daily Biofuels Digest e-newsletter

Related Stories

India missing E5, B5 mandate targets; biofuel producers plea for higher prices, government says not feasible to pay more

In India, Minister of State for Petroleum Dinsha Patel told the Indian parliament that the request by the Indian sugar industry to raise the ethanol price from 21.5 rupees per liter to 28 Rs was "not ...

Oil companies, execs taking over biofuels business?

In New York, the closing of the Sunoco purchase of the former Northeastern Biofuels plant in Volney for $8.5 million, continues a trend whereby oil companies are moving into the ethanol production bus...

Iogen gets federal OK for $500 million cellulosic ethanol plant in Saskatchewan

In Canada, the federal government has approved a $500 million cellulosic ethanol project plan by Iogen Corp for construction in Saskatchewan. Iogen execs said that they hoped to launch the 23 Mgy plan...

Iogen to abandon Idaho, heads for Saskatchewan for cellulosic ethanol on sweeter Canadian incentive offer

In Canada, Iogen said that would suspend development in the state of Idaho and build its 23 Mgy cellulosic ethanol plant in Saskatchewan, after the Canadian officials put together a $500 million incen...

US ethanol blending nears saturation in East, Midwest, study finds

A research analyst from Newedge said that "data show ethanol blending inching closer to saturation”. The report said that 92% of East Coast gasoline produced in March contained ethanol, with the Mid...

Pakistan sugar officials say E10 ethanol mandate imposed without industry consultation

In Pakistan, execs from the Pakistan Sugar Mill Association and other industry organizations are saying that national government plans for E10 were formulated without industry consultation. The gov...