Urban Air Initiative launches tool for researchers

In Washington, a new tool is available for researchers to help ensure accurate and consistent results when conducting fuel and emission testing. Future Fuel Strategies recently published a Fuel Blending Guide for Ethanol: Identifying Sound Practices for Acquiring or Blending Fuels for Studies of Emissions Changes. The Urban Air Initiative (UAI) commissioned this study after coming to understand that the way test fuels are blended dictate emission results.

Currently there are no protocols or standards for researchers to use when it comes to blending test fuels. In fact, the EPA often relies on the oil industry to blend test fuels. After reviewing dozens of studies, many of which incorrectly blame ethanol for raising emissions, Urban Air’s Technical Director found that if there was a standardized way test fuels were blended, a lot of studies would have very different outcomes.