February 17, 2012
Clearing the Way for More Competition at the Pump with E15
Our nation is facing an energy crisis.
Sanctions imposed on Iran for their unstable, threatening nuclear arms program could mean the price for a barrel of oil could rise from $100 a barrel to $140, and gas prices are expected to climb to an average national price of $4 this spring.
Oil companies are raking in enormous profits while American consumers are paying out the nose at the pump. We need an alternative today that will lower prices at the pump, while decreasing our nation’s dependence on foreign oil.
Fortunately, there is relief in sight, in the form of our nation’s only commercially-viable alternative to foreign oil: ethanol. A recent Iowa State University found that ethanol reduced prices 25 cents a gallon over the last decade. Corn prices are falling, which makes ethanol even more affordable for American taxpayers. And it is here today; ethanol is not a “someday” fuel.
This week, America took a giant step forward on the path to energy independence when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) completed its health effects study of E15 (a blend of 15 percent ethanol). Clearing this regulatory hurdles opens the way for this mid-level ethanol fuel blend to enter the motor fuels market, and begin to give consumers a choice at the fuel pump.
By allowing more domestic ethanol to be pumped into our fuel supply, we can bolster our economy, improve our environment and strengthen our national security. By EPA's own estimates, grain ethanol is a low-carbon fuel that is cleaner than gasoline refined from oil. Simply moving to E15 would cut emissions equivalent to taking 1.35 million cars from the road, displace as much as 7 billion gallons of gasoline and create 136,000 jobs. Those are jobs that can never be sent overseas. At Plymouth Energy, we directly support 38 and indirectly support countless local farmers and producers. At a time when unemployment is still high, these jobs will play a significant role in our economic recovery.
After a rigorous testing of E15’s impact on automobile drivability and emissions, EPA last year approved E15 for use in all autos and light trucks built since 2001– which today, is more than 70 percent of the vehicles on the road.
Now it’s up to suppliers and fuel-makers to register the fuel with EPA for sale. By moving to E15 we can open the fuels market to create a level playing field where ethanol can displace foreign oil and take the equivalent of Hugo Chavez out of the business of importing oil into the U.S. Let your filling stations know that you want this cleaner, homegrown fuel today, and fill up with higher ethanol blends if you have a Flex Fuel vehicle.
Accelerating the use of alternatives puts the power to choose back in the hands of the consumer. Flex Fuel pumps and Flex Fuel vehicles allow consumers to choose varying blends of ethanol – like E30, E50 and E85—based on price and performance.
It is imperative for our country to produce and use more of our own sources of renewable energy so we don’t have to rely on foreign nations as heavily. American ethanol is the only commercially viable alternative fuel that is proven to reduce harmful emissions in the air, create jobs at home, and strengthen our national security.
There is no question that today’s announcement is a good first step, but it is only the beginning. If we truly want to realize our energy security and environmental goals, we must commit to opening the transportation fuels market to more ethanol.
In an open market, American ethanol can compete, and win, over foreign oil.
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