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E15: A ‘right-here, right-now’ solution

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Written by Jonathan Eisenthal

America is hitting the road for the first time in more than a year. Memorial Day weekend 2021 was the first signpost on the road to a post-COVID-19 world. Along with this return to normalcy is a return to other concerns with the world, and at the top of the list is climate change. The need for immediate action is clear.

Among the options for reducing carbon intensity, E15 is the “right-here, right-now” solution, said Mackenzie Boubin, biofuels and industry relations director for Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA). Commonly labeled by its octane rating, unleaded 88, this blend raises the ethanol level in the gasoline from the current standard of 10% to 15%.

As a renewable energy source, ethanol cycles carbon, while fossil fuel unearths additional carbon and releases it into the atmosphere. By raising ethanol levels in fuel, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced. In fact, a recent Harvard University study found that using corn-derived ethanol helps reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions by 46% compared to gasoline.

But that’s not the only win for consumers. In addition to climate and clean-air benefits, another advantage is price.

“The consumers are winning by keeping more dollars in their wallets,” Boubin said. “Depending on the station, the discount can be 5 cents, up to as much as 40 cents, compared to regular 87-octane gasoline. The difference adds up over time. If you are the average driver, driving 10,000 to 12,000 miles a year, you are saving almost a hundred bucks by choosing E15.”

E15 is not a new choice in Minnesota. Beginning in 2019, it was approved for year-round sales. It can be used in any vehicle gasoline engine produced in 2001 or later and is offered at more than 380 fueling stations in Minnesota.

That availability could increase even more in the coming years, thanks to a proposed biofuels infrastructure grant program, to which MCGA and the Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council (MCR&PC) have pledged $1 million.

Though the pandemic meant many people stopped or drastically reduced their driving, E15 maintained its market position as the second most popular fueling choice in Minnesota, after E10. Because it consistently outsells conventional midgrade gasoline, station owners who have replaced those pumps with E15 have come out ahead, according to Boubin.

“We’re optimistic that sales will climb during the holiday weekend and continue to grow as our economy recovers,” she said. “This is a right-here, right-now solution to reducing our carbon footprint. Especially when we see that our state’s transportation sector is not meeting our greenhouse gas-reduction goals, set back in 2005 under Gov. Tim Pawlenty, to reach a 25% reduction by 2025. Ethanol can be used today to get us to our reduction goals.”

To learn more about the benefits of higher blends of ethanol, or to find a station near you, visit BetterFuel.org.

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