To pump, Or not to pump... Ethanol that is.

Yesterday, the US Environmental Protection Agency approved applications for the registration of E15 fuel. What does this mean exactly? It means gas stations are one step closer to having the option to sell gasoline that contains 15% ethanol. Ethanol has been blended into gasoline for over 30 years but the law has limited it to 10% for use in gasoline-fueled vehicles.

Once a few more legal hurdles are jumped and gas stations have E15 available, you will see this sticker at the pump:


Why choose ethanol?
1) If you have a 2001 or newer vehicle, it is safe for you to use E15 fuel. If you drive a flex-fuel vehicle, it is safe for you to use fuel that is up to 85% ethanol (E85).
2) Ethanol is considered a renewable fuel because it is generally produced from plant or waste products, not from fossil fuels. Some people have shown concern for using too much corn for ethanol production, but corn used for ethanol production doesn't stop at the ethanol plant. After the starch is extracted from the kernel, the remainder of the corn is used as a livestock feed called Dried Distillers Grain with Solubles (DDGS). This is an economical feed choice for livestock farmers, and the fermentation process involved with making ethanol actually makes the protein in the corn more available to the animal.
3) If safety and sustainability aren't good enough reasons for you to choose E15 at the pump, here is one last tidbit for you: It costs less! According to Dave Loos, Technology & Business Development Director at Illinois Corn Growers, E15 would cost the consumer 10 cents/gallon less than the E10 blend, and 27 cents/gallon less than gasoline without ethanol! Sign me up!

Most importantly, I want to point out that E15 is approved as an option. Retailers don't have to add it as a product, and consumers don't have to buy it. Keep an eye out for these stickers at the pump in the future, and make a choice as an informed consumer!