EPA looking into the safety of E20 and E30, but some customers totally dig it
Those little stickers announcing that the fuel you're about to put into your tank contains up to 10 percent ethanol are getting pretty ubiquitous, aren't they? But pumps that can dispense E20 or E30 are less common, and they may never take off because the EPA is worried that the higher ethanol content in the fuel can damage cars that are not equipped to deal with the biofuel. Since these "blender pumps" operate the same way as standard gasoline pumps and customers might inadvertently put them in non-E85 ready vehicles, the EPA is stepping in to stop them from operating in some areas, like South Dakota. The EPA is researching whether 20 or 30 percent ethanol-blended gasoline meets Clear Air Act standards and how it affects engines.
E30 is very popular with some customers. Rick Pigors, manager at the Farmers Union Co-op, where standard gasoline, E85 and E30 is currently available, told the Aberdeen News that if the EPA shuts the E30 pump down, he expects people will put standard gasoline and E85 into their tanks to arrive at a mix of about E30. It's not precise, but it's what his customers want.
[Source: Aberdeen News via Domestic Fuel]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Andy 12:10AM (11/26/2006)
We need more E20 and E30 stations. California has only one E85 station. How Earth friendly.
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Jimmy 1:59AM (11/27/2006)
These stations are a good way to allow consumers to choose to use more clean, renewable, domestic fuel. Sadly, the EPA is NOT about innovation, consumer choice or even science. EPA is all about bureaucracy and regulations.
MnCAR at Minnesota State tested 15 different vehicles on E30 using EPA test procedures and found their emissions were all "well below federal standards". Of course, more studies should be conducted and these results verified. If the EPA wanted to do something useful they would fund a study rather than throw regulations at some small farming co-ops who are trying something new.
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Jim Sloey 8:14AM (1/19/2007)
Here in Upstate NY there are five new ethanol production facilities opening in 2007 within 50 miles of me but there is not a single consumer accessible station pumping ethanol in the entire state. The NYS Thruway Authority has 6 stations but that's only for state owned vehicles.
If we could get it we would use it. I'd either run e30, mix it myself or spend $300 for one of the e85 FlexFuel converters. The converters either fool the O2 sensors into thinking the exhaust is dirtier to simulate e10 or just alter the pulses to the fuel injectors without tripping the limits.
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