An early push for national year-round E15 sales is expected as a new Congress and administration are seated. Legislative efforts fell short in the last Congress but gave national year-round E15 sales new momentum.
Iowa Senator and farmer Chuck Grassley has already been in touch with House Speaker Mike Johnson.
“And I texted to him why we need E15 year-round. And I included in that text that even oil companies would agree to it because it’s very difficult having eight states having one mixture and the other 42 states, another mixture.”
Grassley and other ethanol-state lawmakers sponsored bipartisan E15 legislation in the last Congress, also included in a failed version of a short-term government funding bill.
At the Renewable Fuels Association, CEO Geoff Cooper says year-round sales are needed to soak up a bumper corn crop.
“The quickest way to increase demand for corn and value for corn is to let more of it go into the ethanol industry. And for that to happen, we need to have the marketplace allow more ethanol into the fuel supply. So, that’s where E15 becomes critically important.”
And, despite record or near-record ethanol exports.
“We’re going to need to see even higher levels of ethanol exports and, frankly, higher levels of domestic consumption here through E15 and other higher blends.”
And demand from developing markets like sustainable aviation fuel propelled by a hoped-for 45Z clean fuel tax credit.
-NAFB