As the RVP restriction is lifted, following the close of the summer months, ACE expresses the hope that Congress will alter these EPA rules so that E15 can be sold year-round.
The senior vice president of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) has released a statement to remind retailers that, beginning Sept. 15, 2015, they are permitted to resume the sale of E15 fuel to drivers of all gasoline-powered 2001 and newer passenger vehicles.
EPA rules controlling maximum Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) effectively ban the sale of lower-cost, higher-octane E15 from June 1 to Sept. 15 in most of the U.S. each year, even though E15’s has a lower RVP and lower emissions than the gasoline sold in those markets each summer.
“This rule is preventing gas station owners from offering E15 to their customers, because they don’t want the hassle of changing fuel blends twice a year or telling regular E15 customers they can’t use it during the three months of the year people travel most,” Lamberty said. “More than 70% of consumers say price is most important to them, and E15 is usually two to ten cents cheaper than the lowest priced gas most people use. So this restriction makes station owners cut off the sale of cleaner, higher-octane E15 at a time when drivers could save the most, and the only thing that’s different is the calendar. It’s frustrating.”
Lamberty said more c-store and gas station owners are considering E15, following market-leading convenience store chains that have recently added the higher ethanol blend. “When respected convenience store companies like Sheetz, Kum &Go, Thornton’s and RaceTrac, are selling E15, other retailers are going to want to sell it, too,” Lamberty said. “C-store owners want to give their customers better products at lower prices, and they can do that with E15 when this RVP problem is fixed.”
“There are some legislative solutions to the RVP problem being offered in Congress, and we’re happy some fuel retailers are letting their representatives know they support the change,” Lamberty said. “Hopefully, something will get done, drivers will be able to buy the fuel of their choice, and we won’t have to circle this date on the calendar next year.”
