1 pound from June 1 to Sept. 15 but did not give E15 the same waiver. In order to offer E15 in the summer months, low-volatility blendstock can be pulled from markets that require reformulated gasoline. The catch, White says, is the cost of transporting reformulated gas into new markets, which adds to the price of the fuel. RFA’s position on RVP is that E10 and E15 should be treated the same. Both fuels should have the RVP waiver or neither fuel should, White says. If the E10 waiver is removed, refiners will continue to blend ethanol due to the renewable fuel standard, possibly even making E15 more attractive as a fuel. Extending the waiver to both fuels would work too. “We just need you to go one way or another,” he says about EPA’s decision on the matter. In the meantime, retailers really only have three options, the first of which is to blend with reformulated gasoline in the summer months. They could also stop offering E15 during the summer months or simply sell it only to flex-fuel vehicle owners. “The options for summer months are limited and that’s really too bad,” he says. It’s true RVP is a challenge, O’Brien says. However, not all mar-
PHOTO: CATHRYN FARLEY COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY
E15
Premium Fuel In early December, E15 was only slightly cheaper than regular gasoline. The benefit to drivers is that it’s a higher octane product, Zaremba says.
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L sales@ferm-solutions.com FEBRUARY 2013 | Ethanol Producer Magazine | 35