Washington-The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has waived a limitation on selling fuel that is more than 10 percent ethanol for model year 2007 and newer cars and light trucks. The waiver applies to fuel that contains up to 15 percent ethanol – known as E15 – and only to model year 2007 and newer cars and light trucks. “This will have an effect on the corn volumes and also then on the fertilizer use in the years to come,” said Yara International ASA President and CEO Jørgen Ole Haslestad, speaking to analysts last week. “We do not believe that we will see an immediate effect to this. But on a long-term basis this will have a quite considerable effect on corn consumption going to bioethanol.” EPA said this represents the first of a number of actions that are needed from federal, state, and industry towards commercialization of E15 gasoline blends. A decision on the use of E15 in model years 2001 to 2006 vehicles will be made after EPA receives the results of additional DOE testing, which is expected to be completed in November. However, no waiver is being granted this year for E15 use in model year 2000 and older cars and light trucks – or in any motorcycles, heavy-duty vehicles, or non-road engines – because currently there is not testing data to support such a waiver. Since 1979, up to 10 percent ethanol or E10 has been used for all conventional cars and light trucks, and non-road vehicles.
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