E15 gasoline’s cleaner emissions and lower cost have led to increased attention in recent years, yet many facts about the fuel aren't widely known by the public.
This fuel contains more ethanol than most United States gasoline, the U.S. Department of Energy said in an article on their website.
“More than 95 percent of U.S. gasoline contains ethanol in a low-level blend to oxygenate the fuel and reduce air pollution,” the article said.
A study from ICF International and the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that greenhouse gas emissions associated with corn-based ethanol, a prime component of E15 gasoline, were measured to be about 43 percent lower than gasoline, meaning that corn ethanol can be an environmentally friendly alternative, said a USDA press release in January.
“This report provides evidence that corn ethanol can be a GHG-friendly alternative to fossil fuels while boosting farm economies,” former agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack said in the press release.
Growth Energy, a biofuel trade organization, said in an article on its website that ethanol is a renewable, earth-friendly biofuel made from plants.
“It’s a high-quality, high-octane fuel that burns cleaner and cooler than oil, which is good for our environment and our car engines,” the article said.
Mike O'Brien, vice president of market development at Growth Energy, said E15 – a biomass-based gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol – is only available at 1,200 locations in 29 states, including North Carolina. He said its availability will continue to grow.
“We’ll probably end up with about 1,400 by the end of this year,” O'Brian said. “In terms of the number of locations in North Carolina offering it, there are 72 retail locations offering it.”
