Cellulosic Ethanol Executives Push for 15 Percent Blend

Executives of nine U.S.-based cellulosic ethanol companies have signed a request to increase ethanol blending from 10 percent to 15 percent. In a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, officials from Coskata, Qteros, Range Fuels, ZeaChem, ICM and Edenspace Systems made their point. We are writing in strong support of the E15 waiver recently submitted for consideration by the EPA.

In their letter, the executives said - as with other alternative energy technologies, assurance of a continued and growing market for ethanol is essential to commercializing cost-competitive advanced biofuels. Removing the regulatory cap will ensure the product market necessary to encourage continued investment in the commercialization of advanced biofuels.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, advanced biofuels, such as cellulosic ethanol, promise to reduce Green House Gas emissions by 86 percent relative to gasoline. The U.S. Departments of Energy and Agriculture found that 1.3 billion tons of U.S. biomass feedstock is potentially available for the production of biofuels – more than enough biomass to meet the new renewable fuel standard mandated by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.