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State Ethanol Mandates Inching Ahead
20 March 2006
 |
| States with Renewable Fuels Standard initiatives. Dark green are states where the law is enacted; light green are in legislative process. |
Last year, Minnesota took the lead on calling for every state to take steps toward use of at least 10% ethanol in gasoline (an E10 blend) by 2010. (Minnesota currently requires E10 blends and has instituted an E20 requirement by 2013. (Earlier post.)
Although some states are heeding the call, progress has been slow. Hawaii may join Minnesota on April 2 as the second state in the US to require E10, according to the Minnesota Corn Growers Association.
Montana passed an E10 requirement last year, but it will not go into effect until the state has produced its own ethanol at a rate of 30 million gallons per year for a period of at least three months. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, there are no major fuel ethanol plants currently in operation in Montana.
The Idaho House of Representatives killed that state’s ethanol initiative after it had been passed by the Senate. But legislatures in Washington state, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, and Iowa have all offered bills meant to establish renewable fuels standards in their states.
When our public officials don’t take the lead on the national level, the states almost have to. It’s that important to rural states and what happens to rural development.
I would like to think that it’s only a matter of time for any state that has a large ag sector to pass renewable fuel requirements. It’s too good an opportunity to miss. The jobs and economic impact make an immediate difference to the communities where they locate. South Dakota just came out with a study that shows their ethanol industry has a one billion dollar annual impact in the state. For a state with the (population) size of South Dakota, that’s huge.
—Ron Obermoller, Minnesota corn farmer and ethanol and biodiesel producer
The federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 institutes a Renewable Fuels Standard that starts at 4 billion gallons in 2006 and increases to 7.5 billion gallons in 2012—a figure that would represent about 3.5% of projected total gasoline and diesel consumption by that year.
| State Renewable Fuels Standards | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| State | Level | Date | Enacted |
| Minnesota | E10 E20 |
Current 2013 |
Yes |
| Hawaii | E10 | 2006 | Yes |
| Montana | E10 | When state achieves min. prod level | Yes |
| Washington | Ethanol: 10% total sales Biodiesel: 5% total sales |
When state demonstrates sufficient in-state production. | No |
| Colorado | E10 E20 |
2009 2013 |
No |
| Illinois | 10% of total sales 15% of total sales |
2008 2012 |
No |
| Iowa | 25% of total sales | 2015 | No |
| Kansas | E10 B2 |
2010 | No |
| Missouri | E10 | 2010 | No |
| New Mexico | E10 B2 |
2009 | No |
March 20, 2006 in Ethanol, Policy | Permalink | Comments (28) | TrackBack (1)
Comments
Posted by: rhague | April 14, 2008 at 09:14 AM
Anecdotal report on two vehicles I own.
1) 2008 Honda Civic on a trip to SC from MN. Fill up with E10 in MN first tank full 36.7 MPG, through WI into IL, partial fill in IL, next tank 36.9 MPG, 3rd fill in KY (no ethanol) to SC, 40 MPG. All at pretty much a constant 72 MPH.
2) 2000 Grand Caravan Flex-Fuel - 24 MPG on the highway. Filled with E85 in Iowa on a trip. Result 18.5 MPG and cruise control could not maintain speed on slight grades. Last time I tried E85.
Opinion - Ethanol is not beneficial and raises my taxes besides.
Posted by: Randy | August 04, 2008 at 08:48 PM
Corn based ethanol is just a scam to boost profits for the American farm industry under the guise of being green. Farming is inherently hash on the environment. There are many claims that corn based ethanol requires more energy to produce than it delivers. Ethanol gas is subsidized at the rate of 51 cents per gallon. Ethanol has only 70% of the energy density of gasoline (by volume). A much better approach is to simply use less. This means reducing our consumption and being more efficient with what we use. It's a whole lot easier to use less compared with this convoluted tax and spend ethanol scam.
Posted by: Steve Cole | November 02, 2008 at 05:04 PM
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Tracked on Mar 22, 2006 2:06:10 PM
Dear Connie,
I get better mileage in my Celica GTS with 10% alcohol. I mix E85 with premium.
You need to read more updated information on the efficiencies of ethanol production. Also, much of that energy to "grow" corn is called sunlight and that is free.
Plug in hybrids will have a combustion engine. I hope it runs on E85.