Corn Growers Fund E15 Testing in California

by Larry Lee (Brownfield Ag News) More tests are underway to potentially expand E15 ethanol use in California. Tom Gillis is on the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board and the National Corn Growers Ethanol Action Group. He says, “As we speak, there is a test going on in California, and it’s run through the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and they are actually checking emissions tests to move to an E15-based biofuels additive and we’re checking cars that go back as much as ten-plus years old.”

Gillis says the tests will help California develop E15 emissions standards, which can bring ethanol consumption up in that state, and eventually elsewhere.

Gillis says getting California to move towards E15 has many benefits. “As we well know, between the population and the amount of fuel they use, you know that getting to a higher blend rate in California would be very beneficial to increased usage of corn biofuels and of course, address the climate issues.”

Gillis says the action group does consumer ethanol education and they work with the fuel pump manufacturers to deliver retailers higher blend solutions. He says their efforts are funded by checkoff dollars. READ MORE