EPA Partners with Nebraska Engineers on Biofuels Study

by Curt Arens (Nebraska Farmer) The program will evaluate the use of E30 in conventional vehicles in the state fleet, including State Patrol cars. OOKING AT BLEND: A Nebraska biofuels state fleet study partners UNL engineers with EPA to research the effects of using E30 ethanol-blended gasoline in non-flex fuel vehicles.

But as current regulations state, higher blends of ethanol gasoline, such as E30 — which contains 30% ethanol — are only approved for use in flex fuel vehicles. Conventional wisdom would have us believe that only lower blends, such as E10 and E15, are suitable for non-flex fuel vehicles.

But Nebraska is challenging that conventional wisdom, and the state’s partner in the challenge is EPA.

Nebraska Ethanol Board Administrator Roger Berry spoke at the Nebraska Farmers Union state convention in Norfolk in December, explaining the premise of a new state fleet study that is looking at using E30-blended gasoline in state non-flex fuel vehicles, with the blessing of EPA.

The Nebraska E30 demonstration project was established by former NEB Administrator Todd Sneller. The purpose of the study is to collect data to statistically determine the long-term effects of E30 use on modern non-flex fuel vehicles, Berry said.

“We also want to check the economic viability from smaller demonstrations that have already indicated positive results,” he added.

Through more than 80,000 test miles and 20 million consumer miles driven, on average, the vehicles increased fuel mileage, increased horsepower, saved fuel and had no check engine lights or mechanical issues.

The program will evaluate the use of E30 in conventional vehicles in the state fleet, including Nebraska State Patrol cars, and compare the results to the same type of vehicles operating on E10 and E15 blends.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln engineers are providing technical assistance, helping researchers assess fuel cost per mile, performance, maintenance and other factors in 50 state vehicles.

“We are particularly excited about the State Patrol vehicles in the study, because those cars get driven hard,” Berry said. “As part of the study, we are matching vehicles up and comparing the results from the different fuel blends.”