From the 3 E's to the 3 C's

by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Touting ethanol as a source of clean octane, it's ability to reduce carbon, and allowing consumer choice in the marketplace. -- For decades, ethanol advocates have used the “Three E’s” to describe the renewable fuel’s main advantages: energy security, economic development and environmental benefits.

Indeed, from conversations at the coffee shop to meetings on Capitol Hill, the “Three Es” have helped us successfully typify ethanol’s benefits. They have served us well—and will continue to do so—as we share ethanol’s good story with the public and policymakers.

But as we focus more acutely on positioning ethanol in future discussions about energy and climate change, we need to play to ethanol’s unique strengths and emphasize the “Three C’s:” clean octane, carbon reduction and consumer choice.

First, it is already well-understood that ethanol has tremendous value as an octane booster.

Not all octane boosters are created equal. Refiners really have just two choices: they can choose ethanol—a clean, renewable octane source—or they can choose aromatics and other hydrocarbon octane boosters, many of which endanger human health and worsen air pollution.

Second, ethanol is a low-cost and readily available tool for reducing carbon emissions from the transportation sector.

With ethanol, we don’t have to wait and hope for major technological or economic breakthroughs. The fuel is available now at a low cost to drive decarbonization.

In fact, the competition driven by the Renewable Fuel Standard is responsible for reducing gas prices by at least 22 cents per gallon in recent years, according to a recent study by economist Phil Verleger.

Let’s be honest. If we had a truly “free market,” wouldn’t consumers choose the lower-cost, lower-carbon, higher-octane, biodgradable, American-made option every single time?

We are advocating for the establishment of a minimum octane standard for gasoline, preferably at the 98 RON level, and a requirement that the octane boost comes from sources or processes that reduce life cycle GHG emissions compared to a hydrocarbon baseline.

We are actively engaged in discussions with lawmakers and regulators around this idea. We are doing the legal work and the economic analysis, and we are working to broaden the coalition of supporters for high-octane, low-carbon fuels. You will hear a lot more about these efforts as the year progresses. READ MORE