Local View: Ethanol around the World

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December 22, 2022

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by Jan Tenbensel (Lincoln Journal Star) Reduced air pollution and energy security are crucial issues in Japan, which recently committed to achieving carbon neutrality, including through increased use of bioethanol.

I was honored to represent the Nebraska Ethanol Board on a trade mission to Tokyo in late November, alongside Gov. Pete Ricketts and several other Nebraska agriculture delegates, to discuss how Nebraska can help meet these goals.

As the world’s leading nations work to reduce their carbon footprint, Nebraska ethanol has a remarkable history of offering solutions. The state’s one-of-a-kind ethanol agency helped improve the health of America’s fuel with its 2-million-mile road test in 1974, which showed a 10% blend of ethanol to be superior to gasoline in performance and showcased its ability to be used in many engines.

As Americans became more aware of the danger in using lead and harmful compounds such as MTBE to boost octane, a 10% blend of ethanol was mixed into the country’s fuel, per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Act. Today, over 98% of gasoline in America contains at least 10% ethanol.

Japan’s fuel supply may contain up to a 3% blend of bioethanol in the form of ETBE. If the country increased to a 10% direct ethanol blend, Japan would reduce CO2 emissions from transportation by five times. Additionally, Japanese leaders will be able to maintain stable gas prices and energy security by reducing the country’s dependence on fossil fuels. The U.S. would see an additional $1.7 billion.

Higher blends — E15, E30, and E85 — are also available in the U.S. fuel market and endorsed by the EPA to further reduce emissions. A 15% blend of ethanol is safe and approved to use in vehicles model year 2001 and newer, representing over 96% of vehicles on the road today.

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Flex-fuel vehicles are specifically designed to use the highest blends of ethanol, but this could all be changing. The state of Nebraska has been demonstrating the use of E30 in non-flex-fuel vehicles since June 2019.

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Nebraska is also among a handful of Midwestern states that have the opportunity, geologically, to implement Carbon Capture and Sequestration, which more than doubles ethanol’s carbon reduction potential. CCS unlocks the capability for Nebraska to offer the only net-zero emissions liquid fuel that can power planes, trains and automobiles around the globe.

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The greatest demand for bioethanol in Japan will come in the form of sustainable aviation fuel, which replaces petroleum-based kerosene in jet fuel with environmentally-friendly jet fuel produced using American ethanol. The Japanese government aims to have airlines replace 10% of their jet fuel with eco-friendlier alternatives by 2030. READ MORE

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