Providing a Roadmap: Standards Development for Clean Cooking

(Pivot Clean Energy) ... A growing area of interest for bioethanol is for use as a household energy source, primarily in cooking applications. This renewable fuel has the necessary attributes to be a viable, clean energy source for household cookstoves in developing economies. Pivot Global Bioethanol Coalition is leading the industry with science and education to open access to this available and affordable household energy source.

Fuel specifications play a major role in creating access; these are critical guidelines and procedures for ensuring proper function and operability of fuels – for household use or transportation use - under a broad range of operating conditions and temperatures for the intended application. Made from many different types of renewable biomass, bioethanol is a water-white flammable liquid that can be easily transported in common shipping and transport modes with other global commodities. Because the energy sources needed for powering our vehicles and supplying human cooking needs currently require a flammable energy source, there are regulations and specifications needed to ensure safe and effective use of these energy options.

Many years ago, ASTM International’s Committee E48 on Bioenergy and Industrial Chemicals from Biomass studied the use of bioethanol for the cooking fuel application and took immediate action.

A significant advantage to working in the ASTM system for standard development is the access to subject matter experts, the process of being transparent and open with a large voting contingency, and the recognition of non-voting members’ opinions.

The first edition of the ASTM Standard Specification E3050 for Denatured Ethanol for Use as a Cooking and Appliance Fuel was published in the year 2016 after extensive deliberations, presentations, and discussions on the fit for use of bioethanol for this application. Subject matter experts were consulted on the content needed for a specification and cookstove manufacturer recommendations were also reviewed. Ultimately, Committee E48 approved the development of a task force to develop a robust specification for bioethanol in this application.

A major milestone was achieved with the clean cooking bioethanol standard at ASTM in 2021; the latest version of Standard Specifications E3050-21 passed through the rigorous voting process with updates to make the standard more global. ASTM International’s Committee E48 on Bioenergy and Industrial Chemicals from Biomass identified several needed changes to ensure the information contained in the standard was clear and concise. The ballot ultimately passed in late 2021, securing a 2021 date stamp and publication in early 2022.

The global changes needed recently centered around avoidance of liquor taxation. Bioethanol is commonly denatured, which means a hydrocarbon or other material is added to the bioethanol to make it undrinkable, thus avoiding liquor taxation. These materials are referred to as “denaturants” and are highly regulated. Only certain hydrocarbons and other chemicals are acceptable denaturants. Denaturants are extremely difficult to remove from bioethanol and serve an important purpose in eliminating unnecessary beverage alcohol tax requirements.

The committee also purposely combined regulations for bioethanol for transport applications and cooking fuel applications.

Typically bioethanol for transportation has allowed petroleum based denaturants; bioethanol for cooking fuel applications allows the same petroleum denaturants at minimum quantities to improve air quality upon combustion, over that of solid fuels or fossil based fuels. Standard Specification E3050 also discusses the industry practice of the addition of a dye, which can easily be added at a point in the distribution. The dye acts as a visual deterrent for consumption and has become a common identifying characteristic.

There are advantages to having product specifications that overlap on characteristics such as bioethanol for transportation and cooking applications. Technical review of global fuel specifications for renewable energy sources confirm that use of a common grade of ethanol for transportation fuel and domestic cooking fuel applications is a viable and available option. Typical gasoline specifications allow bioethanol blending that is very similar to the ASTM International standard for gasoline, which requires a specific grade of ethanol. Similarly, the ASTM International grade for bioethanol as a blending component for gasoline can also meet the stringent requirements for bioethanol as a cooking fuel. The use of a common grade of bioethanol for both transportation and cooking fuel applications would have synergistic benefits to ensure product quality, ample supply, fungible/common fuel storage, and economic benefits for the fungible supply.

... this updated ASTM standard serves to clarify that the fuel is not potable, can provide a dual purpose energy source that meets specifications for cooking and transportation, provides specifications to ensure consumer safety, and once implemented in multiple geographies will help facilitate trade activities. READ MORE