Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuels trade association, applauded the introduction of new legislation today that would maximize the benefits of low-carbon biofuels under federal tailpipe standards. Authored by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), the Flex Fuel Fairness Act would allow automakers to earn credit toward Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tailpipe standards by manufacturing Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFVs), which are designed to operate on cleaner ethanol blends, ranging from E10 (10% ethanol) to E85 (51-83% ethanol).
“U.S. automakers need flexibility to pursue innovative strategies for decarbonizing light-duty vehicles,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “This bill would level the playing field, so both electricity and low-carbon biofuels can drive progress toward a net-zero future. We applaud Senators Klobuchar and Ricketts for working to make sure that EPA regulations protect access to cleaner, more affordable transportation options.”
The Flex Fuel Fairness Act would give automakers an additional pathway to reduce emissions. FFV makers would be assigned credit towards federal standards based on the emissions profile of E85 fuel, which reduces lifecycle greenhouse gasses by about 31 percent, according to the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Technologies (GREET) model developed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory.
“Higher blends of biofuels offer immediate climate benefits while also reducing emissions of particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and other smog-forming pollutants linked to cancer and other negative health outcomes,” added Skor. “This legislation would put more FFVs on the road and position them to play an even greater role in decarbonizing transportation for decades to come.”
