California has built its reputation on being a leader in environmental policy, but when it comes to fuel choices, it remains the lone state refusing to allow sales of E15. The ethanol blend, which contains 15 percent ethanol and has been proven to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, is available across most of the country. That leaves many in the biofuels industry questioning why a state so committed to clean air and climate goals continues to keep the door closed on a lower-emission option.
Drivers in California already use about 1.4 billion gallons of ethanol each year, which accounts for just over 10 percent of the nation’s total consumption. If the state were to approve E15, that number could jump to more than two billion gallons, creating demand for roughly 267 million bushels of corn. For Robert White with the Renewable Fuels Association, that potential makes California one of the biggest untapped markets for ethanol expansion.
Adding California to the E15 roster would go a long way toward supporting demand at a time when farmers are staring down a large corn harvest. With bushels piling up and the ethanol industry looking for new growth, California represents an opportunity sitting right on the doorstep. Robert White says it just needs to cross the finish line.
The Renewable Fuels Association is continuing its push by working to educate stakeholders all along California’s fuel supply chain, while also pressing regulators and lawmakers to act. Robert White says the association has launched a series of workshops to build understanding of how E15 can be integrated, even as the rule-making process and pending legislation move toward a decision point.
Ethanol advocates say the finish line is closer than ever for E15 in California, with both regulatory and legislative avenues now in play. If realized, the move would not only expand fuel choice for drivers but also create a significant new market for American corn growers. Supporters remain confident that California will eventually join the rest of the nation in embracing a cleaner, lower-cost option at the pump.
