As efforts continue to decarbonize the transportation sector, the National Corn Growers Association says renewable fuels play a big role in combating climate change.
Kathy Bergren, director of public policy and renewable fuels for NCGA, says the Next Generation Fuels Act introduced in Congress earlier this year offers a positive step to mitigate climate change. She talks about the importance of the bill and the ways NCGA is working to educate lawmakers on its benefits.
?It enables more decarbonization per gallon of fuel and would replace the most toxic components of gasoline with cleaner ethanol, would put more fuel-efficient vehicles on the road, and really offer drivers a wider range of affordable low-carbon options,? Bergren said. ?Corn growers have been contacting their members of Congress about this legislation to kind of help encourage them to support it and to help grow that support, and just really show that how this legislation would help build on the success of the RFS, really taking advantage of ethanol?s low-carbon and high-octane properties to clean up our fuel and improve vehicles over time.?
Bergren says gas prices are as high as they have been in years across the country. She explains that ethanol has a role in helping solve that issue.
?Ethanol is priced lower than unblended gasoline, so blending more ethanol is an immediate way to extend the fuel supply and lower prices for drivers,? Bergren said. ?Blending more of that lower-priced component is going to bring down the price. And certainly, an immediate a way that is available to drivers in a lot of areas right now is simply choosing a 15 percent ethanol blend. E15 often marketed as Unleaded 88, kind of depending on where you’re at, you could save up to 10 cents a gallon today just by making that choice at the pump.?
Bergren adds the ethanol industry is still waiting for the EPA to announce the Renewable Volume Obligations for 2022. For more information, visit ncga.com.
