Food and Fuel America.com: E-20 Blend Passes Performance Tests

Sunday, March 9, 2008

E-20 Blend Passes Performance Tests

Tests have found that motor vehicles operating on a 20-percent blend of ethanol fuel will perform as well as those running on 10-percent ethanol or gasoline.

The new study, released by the state of Minnesota found that increasing the amount of renewable ethanol blended into gasoline from 10 percent to 20 percent does not present problems for current vehicles or fuel dispensing equipment and provides similar power and performance.

Using vehicles commonly found on American roads, the year-long research effort found that using the higher E-20 ethanol blends did not cause significant problems for a wide range of materials, including metals, plastics, rubbers and fuel pumps used in vehicle fuel systems.

"Using homegrown renewable fuel is an important part of Americanizing our energy future and unhooking our country from foreign sources of oil," Governor Tim Pawlenty said. "This study shows that we can safely increase the amount of ethanol blended with gasoline for use in today's vehicles."

Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes gasoline blended with 10 percent ethanol as an acceptable fuel for use in today's gasoline vehicle fleet. Likewise, virtually all automakers warranty -- and often recommend -- the use of E10.

Major automakers have asserted that their legacy fleet -- those vehicles on the road today -- are not capable of accommodating higher levels of ethanol.

The Minnesota study addressed these concerns and found no evidence that E20 would more adversely impact technologies commonly found in vehicles on American roads today.

More about the report:

The study used nationally recognized standards and protocols to ensure research quality. It was conducted at Minnesota State University Mankato and the University of Minnesota, with cooperation from the State of Minnesota, including the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture and the Pollution Control agency, and the Renewable Fuels Association. The study included input from fuel refiners, automakers and small-engine manufactures, and funding support from the Minnesota Corn Growers Association and the Council of Great Lakes Governors.

Executive Summary (PDF: 48 KB)
Drivability Study (PDF: 520 KB)
Effects of E20 on Automotive Fuel Pumps and Sending Units (PDF: 505 KB)
Effects of E20 on Plastics used in Automotive Fuel System Components (PDF: 240 KB)
Effects of E20 on Metals used in Automotive Fuel System Components (PDF: 167 KB)
Effects of E20 on Elastomers used in Automotive Fuel System Components (PDF: 625 KB)