What Is E15?

What is E15?

E15 is a fuel blend containing 85% petroleum gasoline and 15% ethanol. It is approved for use in all light-duty gasoline vehicles built in 2001 or later, and most gasoline vehicles on the road today are designed to use it.

Why does E15 matter as a fuel option?

E15 can provide another fuel option for consumers and increase overall fuel supply, especially in times of rising fuel costs. E15 is currently priced below E10 in many markets, although retail prices vary by location.

Allowing nationwide year-round access to E15 would expand consumer choice at the pump, support fuel supply stability, and reduce fuel costs for American drivers.

Why are E15 fuel sales restricted during the summer?

The Clean Air Act effectively prohibits the sale of E15 during the summer driving season (June 1 to September 15) in most of the country.

During the summer, the law holds E15 to a stricter volatility standard than gasoline containing 10% ethanol (E10). E15 is held to a volatility limit of 9.0 pounds per square inch (psi) Reid vapor pressure (RVP), while E10 is held to a limit of 10.0 psi RVP due to a statutory 1.0-psi RVP waiver.

The summer restriction was put in place because fuel evaporates more quickly in warmer weather. Thus, there was a previous concern that higher-ethanol blends like E15 could contribute more smog-forming emissions during the summer ozone season. However, E15’s actual volatility is slightly lower than E10’s — meaning the restriction reflects a statutory technicality rather than a significant environmental difference between the two fuels.

Temporary federal measures have, at times, allowed E15 to be sold during the summer, but these short-term approaches are not a sustainable, long-term solution for the marketplace and can create uncertainty for retailers, suppliers, and consumers. As a result, year-round E15 availability has remained subject to changing policy conditions.

What Is the Goal of a Nationwide Year-Round E15 Policy?

The goal of a permanent nationwide year-round E15 policy is to establish a consistent federal framework that provides consistent access to E15. In practice, a nationwide policy would negate the need for temporary waivers and state-specific approaches with one clear national standard.

A permanent nationwide approach would:

• allow year-round access to E15 nationwide
• avoid a patchwork of state-by-state fuel requirements
• maintain consumer choice by allowing, but not requiring, retailers to offer it
• provide greater certainty for fuel producers, retailers, suppliers, and consumers

Overall, this policy is intended to create a more predictable, efficient fuel market and help reduce costs for American consumers.

Why does it make sense to pair year-round E15 and SRE reform in legislation?

• Granting year-round E15 and reforming SREs are two priorities for most of the refining, biofuel, agriculture, and fuel retail industries because pairing these fixes together would provide more market certainty and bring a more balanced approach to addressing prominent issues for liquid fuels participants.
• These two issues inject a significant amount of uncertainty into the entire fuel and biofuel production chain under the current legislative and regulatory framework, and this has usually resulted in cost volatility that places upward pressure on pricing.
• For both E15 and SREs, the existing laws limit the ability to make necessary changes, and the regulations are subject to very different political approaches in each Administration. Legislation is needed to instill permanency and market certainty.

How can I support the sale of year-round E15?

Individuals can stay informed and engaged on E15 and fuel policy issues in several ways.

• Join Energy Citizens: Joining Energy Citizens is a way to stay connected on fuel policy issues that affect consumer choice, fuel supply, and access to affordable energy options.
• Learn more: Understanding how E15 works and how current policies affect its availability is an important first step. E15 is already approved for most vehicles on the road today, but legislative updates are needed to reflect today’s fuel marketplace and recognize the benefits of E15.
• Contact Your Elected Officials: Share your views on a federal year-round E15 solution and fuel choice with your elected representatives.