December 3, 2018
By Erin Voegele
A new proposal released by the Ontario government indicates the province could require gasoline to be blended with 15 percent ethanol as soon as 2025. The U.S. ethanol industry has applauded news of the proposal.
On Nov. 29, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks released a made-in-Ontario environment plan that aims to protect the province’s air, land and water while reducing waste, lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and helping communities protect themselves from climate change.
The proposal, titled “Preserving and Protecting our Environment for Future Generations: A Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan,” includes a provision that indicates the province could “increase the renewable content requirement (e.g. ethanol) in gasoline to 15 percent as early as 2025 through the Greener Gasoline regulation, and reduce emissions without increasing the price at the pump, based on current ethanol and gasoline prices.”
Growth Energy, the U.S. Grains Council and Renewable Fuels Association have spoken out in support of Ontario’s adoption of E15. “As one of the largest markets for ethanol, this is a huge milestone for Canada and the people of Ontario,” said the three groups in a statement. “Ontario recognizes the important environmental, economic, and health benefits that ethanol provides and we look forward to seeing this plan become a reality by 2025.”
The RFA said it will continue to remain actively engaged in the development of provincial and national renewable fuel policies and regulations in Canada. Growth Energy noted, that in partnership with the USGC, it submitted comments to Canada’s Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change last year, urging them to look beyond E10 at higher blends like E15, and welcomed the commitment from the Ontario Province to move from a 5 percent blend to a 10 percent ethanol fuel blend by 2020.
According to Statistics Canada, gross sales of gasoline reached 16.89 billion liters (4.46 billion gallons) in Ontario during 2017. If ethanol accounted for 15 percent of that volume, it would represent a market of nearly 670 million gallons.
A comment period on the Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan is open through Jan. 28. Additional information, including a full copy of the plan, is available on the Ontario government website.
Read the original article: Ontario Could Require E15 as Soon as 2025