The average gallon of gasoline sold during 2020 was 10.23 percent ethanol, the highest blend rate ever, said the Renewable Fuels Association. At the same time, 12.63 billion gallons of the biofuel were mixed into gasoline, the smallest amount in 11 years, declining in tandem with the reduction in travel and fuel sales that accompanied the pandemic, said the trade group.
“Despite the drop in annaul ethanol productionand domestic blending, ethanol’s share of the market place strengthened at the end of the year,” said RFA chief executive Geoff Cooper. Based on Energy Department data, the RFA said the ethanol blend rate was 10.78 percent in November and 10.81 percent in December. Rising petroleum prices made ethanol more attractive, it said.
The traditional blend rate of ethanol into gasoline is 10 percent. The RFA says the government should remove barriers to making E15, a 15 percent blend, the common variety. The Renewable Fuel Standard guarantees ethanol, predominantly distilled from corn, and other biofuels a share of the market for fuel used in cars and pickup trucks.