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ACE says permanent E15 legislation could bring fuel market stability and certainty for U.S. corn farmers

A biofuels group says increasing domestic ethanol production could help lower fuel costs and boost corn demand for U.S. farmers.

Brian Jennings, CEO of the American Coalition for Ethanol, says crude oil prices have risen more than 40 percent since the conflict in the Middle East began.

“While prices are up across the board, ethanol prices are still substantially lower than gasoline,” he says. “In some markets right now, E15 is saving consumers upwards of 50 to 60 cents a gallon.”

He tells Brownfield passing permanent nationwide, year-round E15 legislation could add more than six billion gallons of ethanol to the market.

“We’re talking about grinding more than 2 billion bushels of corn here that we are not adding value to,” he says. “That corn is sitting surplus. Once we get to the point where we do have E15 as a nationwide standard, that’s a considerable increase in corn demand.”

The EPA recently issued a temporary emergency waiver for the fifth year in a row to allow sales of E15 throughout the summer months.

Jennings says the ag sector needs legislative certainty sooner rather than later.

AUDIO: Brian Jennings, American Coalition for Ethanol