On April 19, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a waiver allowing the sale of fuel with a higher ethanol content during the U.S. summer months (June to September), when gasoline prices typically rise due to higher demand. This decision marks the the administration has extended the availability of E15 (gasoline blended with 15% v/v of ethanol).
Approximately two-thirds of the country cannot sell E15 during the summer. However, the EPA is stepping in to provide relief. They are extending the 1-psi Reid Vapor Pressure waiver, which currently applies to E10 gasoline, to include E15. This extension is particularly beneficial for regions where E15 is already permissible, as it allows for the sale of a wider variety of fuel blends.
The EPA's decision to issue this waiver responds to the extreme and unusual fuel supply circumstances caused by the ongoing war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East.
For more updated information about gasoline quality and the E15 blend in the U.S., please refer to SGS INSPIRE and reports.