IN SIGHT
E15: America’s Fuel By Jeff Broin, Founder and CEO of POET Conflict created by a hostile nation across the globe, coupled with our world’s crippling dependence on oil, means Americans are paying more at the pump once again. But this time, our nation is taking much-needed steps to fix this problem that I hope will lead to long-term changes in how we fuel our vehicles and view the future of energy in this country. Thanks to the April announcement by President Biden at POET Bioprocessing – Menlo, E15, the high-octane blend of 15 percent bioethanol, is available during the summer of 2022 rather than being shut down by outdated fuel regulations. Additionally, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds recently signed the 2022 Biofuel Access Bill into law, which guarantees consumer access to E15 in the state by 2026. According to the International Monetary Fund, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will likely continue to increase inflation and tighten our world supply of oil, and Americans are seeing those effects firsthand at our local fuel stations. National gas prices rose above five dollars per gallon, and they’re approaching eight dollars in some parts of the country. That’s not just a problem for our personal pocketbooks; it impacts the entire U.S. economy. And the summer driving season — the busiest of the year — is now upon us, which will further increases fuel demand. The solution is clear. Bioethanol is the only affordable, available, American-made liquid fuel that can lower gas prices and boost our nation’s energy independence right now. We need to use more of it by taking better advantage of E15, a lower-cost, lower-
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VITAL