SIOUX CITY, IA -
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finally given the official green light. Gas stations across the U.S. are now allowed the sell gasoline with up to 15 percent ethanol.
Slowly but surely, gas stations in the Siouxland area will carry E-15, but what does this mean for you as a consumer?
Most people are concerned about the cost of their gas, and how far it will get them.
Chuck Hofland, the CEO of Siouxland Ethanol, says consumer demand for E-15 is still developing.
"Today we see a lot of times it's 8 to 12 cents difference between ethanol blended and non-ethanol blend, at a 10 percent blend. Will that become 16 cents on an E-15 blend? Well if it is, and you believe that it's O.K for you to use it, that you may be more inclined to use it," he said.
It burns cleaner, and right now, it is cheaper than regular gasoline.
"We believe that it is a good product, but that doesn't mean you as a consumer would believe that," he said.
Another consumer concern is whether it burns faster than regular gasoline, and if so, will that affect their miles per gallon?
Chuck says hardly.
"We see some 15 to 20 percent reductions if you use an E-85 blend. But on an E-10, and of course an E-15, you have to be proven; we really don't see any reduction there," he said.
But before the EPA could approve this E-15 blend, they had to take precautionary steps, because not every car or truck can use it.
Goode To Go in North Sioux City only carries ethanol blended gasoline, and there is a warning up to let you know that. If any other gas station wanted to carry E-15, they'd have to put some sort of warning, to let the consumer know that it's only safe to put E-15 in cars that have been made after 2001.
The warning sign will better protect gas stations from liability if someone puts the wrong type of gas in their car.
