Meeting fuel challenges

Paving the way for a smooth shift to alternative fuels

The introduction of the next generation of fuels, including E85 ethanol, biodiesel and ultra-low-sulfur diesel, will present new opportunities, but also new challenges. As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and as the ranking member on the House Science Committee, I have heard from numerous people about the barriers to quickly and economically mobilizing alternative fuels. That’s why I have introduced H.R. 5658, legislation that will leverage federal dollars and scientific capabilities to respond to a few of these challenges.

We now know that bio-based fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel have different physical and chemical properties that may make them incompatible with much of the existing infrastructure built for conventional fuels. For example, 85 percent of existing underground storage tank systems and related equipment may be incompatible with E85. And, the cost of replacing or building new infrastructure is just not feasible for most small business owners.

My bill directs the Department of Energy and the National Institute of Standards and Technology to research and develop new technologies and methods such as fuel additives, blendstocks and easier tank reconditioning methods that would allow retailers to use alternative fuels in existing infrastructure, significantly reducing costs for businesses and consumers.

Congress also needs to address the challenges that have arisen as fuel suppliers work to comply with new EPA regulations on ULSD, a fuel significantly cleaner (at 15-ppm sulfur) than traditional diesel (at 250-ppm sulfur). As ULSD moves from the refinery through pipelines, tanks and trucks, it is likely to absorb enough residual sulfur to exceed the new EPA limit. However, currently there is no affordable, real-time mechanism for testing the sulfur content of diesel fuel at the pump. This means that sellers downstream could be held liable for fuel that is non-compliant with legal standards because of upstream contamination.

My bill also seeks to tackle this problem by directing the DOE and NIST to develop an affordable, portable, quick and accurate way to test the sulfur content of ULSD so that retailers and distributors are not stuck with regulatory compliance penalties they don’t deserve.

Over the long-term, our country must have a more balanced energy policy that will promote conservation and energy efficiency and maximize our domestic energy resources, including traditional and alternative fuels. Recent legislation has included some incentives for production and fewer for conservation. I believe we need more of both, and I will continue working to ensure that Congress addresses the realworld barriers to getting alternative fuels to customers at the pump.