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E85 Fuel Dispensers
Interest in ethanol-fueled vehicles has grown rapidly over the
past several years. Many SmartWay Partners own and operate light-duty fleets
that can run on fuel blends of up to E10, a blend of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline
by volume. Some vehicles, called flexible-fueled vehicles or FFVs, are designed
to run on gasoline, E85, or any blend of the two. A common blend for FFV use
is E85, or 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. Several vehicle manufacturers now
offer FFVs, and over 1,100 fueling
stations in the United States offer E85. When FFVs use corn-based E85,
their greenhouse gas emissions decrease by 15-20% on a lifecycle basis as compared
to gasoline.
In 2006, Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the organization that develops safety
standards for fuel dispensers, was asked to certify an E85 dispenser and determined
that new safety certification requirements were needed based on the unique
properties of E85. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and UL co-hosted a Technical
Forum in November 2006 to review available technical information relative to
E85 material compatibility, fire response, and other issues. Because there
was not sufficient technical substantiation at that time for establishing the
requirements, UL initiated a research
program 
for
E85 dispensers that includes thorough testing of each dispenser component.
This research is scheduled to be completed in 2007. As part of its research,
UL has visited numerous E85 fuel stations in the United States and Brazil and
is evaluating harvested E85 dispenser equipment that has been in service. So
far, no significant problems or safety issues have been found in the field.
Throughout this process, DOE has been leading the development of a comprehensive
technical solution and working closely with UL. As part of this effort, DOE
and EPA are testing materials at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the National
Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor, MI, respectively. To learn
more about EPA’s testing, contact Bruce Kolowich, telephone: (734) 214-4582,
e-mail: kolowich.bruce@epa.gov.
Until UL’s research program is completed, many states have issued guidance for municipalities with jurisdiction over fuel dispensing pumps in their areas. Most state-level guidance documents allow fire marshals and other local authorities having jurisdiction over fuel dispensers to permit the continued use of E85 dispensers; some permit new E85 dispenser installations, provided that the dispenser manufacturers certify that the materials are E85 compatible. DOE’s web site provides examples of interim state guidance documents and other information for local authorities.
DOE, EPA’s SmartWay Grow & Go, and UL will continue to collaborate to address the underlying technical issues and to provide up-to-date information to the fire service and other stakeholders on this important topic through ongoing updates to the noted web sites and future webcasts, seminars, and workshops.
Contact Us:
• if your fleet is using or is interested in using E85;
• if your retail operation is selling E85; or
• if you have a location to recommend for an E85 dispenser
installation.