The President of the United States, Joe Biden, plans on Tuesday to approve new measures to counter the energy crisis that has led to the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces, including authorizing the sale this summer of E15 fuel, which has 15% ethanol and is normally banned by those dates.
“The president is committed to doing everything possible to address the rise in prices faced by Americans at the pumps as a result of the invasion of (Vladimir) Putin's forces in Ukraine,” a senior US administration official said at a press conference.
The source stressed that since January, normal gasoline has risen by an average of 80 cents, an amount that during the month of March has exceeded one dollar.
In addition to the release of a total of 240 million barrels of strategic oil reserves over the next six months announced by the International Energy Agency (IEA), Biden will add the boost in consumption of E15, which has a higher percentage of biofuel and is produced in the US.
The product, which is offered by some 2,300 petrol stations in the country, is not sold in much of the nation on hot dates, between June 1 and September 15, to avoid air pollution from ethanol, but this time an emergency waiver will be issued with the aim of “giving more flexibility to American families”.
According to senior officials in Washington, each gallon of E15 offers savings of about 10 cents compared to other fuels.
“(The E15) offers more options, more savings and also a fuel source that does not depend on the oil market, which is currently volatile as a result of Putin's actions in Ukraine,” they said
Also, the increased use of E15 will not only serve to “address the short-term supply problems” of oil facing the US, but will play a “critical role in decarbonizing the broader economy”.
The Biden administration also plans to invest $700 million in a Biofuel Producers Program, $5.6 million in renewable energy infrastructure, and another $100 million in biofuel infrastructure.
(With information from EFE)
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