The president of the North Dakota Farmers Union said he was very happy to see that E-15 ethanol blend gasoline will now be able to be sold year round.
But Mark Watne also said he would like to see an E-30 blend also be sold year round. Watne said that would help farmers sell more corn.
"And it would help crude oil have less of an impact on emissions that go out into the atmosphere," Watne said. "Anytime we can step up that percentage of ethanol, we're helping farmers and we're helping the environment. We need to keep pushing it up to E-30."
Watne said other countries are using E-30 and higher blends – and vehicles are running fine. He also said the auto industry can use the extra octane to get power into engines.
"They can find some efficiency in having a little bit more of a blend, in maximizing the power torque, and getting back some of the miles per gallon you give up when you just blend a small amount," Watne said.
Watne said during a time of high gasoline prices, you could save 60 to 70 cents per gallon by using the E-30 blend.
"Too bad we don't have enough of those places where you can get that product," Watne said.