Combustion Engine Ban Reaction
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. The ethanol industry is slamming California’s decision to ban the internal combustion engine by 2035.
The Renewable Fuels Association’s Geoff Cooper says, “disappointed and mystified” is the best way to describe his reaction …
COOPER … “If that is, in fact, what happens, yeah, it’s going to have some far-reaching impacts on the fuel market, and, by extension, it’s going to have an impact on the corn market. California is the single-largest consumer of gasoline, when you look at all 50-states, and the single-largest consumer of ethanol.”
At about 10-to-12% of national consumption by some 29 million light-duty vehicles.
Cooper says the strain on an already-overburdened California electric grid could be too much …
COOPER … “California gets a decent share of its electricity from hydropower, but when lakes are drying up and those turbines aren’t turning, they have to replace that with imported electricity from other states.”
Cooper feels it’s a mistake assuming California motorists will willingly agree to buy EVs …
COOPER … “We all know that electric vehicles are the most expensive vehicles available today, and so, this mandate to require California drivers to purchase electric vehicles, could have some significant implications on vehicle pricing, and just the availability of vehicles that consumers want.”
Cooper argues the quickest and lowest cost way to reduce gas emissions is to move immediately to 15-percent ethanol blends nationwide.
