AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST September 2018
EPA OKs Isobutanol Testing
Additive Is Alcohol Biofuel
Isobutanol manufactured by Butamax Advanced Biofuels has been registered by U.S. EPA as an additive for blending into gasoline at levels up to 16 percent by volume.
Isobutanol is an alcohol that can be produced from organic material, including corn, wheat sugarcane. The AMA is gathering information about isobutanol and its potential use in motorcycles.
John McKnight, senior vice-president for environmental policy at the National Marine Manufacturers Association, said isobutanol provides “none of the problems associated with ethanol and all of the benefits associated with gasoline, because bio-isobutanol is much closer chemically to gasoline.”
The EPA said it made the registration decision “after all applicable Clean Air Act requirements were met and after careful review of the numerous comments received on the March 29, 2018 Federal Register Notice.”
Butamax is a joint venture between BP PLC and DuPont Co.