(October 28, 2011) Washington – In response to hyperbolic claims of failures in marine engine applications when using E15, the Renewable Fuels Association issued the following response:

"We are listening to the concerns of the marine and small engine community as we always have.  We appreciate that marine engines may face unique challenges with operating environment and fuel storage concerns.  But it is important that these studies, both the Mercury Marine and Volvo Penta research reports, and the results associated with them are put into proper context.   Both efforts were scoping studies with very few engines running on only two fuels.  It is not the kind of thorough and definitive testing that the small engine lobby has been calling for with respect to EPA’s approval of E15.  For instance, the Volvo engines demonstrated no durability issues in the test, a fact the marine engine lobby has chosen not to publicly tout.  We fully support continued testing of ethanol blends in marine engine applications.  We also encourage marine and all small engine manufacturers to adjust current engine engineering to accommodate higher level blends of ethanol in gasoline.  They are the fuels of the future.

“We believe EPA listened to all the concerns raised and followed the science in its approval of E15 for vehicles from MY2001 and newer only.  We believe that owners of marine equipment and other small engine applications are savvy consumers that can read and understand the label EPA has approved.  It provides them with all the factual material they need to properly use E15 ethanol blends.”

Most marine engine manufacturers allow for the use of up to 10% percent ethanol.  Mercury Marine states on its website, “Fuels containing up to 10 percent ethanol are considered acceptable for use in Mercury engines.”  The company also notes, “Two-stroke outboards should experience little or no decrease in performance due to gasoline fuels containing up to 10-percent ethanol when operated according to Mercury's standard recommendations.”

The RFA has actively sought to work with the marine engine community and provide information about the proper use and storage of ethanol blends consistent with recommendations of the original engine manufacturers.  The complete library of RFA information can be found here.