[20160316]IF10377_美国农业部计划资助新的乙醇基础设施 .pdf

https:/crsreports.congress.gov March 16, 2016USDA Initiative Is Funding New Ethanol Infrastructure In June 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the availability of $100 million in matching grants under a Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP). A Notice of Funds Available (NOFA) explained that the grants were aimed at overcoming infrastructure constraints that limit the market for biofuels, specifically higher-level ethanol blends such as E15 (gasoline blends with up to 15% ethanol content) and E85 (blends with between 51% and 83% ethanol content). USDA cited economic uncertainty facing biofuel feedstock producers (in practice corn, the primary feedstock for ethanol production) as a result of record supplies and lower commodity prices. Goal Is to Expand Ethanol Usage The goal of BIP is to increase biofuel (ethanol) consumption by enabling public-private partnerships that will share the costs of installing infrastructure for higher-level ethanol blendsthat is, gasoline blends in excess of 10% ethanol by volume. USDA contends that fueling infrastructure constraints (storage tanks and dispensing equipment that is certified for higher-level ethanol blends) is lim