The U.S. DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency has proposed to delay by 20 years a renewable fuels goal set by Congress in 1992.

A section of the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992 aimed at replacing 30 percent of all gasoline consumed in the United States with non-petroleum “replacement fuel”—defined as methanol, ethanol and other alcohols, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen, coal derived from liquids, or fuels derived from biological materials—by 2010. On Sept. 19, however, the Federal Register published the DOE’s rule proposal that the goal be moved back 20 years to 2030, stating the interim goal couldn’t be met in the original time frame.

According to the 1992 EPAct, the DOE is required to revisit and evaluate goals set forth in the act periodically. If the goals are then determined to be unachievable, it is the department’s responsibility to modify the goals, according to the Federal Register report. The DOE accepted written comments and held a public hearing in October to receive suggestions about the proposed change to section 502(b)(2) of the 1992 EPAct.

However, this ruling is only a formailty, according to the Renewable Fuel Association’s Samantha Slater. The EPAct that was updated in August 2005 essentially replaces goals set in 1992. The new version implemented a renewable fuels standard (RFS) that established goals for renewable fuels use in the United States through 2012. The numbers have proven to be somewhat conservative, however, as experts predict the goal of 7.5 billion gallons of renewable fuels phased into motor fuels by the year 2012 will actually be met by the end of 2008. The United States is projected to consume approximately 5 billion gallons of ethanol in 2006.

For more information about the proposed rule, including the rule change notice, transcript from the public hearing and written comments, visit www.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/epact/private_fleets.shtml.