[INTERVIEW] U.S. Grains Council urges Korea to accelerate use of bioethanol

Electric vehicles are good for reducing carbon footprint. But to power such vehicles, carbon dioxide is inevitable.

Josh Miller, chairman of the U.S. Grains Council and a corn farmer in Indiana, believes bioethanol could be a solution.

“If Korea can mix just 10 percent of bioethanol into gasoline, it can reduce up to 3.1 million tons of carbon emissions every year,” said Miller during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on March 30 sidelines of the Seoul Mobility Show.

“We can’t remove all internal combustion engine vehicles from the roads at one time, and we need to consider what humans can do in the meantime,” Miller said. “Bioethanol is the most effective way to reduce carbon footprint while operating gasoline-powered cars.”

Extracted from grains like sugarcane and corn, bioethanol is the most widely available source of a gasoline substitute. With no harmful substances, it has been commonly used in people’s daily lives such as in hand sanitizer and washer liquid.

Around 60 countries including the United States, Russia, and China have actively used bioethanol as a substitute for gasoline, but its use is restricted by law in Korea.

“We’re here at the Seoul Mobility Show to promote the necessity of bioethanol and closely communicate with the Korean government and related companies like automakers and oil refiners,” Miller continued.

It was Miller’s second time attending Korea’s largest auto show, which runs from March 31 to April 8 at Kintex, Gyeonggi.

So far, Korea only allows biodiesel, which can be used in diesel-powered vehicles. Up to 3.5 percent of biodiesel content is allowed. The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy aims to increase that to 8 percent by the end of 2030.

The Energy Ministry also announced that it will start a project using bioethanol in vehicles run by state-run companies starting in 2024.

But Miller says Korea should further accelerate its use.

“The United States already has an E10 regulation, which requires gasoline to have 10 percent of ethanol content,” Miller said. “Europe already has such a scheme by between 5 and 10 percent depending on countries, while Thailand up to 20 percent and China 10 percent.”

Brazil is the world’s most active country in using bioethanol. Sugar cane-based ethanol fuel is expected to take over 75 percent of Brazil’s vehicle fuel market, with cars with 100 percent of ethanol already available.

“If Korea wants, the U.S. Grains Council is always welcome to share our related technology and data,” the chairman said.

“Carbon neutrality is one of the major focuses of our world,” Miller added. “It’s time for Korea to actively review imposing a regulation to require the usage of bioethanol, the resource that is proven to reduce carbon emissions.”

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]