Providing a Roadmap: Standards Development for Clean Cooking
Biofuels like plant-based bioethanol are a low-carbon, clean fuel option that play a vital role in reducing global dependence on fossil fuels, address climate change, and improve air quality. Growing the share of bioethanol use in global energy applications is critical to achieving healthier air and carbon neutrality. Bioethanol has a very successful history as a transportation fuel and the outlook for its future is promising. A growing area of interest for bioethanol is for use as a household energy source, primarily in cooking applications. This renewable fuel has the necessary attributes to be a viable, clean energy source for household cookstoves in developing economies. Pivot Global Bioethanol Coalition is leading the industry with science and education to open access to this available and affordable household energy source.
Guidelines to open access
Fuel specifications play a major role in creating access; these are critical guidelines and procedures for ensuring proper function and operability of fuels – for household use or transportation use - under a broad range of operating conditions and temperatures for the intended application. Made from many different types of renewable biomass, bioethanol is a water-white flammable liquid that can be easily transported in common shipping and transport modes with other global commodities. Because the energy sources needed for powering our vehicles and supplying human cooking needs currently require a flammable energy source, there are regulations and specifications needed to ensure safe and effective use of these energy options.
The legacy of ASTM International
Many years ago, ASTM International’s Committee E48 on Bioenergy and Industrial Chemicals from Biomass studied the use of bioethanol for the cooking fuel application and took immediate action. ASTM International was selected because of their global leadership in standards development over a broad array of topics, products, and industries. ASTM International’s membership is made up of more than 30,000 volunteers, who have created over 12,500 standards. ASTM International is operational in 140 countries, and has conducted business over the last 120 years. ASTM Committee E48 has been in existence for over 25 years, with more than 150 subject matter experts in the membership on bioenergy and biomass. A significant advantage to working in the ASTM system for standard development is the access to subject matter experts, the process of being transparent and open with a large voting contingency, and the recognition of non-voting members’ opinions.
E3050 - an important piece of the roadmap
The first edition of the ASTM Standard Specification E3050 for Denatured Ethanol for Use as a Cooking and Appliance Fuel was published in the year 2016 after extensive deliberations, presentations, and discussions on the fit for use of bioethanol for this application. Subject matter experts were consulted on the content needed for a specification and cookstove manufacturer recommendations were also reviewed. Ultimately, Committee E48 approved the development of a task force to develop a robust specification for bioethanol in this application.
A major milestone was achieved with the clean cooking bioethanol standard at ASTM in 2021; the latest version of Standard Specifications E3050-21 passed through the rigorous voting process with updates to make the standard more global. ASTM International’s Committee E48 on Bioenergy and Industrial Chemicals from Biomass identified several needed changes to ensure the information contained in the standard was clear and concise. The ballot ultimately passed in late 2021, securing a 2021 date stamp and publication in early 2022.
Why the standard matters
The global changes needed recently centered around avoidance of liquor taxation. Bioethanol is commonly denatured, which means a hydrocarbon or other material is added to the bioethanol to make it undrinkable, thus avoiding liquor taxation. These materials are referred to as “denaturants” and are highly regulated. Only certain hydrocarbons and other chemicals are acceptable denaturants. Denaturants are extremely difficult to remove from bioethanol and serve an important purpose in eliminating unnecessary beverage alcohol tax requirements.
The committee also purposely combined regulations for bioethanol for transport applications and cooking fuel applications. Typically bioethanol for transportation has allowed petroleum based denaturants; bioethanol for cooking fuel applications allows the same petroleum denaturants at minimum quantities to improve air quality upon combustion, over that of solid fuels or fossil based fuels. Standard Specification E3050 also discusses the industry practice of the addition of a dye, which can easily be added at a point in the distribution. The dye acts as a visual deterrent for consumption and has become a common identifying characteristic.
There are advantages to having product specifications that overlap on characteristics such as bioethanol for transportation and cooking applications. Technical review of global fuel specifications for renewable energy sources confirm that use of a common grade of ethanol for transportation fuel and domestic cooking fuel applications is a viable and available option. Typical gasoline specifications allow bioethanol blending that is very similar to the ASTM International standard for gasoline, which requires a specific grade of ethanol. Similarly, the ASTM International grade for bioethanol as a blending component for gasoline can also meet the stringent requirements for bioethanol as a cooking fuel. The use of a common grade of bioethanol for both transportation and cooking fuel applications would have synergistic benefits to ensure product quality, ample supply, fungible/common fuel storage, and economic benefits for the fungible supply.
A robust standard, ready for adoption
Clean and renewable energy sources must also meet the regulations and specifications in order to be an efficient replacement of petroleum and fossil-based fuels. ASTM International has provided a robust and efficient platform to develop this clean energy standard to support global commerce. Bioethanol is a renewable, low carbon energy source that has been proven efficient and effective as both a transport fuel and clean cooking fuel; this updated ASTM standard serves to clarify that the fuel is not potable, can provide a dual purpose energy source that meets specifications for cooking and transportation, provides specifications to ensure consumer safety, and once implemented in multiple geographies will help facilitate trade activities. Pivot is actively working with partners to develop smart standards and policies that will open up markets for bioethanol as a clean cooking fuel, paving the way for business development to benefit economies, health, and the climate.
*Note: ASTM International has generously allowed us to make ASTM E3050 available to interested parties, even if they are not members of ASTM International. Please sign up for our email list if you would like to receive a view-only link to this standard.
