FUEL



FUEL

LEADED PETROL

In 1998 there was great concern about the news of the withdrawal of leaded fuel in 2000 which led to the setting up of the FBHVC’s Legislation and Fuels Committee, originally chaired by Ian Edmunds and later by David Hurley when it became just the Legislation Committee.

From 2000 less than 0.05% of total petrol sales could be leaded fuel for use in historic vehicles and sold by licensed garages who are members of the FBHVC. At the end of 2009 it was announced that this permitted amount was to be reduced to 0.03%. While this may seem a savage reduction, in fact it is broadly equivalent to the current level of leaded petrol consumption, which is approximately 0.025% of total petrol sales in 2010, so in practice no restriction on leaded petrol sales will be experienced from this change. The low level of sales of leaded petrol since this concession was offered by the EU can probably be traced to the difficulties of setting up a suitable distribution network. Bayford and Co. is the sole remaining supplier of leaded fuel in the UK and a link to a list of their garages is on our website, although this list is shortening rapidly.

Testing for suitable lead replacement additives took place prior to the withdrawal of leaded fuel in 2000. The Federation originally tested 12 products to assess their performance in protecting against valve seat recession using identical test procedures on a Rover A-series engine. The results were conclusive and showed clear differences in performance between the various products tested. Those products that did pass the test were allowed to carry the FBHVC logo and the words: ‘endorsed by the FBHVC’ or: ‘This product has been subjected to a valve seat recession test by an independent test house on behalf of the FBHVC. The results of the test indicate that the level of valve seat protection is likely to be adequate for all normal driving, but not including racing or other exceptionally arduous uses.’

Since then a number of these products have been withdrawn from sale but the following are still available:

Millers VSP-Plus

Red Line Lead Substitute

Castrol Valvemaster and Castrol Valvemaster Plus

Each of these products has a different active ingredient and it is recommended that these products are not mixed in the petrol tank, in other words, choose one product and stay with it.

Tetraboost, which contains tetraethyl lead is, of course, also available from a number of stockists.

BIO FUELS

The EU has issued directives to increase the uptake of renewable fuels throughout Europe as part of the campaign to slow climate change. In addition, air quality concerns have been responsible for progressive reductions in sulphur in heavier fuels such as diesel. The net outcome of these EU directives is the inclusion of bio-ethanol in petrol, and inclusion of components such as vegetable oils in diesel fuels, in addition to the reduction in sulphur content.

In 2008 we began to receive letters about the effects of ethanol in petrol and early in 2009 we appealed for members to report problems to us. Very few did so at that time but the numbers, and the levels of concern, have increased in 2010.

In December 2008 the Federation were invited to contribute to a consultation on Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations from the Department for Transport about the variable rates of duty applicable between conventional petrol and biofuel and our response was as follows: The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs would welcome a requirement for suppliers to ensure that gasoline blended with ethanol includes suitable anti-corrosion inhibitors to prevent corrosion in fuel systems of vehicles.

At concentrations of less than 5% there was, and still is, no obligation for the petrol pumps to be labelled at point of sale. Ethanol is hygroscopic so manufacturers should have been adding corrosion inhibitors to it before blending with petrol. Ethanol changes the volatility of the fuel which while possibly providing a slight benefit to cold starting may increase vapour lock and hot start problems in susceptible vehicles. Corrosion could be a problem if inhibitors are not used.

For the future diesel fuel will be permitted to contain more than 7% bio-diesel component, provided it is labelled but currently no labelling is required if less than 7% bio-diesel is added to the fuel.

In the autumn of 2009 the picture was becoming clearer although more worrying.

The Federation was represented by Matthew Vincent at several Stakeholder Meetings held at the Department for Transport (DfT) during the whole of 2009. Fuel production today is a very big business, with an ever-decreasing number of filling stations selling larger and larger volumes of fuel in order to stay competitive. The dream would be to have one pump on every forecourt selling specialist historic fuels for Federation members. However, the economics of distribution to a relatively small number of specialist users make it almost impossible to produce and supply bespoke fuel products which are freely and widely available in every town from Cornwall to the north of Scotland. In short, Federation members generally have to use the standard fuels produced by Big Oil for modern engines.

DIESEL

Non-road gas oil sulphur level will drop from 1000ppm to10ppm from 1 January 2011. This could affect historic agricultural and construction equipment, and perhaps stationary engines, or historic boat engines running on diesel-type fuel. Many tractors run on Tractor Vaporising Oil (TVO) or kerosene so will be unaffected, but for those with diesel powered historic machines normally using ‘red’ diesel or gas oil, dramatic changes in sulphur levels over the next eighteen months may cause some difficulties.

Trucks and buses should not be affected as they have already been exposed to the reduction in sulphur levels in on-road diesel fuel. Without wishing to create alarm, when a sudden change to ultra-low sulphur diesel has occurred in the past, some operators have experienced problems of seal swelling or shrinking, leading to leaks from the fuel system. There have also been some fuel stability issues which have resulted in blocked fuel filters and similar problems.

Where fuel leaks occur, new seals should be fitted. These should preferably be made from Viton, as there may also be some potential compatibility problems from the inclusion of bio-diesel components. Viton seals should resolve all these difficulties, and it is obviously preferable to replace seals only once. Fuel filter elements should be replaced to overcome high pressure drop across the filter body which can lead to fuel starvation. It may be necessary to change filter elements more frequently than in the past.

Fuel storage is potentially also an issue, given possible reduced fuel stability/storage life when using bio-diesel components. Fuel composition changes require that fuel housekeeping improves (tanks should be clean and dry, as the presence of water in the tank will encourage microbial growth leading to potential formation of sludges and slimes). Ideally fuel should be used as quickly as possible and not stored for lengthy periods. Fuel tank seals, including sight-glass seals, may suffer from the change in sulphur level and the inclusion of bio-diesel components. These comments apply mainly to those such as farmers, who have their own dedicated storage tanks, and who also enjoy the use of historic ‘red diesel’ machinery such as preserved tractors.

At the October 2009 Stakeholders Meeting the wording of a DfT information leaflet was approved concerning changes to ‘red diesel’.

DfT Leaflet

Changes in the Pipeline

Do you use gas oil (‘red diesel’)?

If so, there are changes which you need to know about:

• Gas oil for off-road equipment will be sulphur free by January 2011.

• This is needed by cleaner engines fitted in new off-road equipment which will be made to meet stringent new EU emission standards.

• These standards will improve air quality and reduce adverse health and environmental effects.

• Sulphur free gas oil is also likely to contain up to 7% biodiesel content.

• The majority of existing equipment should not have any problems with the new fuel but a few precautions are recommended.

• Affected equipment will include tractors, other agricultural equipment such as combines, construction plant, forklifts, portable generators and boats, but fuel for stationary and heating applications may also be affected.

Off-Road Equipment

If you own off-road equipment it is recommended that you:

• Examine fuel systems following the switch to the new fuel and ensure that any seals or pipes found to be leaking are replaced.

• If you are having older machinery serviced, replace fuel seals and pipes as a precaution.

• Replace fuel filters after the first two to three tankfuls of the new fuel.

Fuel Storage

If you have gas oil storage tanks it is recommended that you:

• Remove all water from the tanks and conduct monthly checks so that they remain free of water.

• Tanks that don’t already have drain points for removing water are likely to need modification.

• Examine sight gauges on older fuel storage tanks for signs of leakage and replace any leaking seals.

• If you are having tanks serviced before you receive the new fuel it would be advisable to replace fuel seals as a, one-off, precautionary exercise.

• Replace fuel filters after two to three deliveries/turnover of the new fuel.

• Ensure the content of tanks is turned over every six months or in any event no less often than every 12 months to help prevent blockage of filters.

Stationary Equipment

• Gas oil for heating, stationary equipment is not required to be sulphur free.

• However, some fuel suppliers may supply you with sulphur free gas oil for these applications as well, in which case the above precautions will be equally applicable.

Marine Fuel

• Gas oil sold for inland shipping and recreational craft when used on inland waterways is required to be sulphur free.

• However, gas oil for sea-going marine use is not required to be sulphur free. It is not anticipated that suppliers of marine fuel will switch to sulphur free, but you may wish to confirm this with your supplier.

Further Guidance

• Let your fuel supplier know what purpose you need the fuel for. They should supply you a fuel that is fit for purpose and be able to advise you of the sulphur and biofuel content of the fuel.

• Further advice is available on the Department’s website at .uk

Summary of the DfT leaflet

Key points for Federation members:

1. Fuel changes are to ‘red diesel’ for off-road equipment: historic trucks and buses already use low sulphur fuels, although could be affected by inclusion of bio-diesel components.

2. Check seals for leaks, both on fuel systems on machines and also on storage tanks.

3. Maintain good housekeeping in storage tanks (i.e. drain any existing water from storage tanks and keep them clean, so that only dry fuel is stored).

4. Reduce fuel storage periods, ideally to a maximum of six months.

5. Check and replace fuel filters after the change to the new fuel.

6. The new fuel will be in place by 1 January 2011, with phase-in starting during 2010.

If you are replacing seals, it is best to use a material which is fully compatible with the new fuel. The (mainly oil industry) association, CONCAWE, has conducted tests of materials compatibility, and expects to issue a formal report shortly. The following draft table extracted from the report was issued at the Stakeholders’ Meeting. It covers blends of diesel fuel containing bio-derived components. The most universally recognised compatible seal (elastomer) material is known by the trade name ‘Viton®’. Other seal materials e.g. Nylon, Teflon® and Fluorocarbon are also recommended for use with the new fuel.

Material compatibilities with bio-diesel and diesel blends

|Material |Recommended |Not recommended |

|Metals |Carbon steel |Brass |

| |Stainless steel |Copper |

| |Aluminium |Lead |

| | |Tin |

| | |Zinc |

|Elastomers |Fluorocarbon |Nitrile rubber |

| |Nylon |Buna rubber |

| |Teflon® |Neoprene |

| |Viton® |Chloroprene |

| | |Natural rubber |

| | |Hypalon |

| | |Styrene-Butadiene rubber |

| | |Butadiene rubber |

|Polymers |Carbon filled acetal |Polyethylene |

| | |Polypropylene |

| | |Polyurethane |

| | |Polyvinylchloride |

|Others |Fibreglass | |

CONCAWE comment: This list is not comprehensive and the quality of the material must be appropriate for the intended application.

PETROL

Permitted ethanol content in petrol to rise from 5% to 10% in 2013

There will be a requirement to continue to offer fuels with a limit of 5% ethanol until 2013. (It is assumed that after this date such fuels will be harder to find and may disappear).

A number of difficulties have already been experienced by Federation members, most notably in respect of petrol tanks. Some types of sealing compounds react adversely to the presence of ethanol in the petrol, resulting in sticky deposits being washed through into the fuel system. While this is distressing for the victim, there are sealing compounds on the market which are compatible with petrol containing ethanol. It should be possible to re-seal the affected tank with a compatible product, after thorough cleaning to remove all traces of the non-compatible material.

The current level of volatility in petrol will not change, but will be adapted (downwards) to accommodate the increased volatility caused by adding ethanol.

In theory, this should mean that drivers will not notice any difference in operation with fuels containing ethanol, but this may not be a safe conclusion. Experience from use over time will be helpful. Measures taken to overcome vapour-lock problems in the past may need to be reinforced. Some who have not suffered from problems previously may find that operational difficulties are experienced.

Consultation on draft regulations which amend the Motor Fuel (Composition and Content) Regulations 1999 to implement European Directive 2009/30/EC with respect to Fuel Quality

In June 2010 the Federation replied to this Consultation thus:

The FBHVC recognises that major policy directives on fuel quality cannot reasonably be resisted by a minority group whose principle fuel demand is linked to specialty interest activities. Nevertheless there are some points which the Federation wishes to establish as part of the consultation process:

i) Petrol containing ethanol is potentially harmful to the fuel systems of the majority of vehicles operated by FBHVC members. The dangers of corrosion and degradation of materials used in the fuel systems of historic vehicles have been highlighted by the CONCAWE organisation. There are no benefits to FBHVC members from the inclusion of ethanol in petrol, and in general, the higher the ethanol content the greater the concerns.

ii) Contrary to the assertion contained in the DfT consultation document that cars with carburettors can be expected to disappear quietly over the next few years, so that by 2013 there will no longer be a problem, the number of historic vehicles covered by the Federation is not expected to reduce over time. The Federation wishes to put on record that it does not accept that problems caused by the enforced inclusion of ethanol in petrol in the UK are not, or will not, be an issue in the future in vehicles it represents.

Recommendations for Materials Considered for Use in Ethanol and Ethanol/Gasoline Blend Applications

|Material |Recommended |Not Recommended |

|Metals |Carbon steel with post-weld heat treatment of carbon|Zinc and galvanised materials |

| |steel piping and internal lining of carbon steel |Brass |

| |tanks |Copper |

| |Stainless steel |Lead/tin coated steel |

| |Bronze |Aluminium (may be an issue for E100) |

| |Aluminium | |

|Elastomers |Buna-N (hoses & gaskets) |Buna-N (seals only) |

| |Fluorel |Neoprene (seals only) |

| |Fluorosilicone |Urethane rubber |

| |Neoprene (hoses & gaskets) |Acrylonitrile-butadiene hoses |

| |Polysulfide rubber |Polybutene terephthalate |

| |Viton | |

|Polymers |Acetal |Polyurethane |

| |Polypropylene |Polymers containing alcohol groups (such as alcohol |

| |Polyethylene |based pipe dope) |

| |Teflon |Nylon 66 |

| |Fibreglass-reinforced plastic |Fibreglass-reinforced polyester and epoxy resins |

| | |Shellac |

|Others |Paper |Cork |

| |Leather | |

This list is not comprehensive and the quality of the material must be appropriate for the intended application. It is strongly advised that the manufacturers of these products are consulted before ethanol or ethanol/gasoline blends are introduced.

Fibreglass fuel tanks

We have been contacted by a number of motorcycle clubs, and in particular the Greeves Riders Association, whose members have been experiencing problems with fibreglass fuel tanks on their machines thought to be caused by using biofuel. Some composite tanks are compatible with petrol containing ethanol, while others are not. A CONCAWE report, number 3/08, covers this issue and has indicated that fibreglass reinforced polyester and fibreglass reinforced epoxy resin materials are not compatible with petrol containing ethanol. However, tanks made from fibreglass reinforced plastic are compatible with petrol containing ethanol.

One suggestion that has been received concerns the use of a tank sealant to protect the fibreglass. Great care must be taken using tank sealants, of course, as it is known that they are not all compatible with ethanol in petrol. In October 2010 while certainly not advocating that anyone did try this, we did ask if anyone has already had first-hand experience of using such a product in their fuel tank to combat this problem but have had no replies so far.

At the present time (March 2010) replacing the fuel tank with a remanufactured item in a compatible material is the only guaranteed long term solution. There are sealants available which claim to be compatible with bio-fuel but they are generally not for use in fibreglass tanks. No products have been tested by the FBHVC and no recommendations can be made at this stage.

Effects on tank sealants etc

Any tank sealant manufactured in USA should not be affected by ethanol (e.g. the Frost brand) as ethanol has been in USA petrol for some time. To be sure of avoiding problems customers should check that any such product does indicate it can be used with fuel containing ethanol. The Federation contacted four suppliers of tank sealants early in 2009 to ask about compatibility issues but only three replied, (one with a ‘yes’ and two with ‘don’t know’) and the situation has not improved a great deal since then.

Many seals have a ‘memory’ and may leak when introduced to ethanol when they are old. The same type of seal may not leak when new.

Particles resulting from the breakdown of tank sealants and moving through the fuel system may also cause problems, although this would be for a finite time (until it has all been washed through). A solvent is available to remove existing tank sealant from steel tanks (but not aluminium or GRP), Epoxy Remover made by Tank Cure and supplied by LB Services. However the active ingredient in this product is methylene chloride, aka paint stripper, which it is feared may be the subject of a proposed ban itself.

ADDITIVES FOR USE WITH BIOFUELS

Additives are available to protect against the main problems likely to be encountered for petrol and diesel fuelled vehicles (corrosion inhibitors, stability improvers and biocidal products).

A product for use with petrol has been designed to be added to the tank when re-fuelling to prevent degradation in storage in the fuel tank. It provides excellent protection against the possible corrosion through increased acidity which can occur when petrol containing ethanol is stored for any length of time. One bottle should provide a season’s protection – although this is obviously dependent on the vehicle and amount of usage.

A similar product for bio-diesel fuel (e.g. containing rapeseed methyl ester) has also been developed. There is no corrosion issue here but one of fuel filter blockage, injector fouling etc. It is also designed to be dispensed from a plastic bottle (with graduated optic) at refuelling time.

These products existed but did not have a commercial outlet. In 2010, through the Federation’s trade supporter scheme, five companies were introduced to a manufacturer of a corrosion inhibitor additive for petrol. This additive should overcome many of the problems associated with the inclusion of ethanol in petrol (but not material compatibility issues, please note). One of these companies, Tetraboost, who also supply an additive for unleaded petrol, have sent the FBHVC the following statement about the launch of the product in the UK in March 2011.

‘TetraBOOST E-Guard™ has been specially formulated to give protection from potential damage caused by ethanol in petrol, except for GRP tanks and sealants. In addition it will prevent deterioration of fuel kept in a vehicle tank for several months during winter. It will be submitted to the FBHVC for testing as soon as they have the facilities prepared. The problems with ethanol have been fully explained in earlier FBHVC Newsletters and on their website. TetraBOOST E-Guard™ will be supplied through retail outlets, dealing with automobile parts and accessories, in 250ml bottles sufficient for 250 litres of fuel. It will not be available direct. However, as stockists are appointed, they will be listed on the Tetraboost website .’

The Federation hope to have the test programme up and running in mid-2011; there have been some technical problems to overcome and are hopeful that later this year an endorsement can be offered to the products that pass the test regime.

STUDY INTO MATERIAL COMPATIBILITY AND CARBURETTOR ICING

The Federation has been monitoring the progress of The Motor Fuel (Composition and Content) and Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) (Amendment) Regulations 2010; Statutory Instrument 2010, No. 3035 that will increase the uptake of renewable fuels in the UK as part of the European campaign to slow climate change. In addition, air quality concerns have been responsible for progressive reductions in sulphur in heavier fuels such as diesel. The net outcome of these EU directives is the inclusion of bio-ethanol in petrol, and inclusion of components such as vegetable oils in diesel fuels, in addition to the reduction in sulphur content. The FBHVC representative at the Stakeholder meetings held at the Department for Transport last year and raised concerns about the increased biofuels content and the effect that it would have on historic vehicles. An investigation was commissioned in the summer of 2010 by the DfT, and undertaken by Stephen Wall, Senior Scientist at the Fuels and Lubricants Centre, QinetiQ, based in Farnborough, to investigate the effects of petrol containing up to 10% ethanol. Specifically this investigated vehicle fuel system material compatibility and carburettor icing as well as other aspects such as drivability issues. The report was finally published in January 2011.

Report Recommendations

The report is a weighty document of 54 pages and the Federation would like to thank all those members who submitted data which we passed to QinetiQ for inclusion.

The report found that:

• The majority of vehicles 10 years old or older will not be compatible with E10 due to fuel system material incompatibility issues.

• Carburettor vehicles and powered two wheelers will suffer problems due to material incompatibility, corrosion, and driveability issues.

• Field experience has demonstrated that vehicles and petrol fuelled equipment fitted with glass fibre fuel tanks may suffer catastrophic failure due to the incompatibility of the glass fibre resin with petrol ethanol blends.

• Based on vehicle age, approximately 8.6 million vehicles will be unable to run on E10… Based on average vehicle life of 13 years very approximately half these vehicles will still be in use when the proposed phase out of E5 takes place in 2013.

The report also has a recommendations section which makes interesting reading.

• Vehicles ten years old or older, carburettored vehicles (including powered two wheelers) and first generation direct spark ignition vehicles should not be fuelled on E10 unless the manufacturer can state the vehicles are compatible with E10.

• E5 should not be phased out in 2013, its widespread availability should continue for the foreseeable future.

• Consideration should be given to maintaining a specification for E0 fuel for historic and vintage vehicles.

The Legislation

Again this is a lengthy document but we have included some of the important points below.

• In parallel with increasing the maximum permitted ethanol content of petrol to 10% the Directive requires that Member States ensure that supplies of 5% ethanol content petrol are maintained until 2013. This is intended to support operation of older cars some of which are not compatible with 10% ethanol content. In practice we do not expect fuel suppliers to switch to 10% ethanol content in petrol until after 2013, but Member States are required to transpose this provision. The UK fuel supply infrastructure is currently only able to handle two grades of petrol, ‘Premium’ and ‘Super’ (the latter accounts for about 4% of petrol sales). In order to ensure widespread availability of 5% ethanol petrol, but minimise constraints on fuel suppliers, should they switch to 10% ethanol content petrol earlier than expected, the regulations require Super grade petrol sold at high throughput petrol stations prior to 2014 to contain no more than 5% ethanol.

The requirement for provision of information to consumers on the biofuel content of petrol is already implemented by regulation 3 of the Biofuel Labelling Regulations. This requires pumps dispensing petrol containing more than 5% bioethanol to be labelled ‘Not suitable for all vehicles: consult vehicle manufacturer before use’.

• As the increases in ethanol and oxygen contents are permissive rather than mandatory, the provision of fuel to consumers would not necessarily change in the UK.

• Vehicles sold in the UK and in EU markets have only recently (since around 2006) carried manufacturer's warranties covering use of petrol containing 10% ethanol. However, the Department is not aware of general vehicle operability or reliability problems being created on modern (closed loop control, electronically fuel injected) vehicles by running on ethanol content up to 10%. Direct injection petrol-engined vehicles manufactured prior to 2006 appear to be an exception to this and may not be compatible with petrol with more than 5% ethanol content. Older (pre-1993) vehicles are also unlikely to be compatible with petrol containing in excess of 5% ethanol without modifications, (rejetting of carburettors and changing of fuel hoses and seals) though these are a small and decreasing part of the fleet.

• In order to support continued operation of these vehicles the Directive obliges Member States to ensure that suppliers continue to provide some petrol containing no more than 5% ethanol by volume (with corresponding 2.7% maximum oxygen content by mass) until at least 2013. This date is subject to review and potential extension. However, based on current projections bioethanol content of UK petrol is not expected to exceed 5% until 2015 at the earliest.

• Summary and Recommendation: The Regulations will implement those elements of directive 2009/30/EC which specify new or revised requirements for fuel components which have an environmental impact. This will help reduce air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions from road and off road transport.

The former objective will be achieved principally by the requirement to reduce the amount of sulphur in gas oil (‘red diesel’) supplied for non road mobile machinery and recreational craft to 10 parts per million (virtually ‘sulphur free’). The latter objective will be achieved by increasing the permitted levels of ethanol in petrol and of biofuel in diesel.

Sulphur-free fuel is required for the reliable operation of the emission control technology needed to meet the latest emission standards for non-road mobile machinery and tractors. This technology will bring significant reductions in emissions of NOx and particulates. These would not be realised however without the use of the new fuel because high levels of sulphur will poison the emission control system.

Increasing the permitted levels of ethanol in petrol is, in practice, a partial enabler to fuel suppliers for meeting the greenhouse gas targets for their fuels contained in Article 7a of the Directive and the transport biofuels targets in the Renewable Energy Directive, 2009/29/EC. These targets are being implemented by separate regulations. Provision is made in the Regulations for continuance of a supply of low ethanol petrol for older vehicles.

Most of the requirements are already met by fuel suppliers or are permissive and no additional costs are envisaged for these elements. Costs will be incurred however by gas oil suppliers and users as a result of the requirement for this fuel to be ‘sulphur free’. These are attributable mainly to increased costs for refining, for red dye marking facilities where road diesel is supplied instead of gas oil, the need in certain cases for users to provide separate storage facilities, and, where FAME is contained in the fuel supplied, the need for additional measures by users to minimise microbiological contamination risks. The Regulations have adopted the derogation available under the Directive for fuel intended for rail engines but has not been able to do so in respect of agricultural tractors because of the appearance of new, sulphur-intolerant, emissions control technologies in this sector from the beginning of 2011. The Regulations also allow minor contamination in the supply chain as permitted in the Directive. The Department has been engaged in close consultation with stakeholders to raise awareness of the need for precautionary measures so as to minimise the impact of the measure.

The SI is not just concerned with the biofuel; there are a number of other changes to fuel composition included in the legislation.

• Reduction in leaded fuel sales volume (this still exceeds actual sales in the UK so is not thought to be too draconian).

• Restriction of MMT (manganese-based lead replacement) octane booster additive use in pump fuel. This is not really a concern as it has never been used in the UK. It is the active ingredient in one of the products available under the approved FBHVC scheme for those that wish to use it.

• Volatility will not be altered from existing levels (this was discussed at some length in the Stakeholder Meetings). Oil companies will be obliged to adjust volatility to compensate for the acknowledged adverse effect of adding ethanol, but only to bring the volatility of petrol-ethanol mixes back in line with the previous limit, so that in effect the vapour forming characteristics remain the same. The theory of this is sound, however there may be problems in practice.

CONCLUSIONS

One area where there seems to have been a softening of attitude is in the life of E5; at the Stakeholder meetings the position was quite firm, E5 only until 2013 and then it would be phased out to be replaced by E10. The statement that E5 is likely to be around until at least 2015, backed up by the suggestion of provision of low ethanol (whatever that is) fuel for historic vehicles is a positive development and one in which we feel the FBHVC can claim to have made an impact.

For off-road diesel there were no real surprises in the QinetiQ report, and there is lots of information about good housekeeping, blocked filters etc. However the report does indicate that some 50% of farm storage tanks may need to be replaced – at considerable expense.

It should be remembered that our vehicles use a very small percentage of the total UK fuel sales and it may be difficult for retailers to commercially justify stocking such fuel even if the oil companies will distribute it. The Federation will continue to monitor the situation and are working with the All Party Parliamentary Historic Vehicle Group to see what can be done. Regular meetings are being held and the discussions will be reported in the FBHVC newsletter.

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