About the Bulletin

Ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE) is a biofuel derived from ethanol (47% v/v) and isobutylene (53% v/v).

ETBE is also an oxygenated gasoline fuel component and ether. The better known oxygenates used today are methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), ethanol and ETBE. Ethers have been used in gasoline for over 30 years at various levels up to 15% and are thus fully compatible with the existing distribution infrastructure and the existing vehicle fleet. ETBE was first used in 1992, in France, and today is widely used and manufactured in most major gasoline markets in the EU.

The unique blending properties of ETBE coupled with its oxygen content allow petroleum companies to produce cleaner burning renewable gasoline that reduces the vehicle emissions that are the precursors to ozone and particulate matter in the atmosphere. Blending ETBE also helps to achieve the lower aromatic levels specified within the EU Fuel Quality Directive.

EFOA believes that ETBE represents a major opportunity for a practical, efficient development of biofuels and that it will play an increasingly important role in the future as governments and consumers around the world continue to call for cleaner burning gasoline and the use of crude-alternative biofuels.

This Product Bulletin was put together with the aim of providing specialists and non-specialists alike with a useful summary of the information available today on ETBE.

We welcome comments and contributions from users of the bulletin. Please send them to:

EFOA
Avenue E.Van Nieuwenhuyse 4
Boîte 2
1160 Brussels
Belgium

Or by e-mail at : ETBEProductBulletin@efoa.org