据Oil & Gas Journal网站3月27日华盛顿报道 总部位于弗吉尼亚州亚历山大的燃料研究所3月27日发布的两份报告指出，提高美国销售汽油的辛烷值标准，将比简单地等待电动和其他替代燃料汽车和卡车获得可观的市场份额能更有效地提高汽车的整体燃料效率。
美国国家便利店协会2013年作为一个政策和研究组织成立的燃料研究所执行主任约翰·艾奇伯格说：“科学证明，当高辛烷值汽油用于为其设计的发动机时，这些发动机可以提供更高的燃油效率和更低的排放。”
艾奇伯格说：“这些新的报告在很大程度上有助于回答消费者向更高辛烷值汽油标准过渡的技术、法规和成本问题。”
他指出，《将美国汽油转变为单一高辛烷值燃料：一项基础分析》及其配套的报告数据以及《分析美国燃料供应中增加辛烷值的潜力》两份报告均分析了美国燃料市场向消费者提供高辛烷值汽油的能力，包括监管和市场动态以及会受到这种转变影响的消费者。
艾奇伯格说：“我们的研究团队发现，一个高辛烷值的市场可以实现，但可能需要联邦授权才能成功。”
他说，该报告模拟了含有不同浓度乙醇的高辛烷值燃料，发现乙醇可以降低生产成本，但同时在分配系统中引入了兼容性问题，这需要大量投资。报告建议，如果燃料与现有燃料不同，那么监管和过渡过程可能需要20年或更长时间。
艾奇伯格说：“这些新报告表明，向高辛烷值市场过渡是可行的，但也有一些障碍必须得到承认和适应。报告明确指出，在开始过渡之前的消费者教育至关重要，因为消费者对燃料价格非常敏感，但并不了解辛烷值是什么。”
王 磊 摘译自 Oil & Gas Journal
原文如下：
Higher-octane gasoline seen as more effective fuel efficiency choice
Increasing the octane standard for gasoline sold in the US would improve overall motor vehicle fuel efficiency more effectively than simply waiting for electric and other alternative-fueled cars and trucks to gain a substantial market share, two reports issued by the Alexandria, Va.-based Fuels Institute argued on Mar. 27.
“The science demonstrates that when higher-octane gasoline is used in engines designed for it, those engines can deliver greater fuel efficiency and lower emissions,” said John Eichberger, executive director of the Fuels Institute, which the National Association of Convenience Stores founded as a policy and research organization in 2013.
“These new reports go a long way to help answer questions related to the technology, regulations, and costs to consumers to transition to a higher-octane gasoline standard,” Eichberger said.
He said the reports, “Transitioning the US Gasoline Pool to a Single High-Octane Fuel: A baseline Analysis” and its companion white paper, “Analysis of the Potential for Increasing Octane in the US Fuel Supply,” analyze the US fuels market’s capacity to deliver higher-octane gasoline to consumers, as well as the regulatory and market dynamics which would be affected by such a transition.
“Our research team found that a high-octane market could be achieved but would likely require a federal mandate to be successful,” Eichberger said.
The report modeled high-octane fuels containing various levels of ethanol and found that ethanol could reduce production costs, but simultaneously introduced compatibility issues within the distribution system that would require substantial investments, he said. And if the fuel is not similar to an existing fuel, the regulatory and transition process could take 20 years or longer, the report suggested.
“These new publications show that transitioning to a high-octane market is feasible, but there are hurdles that must be acknowledged and accommodated,” said Eichberger. “The white paper specifically makes it clear that consumer education prior to initiating the transition is critical because consumers are very sensitive to fuel prices and don’t understand what octane is.”
