As global markets evolve, fuel economy is becoming an increasingly important topic. Today, over 50% of the oil used around the world is for transportation, and over 75% of the energy used in the transportation sector is consumed on the road.

Driven by fears of crippling oil price spikes as well as concerns for the environment, the U.S. government is taking action to reduce consumption by aggressively increasing fuel economy standards. In 2010, the U.S. raised the average fuel economy for new passenger vehicles to 34.1 mpg by 2016. That mandate is increasing to 54.5 mpg in 2025. This shift is expected to reduce carbon intensity by 40% and cut U.S. oil usage by 12 billion barrels.

Ethanol has been the benchmark biofuel for more than a century. Henry Ford even envisioned the agricultural might of the United States as the fuel source for his Model T, which he engineered to run on ethanol. Today, ethanol is blended with gasoline to help meet EPA mandates for amounts of biofuel sold within each state. Most of the fuel in the United States contains some amount of ethanol.

While ethanol has a strong foothold in the fuel industry, powersports and marine organizations such as the National Marine Manufacturers Association have taken to warning against its usage, especially higher-percentage blends such as E15, which NMMA has gone so far as to say “hurts boating.”

The majority of fuel system problems in modern equipment and vehicles stem from the fuel itself. Ethanol-blended and oxygenated fuels start to go bad within 30 days, so that fuel in your leaf blower from your last round of yard work in the fall is likely not what it was when you fire up the engine again come spring.

The two main problems with ethanol-blended and/or oxygenated fuels are oxidation and corrosion. One way to prevent oxidation and corrosion brought on by modern fuels in power equipment, recreational vehicles or even a seldom-driven car, is by using a good quality fuel treatment.

Diesel fleets depend on clean, moisture-free fuel to stay running their best, especially when temperatures start to drop in winter. Moisture in a diesel fuel system can cause numerous problems including bacteria growth, filter plugging and, in colder temperatures, icing. The summer of 2016 in the Midwest was wet and humid, and that moisture and humidity combine to create problems in diesel fuel tanks and dispensing systems once temperatures start to drop.