US environmental regulators will now let fuel makers use new test methods

US environmental regulators will now allow fuel and fuel additive manufacturers to use alternative test methods to prove their products meet quality standards. This means companies can use newer, potentially cheaper or faster ways to show their fuels are safe and effective, instead of only using older, prescribed methods.

For decades, fuel makers had to use specific, often outdated, test methods to get their products approved. This rule change means they can now propose and use new methods, as long as they prove the new method is as good as or better than the old one. This could speed up the introduction of new fuels and additives, and potentially lower development costs. It also means the regulators are moving away from dictating specific technologies and towards setting performance standards.