Energy Marketers of America Name Change Reflects Growing Portfolio of Liquid Fuels Industry
Trade association’s portfolio includes affordable, environmentally friendly fuels such as renewable diesel and biodiesel.
Recently, the Energy Marketers of America (EMA) announced a new era for the trade association previously known as the Petroleum Marketers Association of America. The name change is reflective of the group’s growing portfolio of affordable, efficient, and environmentally friendly liquid fuels and other alternative energy sources that are helping to reduce emissions while propelling Americans
forward. The PMAA Board of Directors voted almost unanimously to move forward with the change.
Liquid fuels have played a critical role in lowering emissions over the past half century, and through innovation and technological advancement, they will continue to reduce emissions further in the coming decades. Investments in cleaner liquid fuels helped reduce U.S. air emissions by 73 percent from 1970 to 2016, even as total miles driven nearly tripled. Innovative technologies will ensure liquid fuels are part of a lower-emission future for decades to come.
“Liquid fuels are and will continue to be a crucial driver of economic growth in this county and a catalyst for affordable transportation,” EMA President Rob Underwood said. “EMA spans 47 states, our members own and operate 60,000 fuel stations across the country, and they supply heating fuel to more than 5 million American homes and businesses. The small businesses they represent provide thousands of jobs and help Americans get where they need to go as well as keep them warm during the winter.”
While much progress has already been made, EMA believes that addressing improvements in fuel efficiency and the carbon value of the fuel will yield significant gains for the environment. Policies and funding to reduce carbon emissions should be spread over all carbon sources and be applied to all fuels and energy sources equally. Research and funding for reductions in carbon emissions associated with liquid fuels should be treated with the same urgency as afforded to electrification, particularly since about 98% of vehicles sold in 2019 still rely on liquid fuels. Additionally, EMA supports policies and programs which allows the oilheat industry to provide more efficient and reliable heat and hot water to American consumers.
“Because of the wide variety of energy sources our members supply, our board determined this name change is more reflective of the products we serve and is long overdue. What EMA opposes are policies that promote one technology over the other. The most cost-effective way to reduce emissions from transportation is to support technologies that do so for the vast majority of vehicles on the road,” Underwood said.