Q-1. What is a ``qualified mixture'' within the meaning of section 40(b)(1)?
A-1. A ``qualified mixture'' is a mixture of alcohol and gasoline or of alcohol and special fuel which (1) is sold by the taxpayer producing such mixture to any person for use as a fuel, or (2) is used as a fuel by the taxpayer producing such mixture.
Q-2. Must alcohol be present in a product in order for that product to be considered a mixture of alcohol and either gasoline or a special fuel?
A-2. No. A product is considered to be a mixture of alcohol and gasoline or of alcohol and a special fuel if the product is derived from alcohol and either gasoline or a special fuel even if the alcohol is chemically transformed in producing the product so that the alcohol is no longer present as a separate chemical in the final product, provided that there is no significant loss in the energy content of the alcohol. Thus, a product may be considered to be ``mixture of alcohol and gasoline or of alcohol and a special fuel'' within the meaning of section 40(b)(1)(B) if such product is produced in a chemical reaction between alcohol and either gasoline or a special fuel. Similarly a product may be considered to be a ``mixture of alcohol and gasoline or of alcohol and a special fuel'' if such product is produced by blending a chemical compound derived from alcohol with either gasoline or a special fuel.
Thus, for example, a blend of gasoline and ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE), a compound derived from ethanol (a qualified alcohol), in a chemical reaction in which there is no significant loss in the energy content of the ethanol, is considered for purposes of section 40(b)(1)(B) to be a mixture of gasoline and the ethanol used to produce the ETBE, even though the ethanol is chemically transformed in the production of ETBE and is not present in the final product. [T.D. 8291, 55 FR 8948, Mar. 9, 1990]