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New Program Extends Ethanol Availability Nationwide

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ethanolNew investment will more than double the number of stations that offer intermediate blends of ethanol nationwide.

Protec Fuel announced that U.S. Department of Agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack recently visited Mid-State Energy’s Kissimmee, Fla. Citgo E15 and E85 retail station. The secretary made an announcement on ethanol fuel investment of $16 million for the state alone.

At the first retail fueling station in Kissimmee, Fla. suburb of Orlando, Fla., selling E85 and E15 ethanol blends, secretary Vilsack announced the states and amounts in which $100 million for ethanol infrastructure under the Biofuels Infrastructure Program (BIP) has been awarded. While E85 ethanol can be used in flex-fuel gasoline vehicles, E15 fuel can be used in 2001 and newer vehicles, and both have been proven to reduce emissions such as greenhouse gases, cost less than regular gas and ethanol is a domestically produced, renewable fuel. The Citgo sells both, along with biodiesel for diesel engines, and traditional fuels.

“This major investment in renewable energy infrastructure will give Americans more options that not only will suit their pocketbooks, but also will reduce our country’s environmental impact and bolster our rural economy,” said Vilsack. “The Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership is one more example of how federal funds can be leveraged by state and private partners to deliver better and farther reaching outcomes for taxpayers. The volume and diverse geographic locations of partners willing to support this infrastructure demonstrate the demand across the country for lower cost, cleaner, American-made fuels. Consumers will begin to see more of these pumps in a matter of months.”
Protec Fuel, based in Boca Raton, Fla., has partnered to help manage the ethanol blends installation and provide fuel for the station’s new cleaner-burning fuels. “We are honored to host secretary Vilsack and the USDA in making this national announcement because of their commitment to supporting the U.S. economy through ethanol blends,” said Steve Walk, Protec Fuel’s vice president of development. “Protec Fuel partners with retailers across the country in adding station value and business products by successfully implementing higher ethanol blended stations such as Mid-State Energy ‘s fueling station here.”
Kissimmee, Fla. mayor Jim Swan, Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, and Richard Childress Racing’s American Ethanol racecar were also on hand.
Retail fuel stations and fleets are eligible for this grant. USDA estimates that the BIP grants will support nearly 5,000 pumps at over 1,400 fueling stations across the country, and that this investment will more than double the number of stations that offer intermediate blends of ethanol, mainly E15 fuel levels, nationwide.
Higher-octane E15, a blend of 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline, is the most widely tested fuel ever sold to consumers. The ethanol portion of these fuels is 100% U.S.-made, supports jobs and keeps our money in local communities. Ethanol burns cleaner in engines, which helps the performance level of the vehicle. It also can extend the life of the engine. Since 88-octane E15 can run in any 2001 or newer gasoline engine, that equates to 80% of vehicles in the U.S.
E85 gasoline fuel, 100+ octane blend, is an alternative fuel blend that can be used in over 18.5 million vehicles across the U.S. E85 is a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. There are over 100 FFV models on the market today that can run on E85.

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