‘Where’s my ethanol?’

BioRefineries/Renewable Fuel Production, Deliver Dispense, Infrastructure, North Carolina, What You Can Do

March 30, 2015

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by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) … The ethanol industry would like nothing better than to have every consumer that wants E85 to have access to it. Unfortunately roll out of E85 stations has been slow, especially outside the Midwest, where most ethanol plants are located. As you can see from this link from the DOE there are only 11 E85 stations in your state (North Carolina).

Here’s another related link, which points out that although the EIA considers the expansion of the number of retail gas stations offering E85 to be rapid, only 2 percent of retail stations in the U.S. offer E85, serving only 5 percent of the U.S. light duty fleet capable of running on E85.

The ethanol industry is working hard to increase that. In some states, like Iowa and Minnesota, ethanol producers are selling some fuel directly to retail gas stations, which brings the price of E85 down and encourages competition and other retailers to offer the fuel. I’ve written before that I’d like to see more ethanol producers do the same thing.

You could help in a few ways. Speak to your local gas station owners and let them know you want E85 or other ethanol blends. Contact your legislators and let them know you are a FFV driver that values ethanol.

One thing I forgot to say in my email response was that, the entire industry is also hoping for and working toward a day when there will be advanced biofuel facilities all over the U.S., including in states outside the Corn Belt. In North Carolina, specifically, there aren’t any first generation ethanol plants producing ethanol. However, in 2014, the city of Clinton, North Carolina, received a $1.76 million grant to construct water and sewer infrastructure to support the 20 MMgy cellulosic ethanol plant Chemtex International is planning to build. As the second generation ethanol industry matures, perhaps retail gas stations in states like North Carolina will have access to E85 produced at advanced biofuel facilities like that one.

I haven’t heard back from him, so I’m not certain if my answer satisfied him or not. But what I can say is that I’d like to see a day when there are enough E85 station so every consumer, in every state, can decide if they want to fuel up with 85 percent U.S. ethanol. I’d also like to see them have the option of E15 and other mid-level ethanol blends. READ MORE

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