The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association last week announced that three new E-85 stations began offering the renewable fuel to Iowa consumers. With new E-85 fueling options in West Des Moines, Mason City and St. Ansgar, Iowa now has 35 E-85 stations statewide.
Iowa consumers can now buy E-85 at these stations: Hy-Vee, 665 South 51st Street, West Des Moines; Fuel Time, 426 4th Street, SW, Mason City; Fuel Time, 203 Saints Avenue, St. Ansgar.
There are three E-85 pumps in the greater Des Moines area and two in the Mason City/Clear Lake area. A complete list of Iowa's E-85 fueling stations can be found at: www.iowarfa.org/E85Refueling.php.
Eight new pumps in Iowa past two weeks
"With eight new E-85 pumps opening over the last two weeks, Iowa is starting to see the result of the Values Fund renewable fuels infrastructure grant program," stated Lucy Norton, IRFA's managing director. "Since greater funding levels are expected in future years, this trend should accelerate and within a few years, no Iowan should live very far from an E-85 fueling station."
The IRFA awarded Fuel Time in Mason City a $7,500 grant through the Values Fund program to upgrade a pump for E-85 use. The IRFA is helping expand E-85 and biodiesel access by administering the Iowa Values Fund Infrastructure Program, which provides cost-share grants to install E-85 fueling infrastructure and biodiesel storage facilities.
A total of $325,000 has been allocated annually for three years to expand the availability of E-85 and biodiesel to Iowans. The deadline to submit an application for the next approval period is June 15. For an application or further information, contact Lucy Norton at the IRFA office at (515) 225-9242 or info@IowaRFA.org.
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association was formed in 2002 to represent the state's liquid renewable fuels industry. The trade group fosters the development and growth of the renewable fuels industry in Iowa through education, promotion, legislation and infrastructure development.
There is no shortage of ethanol
The latest figures on U.S. ethanol production dispel the myth that there is an ethanol supply shortage. The Renewable Fuels Association last week announced that the U.S. ethanol industry set a new monthly production record of 302,000 barrels per day (b/d) in February, according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
That equates to nearly 12.7 million gallons a day. February's production is a 14,000 b/d increase over January and a 57,000 b/d increase from one year ago.
The RFA released the following statistics:
February 2006 Statistics
(mg = million gallons)
|
Fuel Ethanol Production |
355.0 mg |
302,000 b/d |
|
Fuel Ethanol Use |
330.0 mg |
281,000 b/d |
|
Fuel Ethanol Stocks |
309.8 mg |
24.4 days of reserve |
|
Fuel Ethanol Exports |
0.0mg^ |
n/a |
|
Fuel Ethanol Imports |
25.5 mg* |
n/a |
*Source: U.S. International Trade Commission
^ Jim Jordan and Associates
"These numbers completely dispel the myth of ethanol shortages," says RFA President Bob Dinneen. "With dramatic increases in both production and stock supplies, as well as increased imports, it is clear that ethanol supplies will be more than adequate to meet the surging demand created by gasoline refiners' decision to eliminate MTBE. The U.S. ethanol industry has the supply and the know-how to get ethanol to the markets that need it when they need it."
Currently, 97 U.S. ethanol plants have a combined production capacity of nearly 4.5 billion gallons a year. There are 35 ethanol plants and nine expansions under construction with a combined annual capacity of more than 2.2 billion gallons.