According to a press release from the American Lung Association of Iowa, E85 sales are up sharply this quarter, and are on track to shatter old records for the sale of the domestically grown fuel. Below is more detailed information.
More than 450,000 gallons of E85 were sold in Iowa in the month of April alone. This compares with just over 800,000 gallons sold in the second quarter of 2007. While sales data on May and June are not yet available, a spokesperson for the ALA-IA said the amount of E85 being purchased by owners of flex-fuel vehicles in Iowa are unprecedented.
“There is little doubt that the nationwide rise in gasoline prices is a major factor,” said Jessica Zopf, program manager for the American Lung Association of Iowa, which leads the Clean Air Choice program. “Prices of E85 vary widely, but in April 2008, average statewide prices for E85 were 81 cents less than for regular unleaded. While we welcome bargain-hunters who are trying E85 for the first time for its lower price, we hope they will continue to buy the fuel because it emits considerably less pollution than gasoline. We estimate that the E85 sold in this one month in Iowa helped prevent more than1800 tons of lifecycle CO2 from entering our air.”
Zopf also credits the increase in sales to several well-publicized promotions and events for E85 across the state. The next major event will be the Iowa Corn Indy 250 at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, where Indy 500 winner Scott Dixon will be among the field of top-name open wheel racers competing at the June 22 race.