Nebraska Retailers Urged to Apply for HBIIP Grants

Cindy Zimmerman

Nebraska is one of 22 states that recently received a portion of $19 million awarded recently by USDA under the Higher Blend Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) with 16 retail locations receiving grants. The Nebraska Ethanol Board is urging retailers across the state to take advantage of the program during the current signup period. Launched in July 2023 with a $450 …

E15, E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, USDA

RFA Urges California to Promote More FFVs

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association is urging California to promote the sale of more flex fuel vehicles (FFVs) capable of running on up to 85 percent low-carbon ethanol when considering amendments to the Advanced Clean Cars (ACC) regulations. In comments to the California Air Resources Board, RFA Chief Economist Scott Richman pointed out that E85 is increasingly popular with drivers in …

E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Retailers Show Vision in Blazing Trails for Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

More and more retailers are taking the plunge and offering higher ethanol blends around the country, but while it has taken some time to get the larger retail chains to make the move, blazing the trail before them were smaller marketers with vision. Bruce Vollan, owner of Vollan Oil Company in Baltic, South Dakota, and Glenn Badenhop who owns American …

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, Audio, E15, E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Retailers

ACE Hybrid Electric Flex Fuel Vehicle Update

Cindy Zimmerman

American Coalition for Ethanol members got an update on the ACE Hybrid Electric Flex Fuel (HEFF) vehicle during the annual conference last week, two years after the public unveiling at the 2021 annual conference, also held in Minneapolis. ACE’s Chief Marketing Officer Ron Lamberty shared updated stats over the first two years of driving the 2019 Ford Fusion standard hybrid, …

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, Audio, E85, Electric Vehicles, Ethanol, Ethanol News

USDA Opens Fuel Retailer Incentive Program

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has officially begun accepting application for $450 million in grant applications for the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP). The funding, which comes the Inflation Reduction Act, will have application windows that run quarterly from July 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024. Approximately $90 million will be made available each quarter to fueling stations, stores …

ACE, blends, E15, E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Ethanol Blends Well With Summer

Cindy Zimmerman

As summer gets underway, the Renewable Fuels Association is once again sponsoring the Ethanol Days of Summer fuel giveaway contest, and encouraging both motorists and boaters to get educated on ethanol and save money at the pump. RFA Vice President of Industry Relations Robert White says the popularity of the fuel giveaway contest has grown as the availability of higher …

Audio, E15, E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

RFA and Propel Promote E85 in California

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association held an event this week in Sacramento with Propel Fuels spotlighting the importance of the lower-carbon E85 Flex Fuel blend, which hit a record 103.5 million gallons sold in the state last year. “Gas prices are on the rise again in California, and drivers are seeking out options at the pump that are both more affordable …

E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Senators Reintroduce Next Generation Fuels Act

Cindy Zimmerman

Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), together with Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), this week led bipartisan colleagues in reintroducing the Next Generation Fuels Act, legislation that would leverage higher-octane fuels to improve engine efficiency and performance. “Instead of continuing to buy more oil from foreign adversaries, we should be increasing the use of ethanol made …

ACE, E15, E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

California E85 Sales Surpass 100 Million Gallons

Cindy Zimmerman

California drivers set a new record buying E85 (85% ethanol) fuel last year, up 66 percent over 2021 and more than doubled the pre-pandemic record set in 2019, according to new data released by the California Air Resources Board. The Renewable Fuels Association reports that California drivers purchased over 103.5 million gallons (mg) of E85 flex fuel, up from about …

E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

RFA Brings Flex Fuel Plug-In Hybrid EV to #Classic23

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association showed off its new 2022 Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) at the Commodity Classic in Orlando last week, right down the road from where it debuted at the National Ethanol Conference the week before. The concept is to use this vehicle to demonstrate that ethanol (E85) and electricity can jointly power today’s vehicles. Students …

Audio, Commodity Classic, E85, Electric Vehicles, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA