Monday, September 13, 2010

Volume 1, Issue 19

Growth Energy Market Development Grants Available

Don't forget! Growth Energy's Market Development team is now offering funding to retailers to assist in ethanol blender pump infrastructure. Grants of $2,500 and $5,000 are now available on a first come, first serve basis to vendors who wish to install new or convert existing equipment for ethanol fueling. We are focusing on areas that are outside the Mid-west that have no additional state grants available.

We are providing a $5,000 grant for a blender pump that dispenses E30 and E85 and up to $2,500 for an E85 dispenser. You can find the two page OUTLINE of the Infrastructure Development Program by clicking here. To review the APPLICATION for the funding, click here. For questions regarding the program, please contact the Market Development office at (573) 635-8445.

Read Growth Energy's blog posts on RenewableEnergyWorld.com

Featured Links

• See if Your Vehicle is Ethanol Blend Compatible
• Find an Flex Fuel Station in Your Area

Growth Energy Partners with Sharber Oil Company to Offer High Level Blends of Ethanol in Georgia

Growth Energy has joined forces with Sharber Oil Company to introduce higher level blends of ethanol in the state of Georgia. Sharber Oil Company is located at 250 Whigham Dairy Road in Bainbridge and has opened an E85 pump with assistance from Growth Energy’s 2010 E85 and Blender Pump Program.

“It’s exciting to see more retailers across the country install high level ethanol fueling equipment that will provide flex fuel vehicle owners greater access to E85 fuel,” said Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis. “We commend Sharber Oil Company for their efforts and are pleased to assist them in adding this fueling facility.”

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Flex Fuel US Receives Federal GSA Award to Deliver E85 Conversion Technology to Federal Fleets

Flex Fuel US has developed a new Technology that Transforms Fleet and Passenger Automobiles Into Flex Fuel Vehicles that Facilitate Fleet and Consumer Incentives, Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Support Domestically-Produced Energy

GSA Award #GS-30F-0040W enables low cost compliance with Executive Order 13514

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Good News for Owners of Flex Fuel Vehicles

TransMontaigne Inc. announced today that E85 will soon become available at seven of its busiest refined petroleum product terminals. E85 is a fuel blend composed of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline by volume and is designed for use in Flex-Fuel vehicles.

Until recently, E85 has been available mostly in Midwestern states that are closer to ethanol manufacturing sites. Owners of Flex-Fuel vehicles have been vocal that this environmentally friendly fuel has not been available on a widespread basis. TransMontaigne’s move into E85 product supply will quickly help change that, as many more retail chains will now have a reliable local wholesale supply for this fuel from Florida through the Mid-Atlantic states.

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E15 discussed at 2010 Farm Progress Show

Sept. 1, at the 2010 Farm Progress Show, Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis and Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey held a panel discussion to talk about Growth Energy’s Fueling Freedom Plan, the upcoming energy bill and EPA’s pending decision on the E15 waiver.

At the panel, Buis and Northey discussed the critical need for the EPA to approve E15 and open the market for ethanol in order to revitalize our rural economies, clean our skies and support the continued innovation in the ethanol industry.

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Propel Opening More Ethanol Pumps in California

Propel Fuels is opening more pumps with 85 percent ethanol for California flex fuel vehicle (FFV) drivers.

The company held a grand opening event in Oakland this week to formally launch a network of renewable fuel stations for the Bay Area, which will include more than 20 stations across the Bay, with up to half opening by the end of this year. The event also announced a $10.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and California Energy Commission (CEC) to build and operate 75 retail renewable fuel stations throughout California over the next two years.

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Ethanol Gets Iowa Football Fans Pumped Up

Did you know that 60 cents of each gallon of E85 purchased stays in the state of Iowa? I didn’t know that until I participated in the Iowa Corn Fed Game Day pump rally at Riverside, Iowa to get people “pumped up” for the upcoming Iowa State versus Iowa football game. Another way to look at this is for each gallon of E85 you purchase, 85 cents stays in America; whereas if you purchase E10, only 10 cents stays in America while 90 cents heads out of our borders.

Here are two more interesting facts. Did you know that Iowa is ranked #9 in the country; yet non-ranked Iowa State has the most difficult schedule this year?

And one more…Did you know that Iowa is the leading producer of corn and ethanol in the country? Iowa boasts 40 ethanol plants that produce more than 3 billion gallons of ethanol each year saving consumers money at the pump with each mile they drive.

So where did I learn these nifty facts? From an actual corn farmer, Dick Gallagher, who was on hand to educate consumers about ethanol blended fuels as well as educate consumers about all the products that have corn in them..shirts, biodegradable plastics, carpet, tires, and more. They all use corn as one of their ingredients and whether you realize it or not, our lives would not, and could not, be the same without our corn farmers.

Watch a video after the jump.

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Iowa Corn Fed Game Day Highlights Food and Fuel

Did you know that Iowa is leading the way in both corn production and ethanol production but corn is not only used for ethanol? It is also an ingredient in more than 4,000 products including toothpaste, pizza, tires, drywall, bubblegum and more. The Iowa Corn Growers realized that many people don’t know this so they have developed a consumer promotion to educate Iowans about corn. It’s called the Iowa Corn Fed Game Day promotion and entails a sponsorship of the Iowa State vs. Iowa football, wrestling and basketball games.

I spoke with Mindy Williamson, the Iowa Corn Growers Director of Communications, to learn more about the benefits of their Iowa Corn Fed Game Day sponsorship. “We like to call it the Super Bowl of Iowa because Iowa and Iowa State is our biggest rivalry here,” said Williamson.

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Valero Is Expanding The Availability Of E85 Throughout Its System

Taxi driver Dwight “Barron” Jones zipped into a Valero Corner Store in San Antonio last week when he saw fuel was selling for $2.199 a gallon.

The startling price — 27 cents cheaper than regular gasoline - was for E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent conventional gasoline.

Jones has used the blend in the past at other E85 pumps in San Antonio, and said he was glad to see a new one.

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Member Spotlight: CountryMark Stands up for Agriculture by Using Ethanol

To understand this Indiana-based oil company, you have to look at CountryMark’s history.

In the early 20th century, CountryMark entered the petroleum market as a necessity for its members. Farmers were unable to find and purchase quality lubricant products at a fair price, and their expenses consequently ballooned. In 1930, the average farm tractor engine had only a five-year lifespan due to poor lubricants. The cooperative, not surprisingly, took action and began producing its own lubricants.

“The good thing about the co-op was that it was trustworthy, and its people cared about doing the right thing and taking care of their customers,” said Charlie Smith, CountryMark President and CEO. “The co-op was part of the fabric of rural Indiana. It’s that culture and sense of responsibility that helped form what we are today. In the future, we will continue to refine those founding values for the benefit of our member owners, customers and employees.”

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New and Renewed Growth Energy Market Development Members

There are currently a total of 2,243 E85 and 208 blender pump stations.

New E85 and blender pumps as of the last newsletter:

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Letters to Growth Energy

Please send comments, questions or suggestions to our Market Development Team and we will share them with our readers in our next FYI newsletter. Email questions, comments or suggestions to: marketdevelopment@growthenergy.org.

Events Calendar

To submit a Calendar item, email marketdevelopment@growthenergy.org.

GrowthEnergy represents the producers and supporters of ethanol who feed the world and fuel America in ways that achieve energy independence, improve economic well-being and create a healthier environment for all Americans now!