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Iowa encourages more blender pumps

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association is applauding the “Fueling Our Future” biofuels pilot program announced this week by Governor Terry Branstad.

IRFA executive director Monte Shaw says the program, which offers gas stations financial incentives to install blender pumps, will help expand the availability of E30 and biodiesel across the state.

Also pleased with the announcement is Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey, who says the expanded sale of E30 will help Iowa maintain its leadership position in the ethanol industry.

“With 41 ethanol plants across the state, we produce about 25 percent of all the ethanol produced in the country—producing more ethanol than we use in gasoline,” Northey says. “So it’s certainly in our interests to use more of that ethanol—that Iowa-produced ethanol—in our gasoline and find a way to use those higher blends.

“This program offers us an opportunity to do that.”

E30, a fuel blend consisting of 30 percent ethanol and 70 percent regular gasoline, can be used in flexible-fuel vehicles.