Availability
Certain political and opinion leaders would have the public believe that domestic ethanol cannot compete on the free market, and that without subsidies and tax credits, ethanol could not survive as an industry.
In fact, ethanol has yet to reach its full potential precisely because it has been blocked from the market. What government support has been provided to ethanol is in the form of making it available to Americans – but even that is capped at no more than 10 percent of blended gasoline, essentially meaning the U.S. has a policy that mandates that 90 percent of all transportation fuel be gasoline refined from oil.
The truth is that American consumers do not choose their fuel. Their fuel is chosen for them, both through Big Oil, which controls the infrastructure that moves fuel to the market, and by regulation that gives oil a huge advantage in the marketplace.
Pumps that allow the user to select a desired blend that works best for their car offer the best solution to take full advantage of the efficiency that ethanol offers as a fuel.
Fueling Freedom
An Ethanol Blender Pump gives Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFV) (learn more) the opportunity to choose the various blend that they feel is best for their vehicle based on either pricing, performance or both. In addition, because the Blender Pump also offers E-10 as a standard choice, in reality it is no different than a standard unleaded gasoline pump.
Oftentimes referred to as "Fueling Freedom", the ability to blend is not only about choice but perhaps more importantly about consumer preference.
Right now, Americans have no choice in their fuel. Sure, the signs over the stations are all different, but underneath they are all selling the same thing: gasoline refined from oil, two-thirds of which is imported.
Americans deserve a choice between oil and renewable, homegrown fuel.
The Fueling Freedom Plan will give Americans that choice. If American consumers were able to choose their fuel, most would choose the fuel that helps create U.S. jobs, reduces carbon emissions and helps strengthen national security. And that fuel is domestic ethanol, America's renewable, homegrown fuel. The Fueling Freedom plan calls for the redirection and eventual phasing out of government support for ethanol in return for infrastructure investments that will create competition in the fuels market and give consumers true freedom to choose their fuel.
In a fair and open market – one in which ethanol is an option for consumers – ethanol will succeed.
Today, it is estimated that only about 2350 gas stations (less than 2% of the estimated 170,000) offer E-85 in the United States. The numbers are even more disappointing for Blender pumps—estimated at only 285 in all across the entire country.
Badger State Fuel applauds the partnership of the Growth Energy, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) and numerous state corn grower associations in their efforts to promote a "Blend Your Own" (BYO) Ethanol Campaign aimed at expanding Blender Pump installation.
Flexing Shows Strength
Blended fuels that contain up to 10% ethanol are available nationwide and can virtually be used in any vehicle. Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) are specially designed to run on any ethanol fuel blend up to 85 percent and American automobile manufacturers have pledged to include flex-fuel capability in 50% of their cars beginning in 2012. In January of 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved E-15 [a fuel blend of 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline] for all vehicles built since 2001. That represents about 67% of the country's vehicles which together consume 75% of the country's fuel. Here at Badger State Ethanol we believe it is more important to make FFV's widely available along with blender pumps nationwide so that ultimately consumers can choose the blend they prefer, hence the name Fueling Freedom.
- On April 8, 2011 Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced a new program to help fund the installation of 10,000 Blender Pumps by 2016.
- E-85 has the highest octane rating of any commercially available fuel at more than 100, which compares very favorably to the octane rating of regular unleaded at 89 or premium at 93.
Also see
Find out where you can buy
Blended Ethanol Mixes
ethanolretailer.com/find-an-e85-station