Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency said it would allow for the year-round sale of gasoline blends containing up to 15% fuel-grade ethanol, more commonly known as E15. According to the trade association Growth Energy, these blends are currently sold at more than 1,800 retail fuel stations across 31 states. It sells for anywhere between three and 10 cents per gallon less than 87-octane, or Regular Unleaded gas.
Before the EPA’s amendment, the sale of E15 was prohibited during the summer driving season, defined as June 1 to September 15. During the summer, the EPA is more restrictive on the volatility of fuel made available to the market in order to limit emissions that contribute to ground-level ozone.
The new ruling is seen as a way to help support the domestic energy production and agriculture industries. Although new fueling stations typically install equipment that is E15 compliant, older locations may need to purchase new equipment that’s compatible with the more corrosive E15 gas. In some instances, such as the replacement of underground storage tanks, retrofits may be cost-prohibitive.
Minnesota offers the most E15 stations with 303, followed by Wisconsin (197), Iowa (187) and Florida (185). On a national level, less than 2% of retail fueling stations offer E15.
