Immediate Release:
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Nebraska Corn Board contacts:
Randy Klein: 800.632.6761
Nebraska’s First Ethanol Blender Pumps Offer Wider Range of Ethanol Blends
GRAND ISLAND, NE—We’ve all heard of E10—ten percent ethanol fuel. And probably E85—eighty-five percent ethanol.
But how about E20? Or E30?
Those unique ethanol blends are now available in Nebraska at the state’s first ethanol blender pumps, now open at the Bosselman Pump & Pantry location at 1235 Allen Drive in Grand Island, Nebraska. The facility is celebrating its grand opening this Friday, April 17 beginning at 10:00 a.m. Several local and state dignitaries are scheduled to be on hand. Nebraska corn farmers will also be providing full service fill-ups from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and offering information about the new ethanol blender pumps.
The new ethanol blender pumps combine ethanol and ordinary unleaded gasoline at various rates to offer a wide variety of fuel choices—from ordinary 87-octane unleaded gasoline and 89-octane E10 Unleaded (10 percent ethanol)—as well as higher ethanol blends targeted to owners of flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs.) including E20, E30 and E85. The ethanol blender pumps offer the complete range—all from one dispenser. There are six ethanol blender pumps at the Pump & Pantry location.
E10 and ordinary unleaded gasoline can be used in all vehicles. The higher ethanol blends are for use in flexible fuel vehicles or FFVs only—and there are thousands of flex-fuel vehicles registered in Nebraska; more than 2,000 in Hall County alone. To discover if you drive a FFV, check the “fuel” section of your owner’s manual or visit www.nebraskacorn.org for a list of flex-fuel vehicles. All domestic automakers offer a variety of FFV models from sedans to pickups to SUVs.
An FFV can operate on any blend of gasoline and ethanol up to E85 (85% ethanol and 15% ordinary unleaded gasoline). A computer sensor automatically compensates for varying levels of ethanol in the gasoline. Every major U.S. automaker offers flex-fuel models—from pickups to cars to minivans to SUVs. “If you drive a flex-fuel vehicle, you don’t have to fill up with E85 all the time,” said Jon Holzfaster of Paxton, chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board. “You can choose your ethanol blend based on price, performance and availability. That’s why they’re called ‘flexible.’”
Higher blends of ethanol are key to realizing the full benefits of this domestically produced, renewable fuel, Holzfaster said. “The more flex fuel vehicles we have—and the higher blends of ethanol available across the nation—the more we generate economic strength for Nebraska and our entire nation, reduce our expensive and dangerous dependence on imported oil, and improve our environment.”
The Nebraska Corn Board is a self-help program, funded and managed by Nebraska corn farmers. Producers invest in the program at a rate of 1/4 of a cent per bushel of corn sold. Nebraska corn checkoff funds are invested in programs of market development, research and education.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT BLENDER PUMPS & FFVs
What’s an ethanol blender pump? By combining ethanol and ordinary unleaded gasoline at various ratios, an ethanol blender pump provides flex-fuel vehicle (FFV) owners with a variety of ethanol blends—E10, E 20, E 30, and E85—as well as ordinary unleaded gasoline. They all come from the same dispenser.
What is a flex-fuel vehicle (FFV)? A FFV can operate on any blend of gasoline and ethanol up to E85 (85% ethanol and 15% ordinary unleaded gasoline). A computer sensor automatically compensates for varying levels of ethanol in the gasoline. Every major U.S. automaker offers flex-fuel models—from pickups to cars to minivans to SUVs.
If I have a FFV, do I always have to fill up with E85? No. That’s why it’s called “flexible.” You can choose E85 when the pump price makes financial sense, and choose other blends according to price and availability.
How do I know if I have a FFV? There are thousands of FFVs registered in Nebraska—more than 2,000 in Hall County alone. Check the “fuel” section in your owner’s manual to be sure. Additionally, recent FFV models have a yellow gas cap or fuel collar indicating FFV status. You can also learn if you have a FFV by visiting www.nebraskacorn.org.
Why are ethanol blender pumps beneficial? It’s all about choice. Ethanol blender pumps allow FFV owners to choose the ethanol blend that’s best for them based on price and performance. And the more ethanol we use, the less imported oil we use—and that’s good for our economy, our environment and our energy security.
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