Higher Blends + Blender Pumps
Renewable Fuels Association tells us that 70 percent of all gasoline is blended with ethanol. Low-level ethanol blends are approved for use under the warranty of every make and model vehicle sold in America. Ethanol blends up to 85 percent are used in more than 7 million flexible fuel vehicles on the road today.
And market potential for mid-range blends is growing. Mid-range blends have an ethanol content greater than 10 percent and less than 85 percent. The most common are E15 and E20. For now, mid-range ethanol blends can be used only in flexible fuel vehicles, which are designed to tolerate high ethanol content. Government and industry research currently underway on the use of mid-range blends in standard vehicles could change that.
Blender pumps are fuel dispensers that draw various percentages of E10 and E85 to create mid-range blends like E20, E30 and E 40 for use in flexible fuel vehicles. According to the latest from the Department of Energy, South Dakota has 78 E-85 fuel stations and 40 fuel stations with blender pumps. And we’re adding more blender pumps at more fuel stations across the state every year.
This locator map will show you where to find blender pump fuel stations in South Dakota.
South Dakota Corn, together with the American Coalition for Ethanol, Renewable Fuels Association and leading state corn organizations, has launched a national blender pump campaign—Blend Your Own Ethanol—to support development of blender pump infrastructure in key markets throughout the country.
BYO Ethanol lets petroleum marketers know how to handle ethanol at their station, and how ethanol blends and blender pumps can benefit their bottom line. The site contains details about how blender pumps work, technical information on equipment, preparations and ethanol storage.
AGE-85
Aviation Grade Ethanol (AGE-85) is a high-performance fuel developed for use in any piston aircraft.
Composed of 85 percent ethanol, light hydrocarbons and biodiesel, AGE-85 is a safer, environmentally friendly unleaded fuel. It burns cleaner and has lower exhaust emissions than traditional aviation fuels. And it prevents carburetor and fuel line icing, and eliminates almost all detonation.
Dr. Dennis Helder, director of engineering research at South Dakota State University and principle investigator, says that leaded aviation gasoline will eventually be unavailable due to government mandate or economic pressures from a worldwide decline in the use of leaded gasoline.
In a recent report on aviation grade ethanol, National Agricultural Aviation Association tells us that the only AGE fuel currently available is in South Dakota. Still in testing, it is not available to the public or for sale.
