Using a fuel that is easier on the wallet and the environment!

Have you filled up your vehicle lately? If you have, you’ve probably noticed you paid more than the last time you filled up your tank. Gas prices have been sky rocketing lately, and it looks like we are starting to see a repeat of 2008.

The current national average for regular gasoline is $3.90, only ten cents away from being at $4.00. In Nebraska, regular gasoline prices are averaging $3.88 and isn’t far off from the $4.00 mark either. If a person thinks about it, if you drive a car with a 14 gallon tank, it will cost you $54.32 to fill up today. A year ago, it would have only cost a person $3.58 to fill up their tank with regular gasoline, or $50.12 total.

So how can we combat these high prices, especially as we enter into the busy summer season? The best and easiest solution is to use ethanol blends of fuels. So what do blends mean? Simply, cars cannot run on ethanol alone, so most commonly, there is a blend of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline which is E10. These blends of fuel can range from E10 up to E85 and with these blends of fuels come cheaper fuel prices as well. The current price for a gallon of ethanol is around $3.30, nearly sixty cents cheaper than buying regular gasoline.

It might not seem like much right now, but in the long run it can add up and save drivers hundreds of dollars. Ethanol won’t only be easier on your wallet, but will also be much better for the environment. Because of technology advances in corn and ethanol production, ethanol now has a net positive energy gain. A net positive energy gain means that ethanol produces more energy than it takes to make it.

So the next time you go to fuel up your vehicle, think about using an ethanol blended fuel. Not only is it a renewable fuel, but it is produced right here in America by family corn farmers. It helps keep your money right here in America benefiting rural communities and schools instead of going overseas to other countries.

Anyone can use the ethanol blend of E10 in their vehicle, and just recently the EPA has approved the use of E15 in cars manufactured in 2001 and newer. If a person drives a flex fuel vehicle (FFV), they can use any blend of ethanol, such as E85. To find out if you drive a FFV, check the gas cap or check your driver’s manual. Have a classic car? Check out this guide for using ethanol blends.