Help in Finding Renewable Fuels at the Pump

September is Renewable Fuels Month!
Part Four of a Four-Part Series for Renewable Fuels Month

In today’s fast-paced marketplace, consumers are faced with a daunting number of choices each day. And with life being so fast-paced, information is constantly being presented to us to sift through. This is also true with our energy needs.

Consumers have choices to make in regards to their energy needs at home and also in their vehicles. Renewable fuels are a smart choice because they are sustainable, locally produced, and help lessen our dependence on foreign oil.

Both biodiesel and ethanol are readily available to consumers in Nebraska, and they are being offered in more places than most people would think. Not only do consumers have the option to choose biodiesel or ethanol, they also have the option to select them at the specific blends that they are looking for. Common blends for biodiesel include B5, B10 and B20. If using biodiesel for farming purposes or looking to order biodiesel to put in a storage tank, then it can be ordered at the specific blend rate that you choose. Blend rates are identified by the number following the letter, so B20 is comprised of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent diesel fuel.

“Nebraska’s farmers have been working hard the last few years to get biodiesel and ethanol more readily available at the pumps in Nebraska,” said Mark Caspers, farmer from Auburn, Nebraska and District Five director of the Nebraska Soybean Board. “If biodiesel isn’t available at your local fueling station, then I recommend that you request it become available and have them call the Soybean Board with questions on how to do so.”

If you have filled your tank with gasoline in Nebraska recently, you probably noticed that ethanol flex fuel pumps are scattered all over the state. These pumps allow you to choose a variety of different options, which typically include the ability to fill up with E10 or E15, 10 or 15 percent ethanol, respectively. If you drive a flex fuel vehicle, many of these flex fuel pumps allow you to choose a flex fuel blend from E0 all the way up to E85. These choices provide flex fuel vehicle owners the flexibility to choose their fuel choice based on price and their needs.

As the celebration of September as Renewable Fuels Month is wrapping up and driving into the fall, make the smart, easy choice of including ethanol or biodiesel in your vehicle. You’ll be reducing emissions and America’s dependence on foreign oil.

For more information on where you find E85 pumps and ethanol blender pumps, go to www.ne-ethanol.org. Here you will find an interactive map and have an updated list of ethanol pumps right at your fingertips or call the Nebraska Corn Board at 402-471-2676.

To find biodiesel near you, simply go to www.biodiesel.org. Once there, you’ll be given the option to either find biodiesel at the pump or purchase it for bulk delivery. Locations on the map change frequently, so if you are having trouble finding a station near you, then call the Nebraska Soybean Board at (402) 441-3240 for help finding a local retailer.