'Prime the Pump' Program Driving Momentum for E15 Fuel

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The pro-biofuels Prime the Pump program is successfully driving demand for E15 fuel, reported Growth Energy.

The organization is working with 12 of the 20 largest independent convenience store chains in the United States and is on track to have more than 2,800 retail sites that offer E15 by 2021.

In its report, Growth Energy highlighted the accomplishments of Prime the Pump, a nonprofit organization with the mission of helping build the infrastructure and distribution of higher biofuel blends in order to give more and more Americans the choice of E15 at the pump.

"Thanks to the hard work and generosity of participants in the Prime the Pump program, American consumers can purchase E15 at more than 1,400 locations across 29 states," said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. "American drivers have logged more than 4 billion miles on E15, because when we give them a better option, consumers are choosing E15 again and again."

The Prime the Pump market development campaign has reportedly:

• Doubled the number of E15 stations four years in a row to include 1,400 stations across 30 states;
• Secured commitments of more than 2,800 retail sites that will offer E15 by 2021; and
• Added three major new retailers to the program in 2017, including a partnership with La Crosse, Wis.-based Kwik Trip Inc. that successfully rolled out E15 at 300 sites in just four months.

"All this momentum is at risk unless we get Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) relief to unleash the full potential of E15, because this RVP issue isn't just about a three-month dip in sales," Skor said. "It's a major obstruction for those going the extra mile to expand into new markets and grow our industry. Retailers in many markets simply can't or won't retool their labels and fuel offerings each summer, which means that E15 is off the menu all year what's at stake is 7 billion new gallons of ethanol demand."

The Growth Energy report is available here.