Sheetz Will Roll Out E15 in North Carolina

ALTOONA, Pa. — Sheetz convenience stores will soon offer E15 to its North Carolina customers. The company will begin installing the new E15 option early this year with 60 Sheetz locations expected to sell the alternative fuel by the spring of 2016.

"We are known for being pioneering in our industry and are always looking for ways to give our customers the best product available on the market," said Michael Lorenz, executive vice president of petroleum and supply for Sheetz Inc. "E15 is another way for us to give our customers a new alternative fuel option."

E15 was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2011 for 2001 or newer cars. It is a fuel blend containing 15-percent ethanol and 85-percent gasoline.

As of Dec. 9, 104 gas stations throughout the country offered E15, according to Growth Energy, which represents the producers and supporters of ethanol.

“On behalf of Growth Energy and all of its members, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to Sheetz on their recent announcement that they will begin offering E15 at 60 stations throughout North Carolina this year," said Tom Buis, CEO of Washington, D.C.-based Growth Energy. "Sheetz is a well-known leader in the fuel retail business and their decision to offer E15 shows they are in tune with an ever-changing marketplace where consumers are demanding higher-performance, lower-cost renewable fuels grown right here at home."

E15 carries an 88 octane rating. The fuel tends to sell for an average of 5 cents to 10 cents less than traditional E10 at the pump, reported Growth Energy.

Altoona-based Sheetz Inc. operates 489 convenience stores throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina.