More gas stations across Minnesota will offer different blends of ethanol in the near future, thanks to an $8 million federal grant awarded this week.
The funds will support an estimated 165 retailers, and will help them increase the number of gas stations that offer intermediate ethanol blends such as E15 (gasoline blend stock with 15 percent ethanol) for vehicles 2001 and newer, and higher blends for flex-fuel vehicles, such as E30 and E85.
The federal grants will be administered by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and are matched with funding and in-kind contributions from a coalition of groups including Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council, the American Lung Association in Minnesota, the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association, Minnesota's ethanol plants and participating service stations.
State agriculture officials said the changes at the stations will take place late this year and through 2016. They noted that about 40 stations have installed 120 flex pumps during the past two years that dispense a combination of high ethanol blends, and that Minnesota is a national leader in ethanol fuels development, with nearly 300 E85 retailers across the state.
![Attendees of Frostbike made their way through the convention Saturday at the Quality Bike Products campus in Minneapolis. ] (AARON LAVINSKY/STAR TRIBUNE) aaron.lavinsky@startribune.com Frostbike 2016 was held at the Quality Bike Products Campus on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016 in Bloomington, Minn.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/NH2BSHB74ND2V6GF2G2HI5X4MM.jpg?&w=252&ar=3:2&fit=crop)
