Iowa’s Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program Awards $3.4 Million in Funds to Retailers to Offer Higher Biofuel Blends
January 30, 2024
Program Awarded 75 Projects Statewide
Contact: Emma Koehler
515-252-6249
JOHNSTON, IA – Today, Iowa’s cost-share Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program (RFIP) awarded $3.4 million in grants for 74 applicants that will add E15 to retail sites and one applicant to add a biodiesel terminal in Iowa.
“This type of demand is incredibly encouraging as Iowa works to implement the Governor’s E15 Access Standard,” said Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) Executive Director Monte Shaw. “If you annualized this quarterly figure, demand for the E15 grants is well over the traditional funding level of $10 million per year. We expect demand will only grow as the E15 Access Standard deadline approaches on January 1, 2026. IRFA encourages the Legislature to fully fund the RFIP program as we cannot afford to run short of funds when they are needed the most.”
Before today, the program has distributed more than $50 million to help fund ethanol and biodiesel infrastructure across Iowa. RFIP reimbursement can be up to 90 percent of the installation costs, with up to a maximum of $64,300 per project for small retailers.
RFIP provides Iowa fuel retailers with cost-share grants to add the necessary equipment to their stations to offer higher blends of biofuels. The program has led to millions of dollars of private economic investment and hundreds of new stations offering E15, E85, and biodiesel blends at the pump.
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association represents the state’s liquid renewable fuels industry and works to foster its growth. Iowa is the nation’s leader in renewable fuels production with 42 ethanol refineries capable of producing 4.5 billion gallons annually – including 34 million gallons of annual cellulosic ethanol production capacity – and 11 biodiesel facilities with the capacity to produce 410 million gallons annually. For more information, visit the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association website at: www.IowaRFA.org.
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