Janelle Kracht of the Iowa Corn Growers Association is flanked by Nicole Oliver and Sara Courter of Growth Energy, who were all available to help answer customers’ questions and promote the use of ethanol-blended fuels.

See the ENTERPRISE PHOTO GALLERIES

FEATURED STORY · July 02, 2009
Cars and trucks lined up almost non-stop during the Aspinwall Cooperative Association’s open house celebration at its new Blender Pump facility in Manning last Thursday.
Many of the drivers were waiting to fill up with blended ethanol gasoline and take advantage of discounted prices, and organizers took the opportunity to educate their new customers about the benefits of the various blended grades of ethanol.
Growth Energy, an association of America’s ethanol producers and also other organizations with its offices in Omaha, NE, staffed two representatives on site to promote usage of ethanol and to educate car owners about the benefits of using higher blended ethanol in flex fuel vehicles.
“I think the event was very successful...with over 100 consumers filling up their tanks with discounted blends of homegrown ethanol,” said Nicole Oliver, Communications Specialist with Growth Energy.
Consumers can pump five different blended grades of ethanol at the Manning station, including E10, E20, E30, E50 and E85.
“Blender pumps are a great way to get different varieties of ethanol,” continued Oliver. “You can choose what is the best mileage for you based on what blend of ethanol you are filling up with.”
Matt Crook of Carter Lake, who pumped E20 into his Ford vehicle, said the higher blended ethanol fuel would not affect the performance of his vehicle, and he appreciated saving a few bucks.
Jim Stangl of Peoria, AZ and formerly of Iowa, was another of the more than 100 who filled up with the ethanol blended fuel. He said he appreciated learning more about ethanol, since he doesn’t see much ethanol in the sun state.
Janelle Kracht, a spokesman for the Iowa Corn Growers Association, said Iowans need to be the first to get educated about ethanol and be comfortable using ethanol. She thought the Aspinwall Open House was a good way to communicate these benefits.
“Ethanol is important and it’s here to stay and we need it,” she said.
“We’re trying to tell customers it’s a clean, green renewable fuel that’s available today right here in Manning, Iowa,” added Oliver. “It’s made in America. We’re supporting our local economy, helping decrease our dependence on foreign oil and helping America overall,” Oliver said.
“We’ve had people at the pumps non-stop since ten this morning,” said Sara Courter, Market Development Coordinator for Growth Energy. “There were people here when we got here. The word’s out and I think this coop will continue to do well.”

BROWSE THE FRONT PAGE ARCHIVES FOR OLDER STORIES

For more stories from the Coon Rapids Enterprise, learn about subscribing to our print or electronic editions.