INDIANAPOLIS, IN – On May 11, General Motors (GM) and Meijer Inc. announced plans to grow the availability of E-85 throughout Indiana during a ribbon cutting ceremony launching Meijer’s thirtieth E-85 dispenser. By the end of 2006, Meijer expects to add 19 E-85 dispensers to its fueling sites, reports The Herald Journal. The ceremony was attended by U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, Gov. Mitch Daniels (R), Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman (R) and officials from Meijer and GM.
During the event, Gov. Daniels commented that in January 2005, there were no E-85 dispensers online in Indiana, noting that 49 dispensers total are expected to be “up and running” by the end of the year. Construction is also underway for eight ethanol production plants in the state and three biodiesel plans. The newspaper notes that Indiana is the fifth largest corn producer and fourth largest soybean producer in the United States and is working to produce “a combined one billion gallons of biodiesel and ethanol annually.”
“Indiana is rapidly emerging as a producer of renewable fuels,” said the governor, adding, “That must be matched by greater availability and convenience for consumers.” The state’s goal is to produce a combined one billion gallons of biodiesel and ethanol annually, notes the news source.
Meijer Communications Director Judith Clark said in a press release that the retailer is continuing to “develop partnerships to promote alternative fuels,” adding that E-85 fuel will enhance the environment “and provide greater independence from foreign fuels.”
Meanwhile, Secretary Bodman praised Indiana for the progress it is making to help reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and provide consumers with E-85, notes the newspaper.
“The President has set a goal of reducing the nation’s need for oil imports by 5 million barrels a day by the year 2025. To get there we need to make more use of flex-fuel vehicles that run on E-85, as well gas-electric hybrids and eventually hydrogen-fuel-cell powered vehicles,” Bodman said, adding that Congress’s goal is to “produce 7.5 billion gallons of ethanol by 2012."