As the final application window for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Higher Blend Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) closed earlier this week, the Renewable Fuels Association announced that it has now helped fuel retailers and distributors apply for more than $200 million in USDA grant funding. The project applications facilitated by RFA represent the addition of nearly 6,300 higher-blend (E15-E85) dispensers in more than 1,150 locations across the country.
“RFA is extremely proud to partner with innovative fuel retailers and marketers on these infrastructure projects, which will bring larger volumes of low-cost, low-carbon E15 and E85 fuels to drivers across the nation,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “RFA’s market development team, and especially Cassie Mullen, has worked tirelessly to assist fuel retailers—both large and small—in utilizing this important federal grant program focused on expanding the market for American-made renewable fuels and boosting demand for our nation’s farmers. The HBIIP program is not only an investment in the future of agriculture, it is also an investment in our country’s energy security and environmental quality.”
Since 2020, eight rounds of HBIIP funding have been offered, and RFA has helped 223 companies write and submit grant applications for projects totaling $513 million (when the companies’ own matching funds are included). These projects are located across more than 30 states, and to date 100 percent of the applications assisted by RFA have been funded by USDA.
Harms Oil, one of the companies assisted by RFA, noted that the association’s assistance was instrumental in securing grant funding and helping them pursue higher ethanol blends. “We’d like to extend our thanks and gratitude to Cassie and her team at RFA for all their assistance throughout the grant process,” said Mike Burgers, marketing manager for Harms Oil, which supplies fuel to retailers across the Midwest. “With their expertise and insight, they’ve enabled many of our retail sites to expand their ethanol offerings to better serve their communities. We are beyond grateful to partner with the Renewable Fuels Association and look forward to working with them on future projects.”
RFA also thanked the National Corn Growers Association, whose funding helped to offset additional costs due to the requirements of the application process for these retailers.
Click here for more information on HBIIP. Lawmakers, led by Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), are asking USDA to use the Commodity Credit Corporation to extend the HBIIP program.