An E-85 ethanol fuel station for automobiles may open in Baltimore on Preston Street as early as July, one of several that Maryland officials hope to open in the future.
E-85 is a special blend of ethanol fuel used in flexible-fuel vehicles.
The Baltimore station is part of efforts by federal, state and local officials to find relief from high gasoline prices. Corn farmers, legislators and the Bush administration have touted ethanol fuel as a less costly alternative to gasoline.
Even the Indianapolis 500 auto race last month required vehicles to use 10 percent ethanol fuel. E-85 is 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.
“The Indy 500 this year ran on a 10 percent blend of ethanol, and they?re converting to 100 percent ethanol next year,” said Thomas Dorr, undersecretary of rural development at the Department of Agriculture. “Ultimately, this is going to brand ethanol as a premium fuel.”
Plans are under way to build an ethanol refinery in Baltimore. But it may not open for another three years, said Lauren Robbins, transportation program manager for the Maryland Energy Administration.
With no ethanol refinery in Maryland, E-85 must be shipped into the state, and transportation costs drive up prices at the pump.
There are only three E-85 fuel stations in Maryland ? in Annapolis, Fort Meade and Rockville.
All about ethanol
» Midwest farmers have produced and marketed ethanol fuel for more than 30 years.
» Brazil is a leader in ethanol use because of government subsidies to sugar growers.
» Florida Gov. Jeb Bush predicts U.S.?s use of ethanol will reach 15 billion gallons by 2015 compared to 66 million gallons today.
