Secretary Naig Announces Awards for 95 Projects to Expand Drivers’ Access to E15 in Iowa

Iowa gas stations in 38 counties to receive cost-share grants through the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program

DES MOINES, Iowa (April 30, 2025) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program (RFIP) Board recently approved an additional 95 applications from Iowa gas stations to support new and expanded ethanol infrastructure projects. These investments help drivers save money by providing expanded access to lower cost and cleaner burning homegrown biofuels like E15 (Unleaded 88). The cost-share grants were awarded by the RFIP Board during its quarterly meeting on April 15.

The approved project sites are located in 38 counties and total $940,121.00 in state cost-share. A complete list of the projects approved on April 15, sorted by county, is available here.

These are in addition to the 114 ethanol and biodiesel projects that the RFIP board awarded at the end March, which set a record for the number of projects approved in one quarter.

“Greater access to E15, also known as Unleaded 88, gives Iowa drivers more opportunities to save money. Every time an Iowan can fill up with E15 instead of E10, they save about 15 cents per gallon and that can really add up over time,” said Secretary Naig. “We set a record for E15 sales in Iowa in 2024, and as more pumps are added or upgraded, that momentum will continue to build. Biofuels deliver real savings for drivers, strengthen rural employment, expand markets for farmers, are better for the environment, and are central to the President’s goal of unleashing American energy dominance.”

The Iowa Department of Revenue announced on April 3 that Iowa E15 sales hit an all-time record in 2024, eclipsing the previous record from 2023 by 44 percent. With 256.7 million gallons of E15 sold in Iowa in 2024 at an average price discount of 15 cents per gallon compared to E10, Iowa drivers saved over $38.5 million last year by choosing E15 at the pump.

These investments are helping more Iowa gas stations come into compliance with the E15 Access Standard. Iowa is the first state to enact an E15 Access Standard, which requires most fuel retailers and gas stations to offer E15 by Jan. 1, 2026. The law was passed by the Iowa Legislature and signed by Gov. Reynolds in 2022. For those convenience stores and gas stations that need assistance coming into compliance, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship can provide cost-share funding through the RFIP. Since the grant program began in 2006, the Department has invested over $61 million toward expanding renewable fuels infrastructure within Iowa. This has been matched with more than $270 million by Iowa gas stations and fuel retailers.

With cost-share funding available, the Department welcomes grant applications to assist more fuel stations in improving and upgrading infrastructure. Applications are available at iowaagriculture.gov/IRFIP, and will be considered by the RFIP Board at the upcoming quarterly meeting scheduled for June 4. The deadline to submit applications for this next quarter is May 9.