Fla.'s First E15 Stations Open in Ft. Myers, Sarasota

A Citgo, Marathon, Intro E15, E85 With Deep Discounts

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Dec 03, 2014, 09:00 ET

FT. MYERS, Fla., Dec. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Offering the first E15 in Florida, Sarasota's Easy Stop Citgo and a Ft. Myers Marathon are both holding kickoff events with substantial discounts on E15 and E85 fuel today. The stations, located at Citgo: 4235 Clark Rd., Sarasota, FL 34233, & Marathon: 4030 Boatways Rd., Ft. Myers, FL 33905, partnered with Mid-State Energy based in Lake Wales, FL, and Protec Fuel to launch 88-octane E15 fuel. E15 can run in any 2001 and newer gasoline engine and costs less than regular gas. The stations also sell E85 fuel and B20 biodiesel fuel, which makes these convenience stores big players in emissions-reducing, renewable fuels.

American-made ethanol fuels and station installation professionals: www.protecfuel.com

The events will also feature radio remotes by Y100, Ft. Myers, and KIX Country 92.9, Sarasota, with promo giveaways, the opportunity to win concert tickets (KIX), vendor and in-store promotions.

Protec Fuel, www.protecfuel.com, based in Boca Raton, has partnered to help manage the ethanol blends installation and help provide fuel for the location's new cleaner-burning fuels. "We are proud to help introduce American-made ethanol into the fuel pool through E15 in Florida," said Steve Walk, VP of Business Development, "especially as it's a higher performance fuel at 88-octane. It's so convenient for drivers to make a difference - you can use E15 interchangeably with gas if you're driving a 2001 or newer model."

"We are extremely excited to be the first in Florida to offer this additional grade of alternative fuel," said Ken Allen, president of Mid-State Energy, Inc., "and offer our customers more choices as it comes to fueling." Mid-State Energy, Inc., www.midstateenergy.com, owns both the Ft. Myers and Sarasota stations.

"The Tampa Bay Clean Cities Coalition is so pleased to see an expansion of bio-based fuels in our region," said Steven Reich, Coordinator. "These fuels can provide a renewable and cleaner fuel option for us now with virtually no additional investment in vehicle modification or infrastructure. I hope that more retailers will take advantage of the availability of these fuels in their product mix," he said. Clean Cities coalitions throughout the nation are charged with reducing the nation's petroleum usage by the U.S. DOE. See more at http://psgs.usf.edu/patel-center/clean-cities-tampa-bay/.

Easy Stop Citgo is open M-Sa 6am-9pm & Su 8-8, phone (941) 922-5696; and this Sarasota Marathon's hours are Su-F 6am-10 & Sa 11pm, phone (239) 690-9526. Currently, and typically, both E15 and E85 are selling for less than regular gasoline at these sites.

These openings mark the beginning of a multi-state push of dozens of E15 stations being opened by mid-2015.

E15, a blend of 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline, is the most widely tested fuel ever sold to consumers. The ethanol portion of these fuels is 100% U.S.-made and supports jobs and keeps our money in local communities. Ethanol burns cleaner and cooler in engines, which helps the performance level of the vehicle. It also can extend the life of the engine.

E85 is an alternative fuel blend that can be used in over 18.5 million vehicles across the U.S. E85 is a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline that can be used in flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs). There are over 100 FFV models on the market today that can run on E85. Visit www.flexfinder.org to see if you have an FFV. Click here for further E85 station locations (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/locator/stations). This alternative has been proven to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the nation's dependency on foreign petroleum.

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SOURCE Protec Fuel