A new “Consumer Choice Report Card” released by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) grades some of the largest, most well-known retail gasoline chains based on whether they are providing consumers with alternatives to regular gasoline that cost less, reduce pollution and are higher octane for better engine performance.
The “Big Five” oil companies all scored at the bottom of the list — with fewer than 1 percent of stations offering American made, renewable alternatives like E85 or E15 — while a number of major independent retail chains received “A+” grades – including Kwik Trip – with more than 25 percent of their stations offering E85 or E15. Among oil company affiliated brands, only Speedway/SuperAmerica and Cenex received high marks (“A-“ and “B,” respectively.)
Of the nearly 48,000 retail gas stations carrying a “Big Five” oil company brand, fewer than 300 (0.6 percent) offer E85 or E15. Independent stations are 4–6 times more likely to offer consumers E85 and 40 times more likely to offer E15.
Most oil-branded retail gas station chains receive a grade of “F,” meaning that fewer than 1 percent of their branded stations offer E15 or E85.
The full report is online at http://www.ethanolrfa.org/page/-/Protecting%20the%20Monopoly.pdf?nocdn=1 and you can view the report card by clinking on the following line: REPORT CARD
