Biofuel producer receiving $5 million in grants to aid local facilities

A biofuel producer with local facilities is receiving a share of $19 million in grants from the USDA to give travelers more clean, affordable fuel options.

According to Terry Goodin, the state director for the agency’s Rural Development department, $5 million in grants is going to Bulk Petroleum Corp. which will use the money to expand access to biofuels at stations including three in south-central Indiana at Columbus, North Vernon and Bedford. The grant will also benefit fueling stations in Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan and Kentucky.

The agency made $450 million in grants available in June through the Inflation Reduction Act’s Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program. The program provides grants to fueling station and distribution facility owners to help expand access to domestic biofuels which the agency says is a clean and affordable source of energy. Business owners are using the grants to install and upgrade infrastructure such as fuel pumps, dispensers and storage tanks.

Bulk Petroleum Corporation expects the grants to allow it sell 7.8 million more gallons of biofuels each year.