Iowa E15 sales jump 60%, savings top $61 million

E15 Access Standard boosts number of stations selling the higher fuel blend to more than 1,100 retailers.

Iowa E15 sales surged 60% last year to more than 410 million gallons, according to the Iowa Department of Revenue's 2025 Retailers Motor Fuel Gallons annual report.

Almost one-half of Iowa fuel stations offered E15 at the end of 2025 as retailers worked to comply with the state's first-in-the nation E15 Access Standard, which required most retailers to make the fuel available to consumers by the beginning of this year unless they qualify for a waiver or exemption.

"The state of Iowa has prioritized biofuels as part of a broader strategy to reduce gas prices, increase consumer choice and develop markets for Iowa-grown products," said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig.

The E15 blend accounted for 27% of gasoline sales in Iowa, making it the second most popular blend after E10.

At an average savings of 15 cents per gallon compared to E10, Iowa drivers saved approximately $61.5 million in 2025 by choosing E15, Naig pointed out.

"That's real money back in the pockets of families and small businesses at a time when affordability matters most," he said. "Not only is E15 a win for consumers, but it also provides stronger markets for Iowa farmers and biofuel producers, creates jobs in rural communities and enhances domestic energy independence."

Naig once again urged Congress to pass legislation allowing year-round sales of E15 nationwide. Due to outdated Clean Air Act language, E15 sales aren't allowed in certain areas of the country during the summer without a waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency.

"We want all Americans to enjoy these same savings and benefits, and that is why Congress must take immediate action to approve year-round, nationwide access to E15," Naig said.

Building infrastructure

When the E15 Access Standard was passed by the Iowa Legislature in 2022, only 329 Iowa fuel retailers reported sales of E15, the Iowa Department of Agriculture reported.

That number has since tripled with more than 1,100 fuel retailers in Iowa selling E15, representing more than one-half of the 2,051 commercial fuel retailers licensed in the state.

More than 150 additional fuel retailers are investing in infrastructure upgrades and plan to offer E15 by the end of 2026, reinforcing Iowa's commitment to making higher blends of biofuels more readily available to drivers, Naig said.

A cost-share program ad­­ministered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has invested more than $72 million through the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program (RFIP) since 2006 to help fuel retailers transition to selling higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel.

National E15 sales rise

Nationally, U.S. sales of E15 hit a record 1.52 billion gallons in 2025, an increase of 23% over 2024, according to a Renewable Fuels Association analysis of state data from Minnesota and Iowa, which account for more than one-third of U.S. stations offering E15. Combined E15 sales in Iowa and Minnesota - the only two states where reliable government data exist for E15 sales volumes - were 579 million gallons, up from 428 million gallons in 2024.

The RFA estimates that the number of stations across the United States offering E15 rose to 4,600 by the end of 2025, an increase of 900 from the end of 2024.

Biodiesel sales slump

The Iowa Department of Revenue's fuel sales report showed that almost 51 million gallons of biodiesel were sold in various blends during 2025, down from about 82 million gallons during 2024.

Industry experts say the drop was the result of unsettled federal policy surrounding biodiesel, including low Renewable Fuel Standard blend levels and delayed guidance on federal tax credits.