AUSTIN, TX -- Wayne, a company specializing in fuel dispensers and technologies, has rolled out an incentive program for distributors in conjunction with the Indiana Corn Marketing Council’s (ICMC) Flex Fuel Pump Program.

The Flex Fuel Pump Program is a cost-sharing initiative that provides funding to fuel retailers to help offset the costs of flex-fuel pumps. Flex-fuel dispensers allow fleets and drivers to choose the particular blend of ethanol they wish to use to fuel their vehicles.

The Wayne Ovation Eco Fuel dispenser is an ethanol blender that combines ethanol and gasoline to dispense ethanol-blended fuel in various ratios. The Wayne line of Eco Fuel dispensers can deliver a selection of ethanol blends through multiple hoses from the same dispenser.

The ICMC Flex Fuel Pump Program offers eligible fuel retailers grants that equate to 50 percent of cost or $20,000, whichever is less, for a flex-fuel pump, hardware and storage tank, or for the cost of converting an existing conventional fuel dispenser to an ethanol-blender. The ICMC program is open to both new and existing fuel retailers in Indiana. Wayne is providing additional incentives to the ICMC grant funding through the Wayne distribution channel.

“Incentive programs can assist retailers in managing the costs of new Eco Fuel equipment,” said Michelle Kautz, product manager for alternative energy products at Wayne. “Wayne understands that long-term ownership costs can be another barrier, especially in the case of alternative fuels where standards and trends are still evolving. That’s why scalability is such an important feature of the Ovation blender dispenser. It makes it possible for retailers to install Eco Fuel dispensers now, and to still have the flexibility to adapt to future changes in biofuel standards later without having to replace equipment.”

Blender pumps such as the Ovation Eco Fuel dispenser give retailers the ability to serve customers with conventional-fuel vehicles as well as customers with flex-fuel vehicles, which are designed to operate on blends of up to 85 percent ethanol, from the same dispenser. Flex-fuel consumers then have the further option to choose from a variety of fuel blends, including 20 percent (E20), 30 percent (E30) and even a 50 percent (E50) ethanol-to-gasoline ratio from a single dispenser.

Flex-fuel vehicles can operate on up to an 85 percent ethanol (E85) blend.

“This is an exciting opportunity for fuel retailers, not only because they have the opportunity to obtain partial funding for these new pumps through ICMC, but also take advantage of USDA Rural Development’s current program that offers similar incentives to install flex-fuel pumps,” said Greg Noble, ICMC biofuels director. “Add to that the discounts on the pumps themselves offered by the fuel pump manufacturers and it’s a great time for them to consider adding flex-fuel pumps to their stations.”

ICMC’s Flex Fuel Pump Program can be complementary to other programs such as the USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and other regional incentives.

Eligible retailers also may be able to take advantage of a federal tax credit. For more information regarding the ICMC program or REAP grant and loan programs, contact Michelle Kautz, product manager for alternative energy products at Wayne, at michelle.kautz@wayne.com.

Wayne is a component of GE’s 2011 acquisition of Dresser Inc.