Royal Farms, Protec Fuel open renewable fuel station

The companies announced the completion of the first phase in a sustainability initiative designed to offer customers renewable fuel options that save money and reduce pollution.

The location is the 200th store in Royal Farms regional portfolio, and the 12th store in Maryland or Virginia to introduce renewable fuels with Protec, with more anticipated in the future. The new fuels E85 Flex Fuel and Regular 88 are the latest addition to Royal Farms' ongoing sustainability efforts which began in 2008.

"We are proud to lead the way with renewable fuels; offering higher quality and better value is the cornerstone upon which Royal Farms was built," said Fuel and Environmental Leader Tom Ruszin.

Protec has managed to serve more than 400 stations during a three-year, five-state partnership with the USDA's Farm Service Agency program known as the Biofuels Infrastructure Partnership.

"The Mid-Atlantic region is not only important to Protec, but holds tremendous potential for forward-thinking retailers like Royal Farms that are ready to differentiate their stations by offering customers domestically made, cleaner fuel options at great prices," said Steve Walk, managing partner of Protec Fuel.

Increasing availability of ethanol in the region has been a collaborative effort, including strong support of private and public entities such as Sustainable Energy Strategies Inc. and Clean Cities chapters of Virginia and Maryland. Notably, the Maryland Energy Administration and Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board investment in growing ethanol in the state has been instrumental in a 70 percent increase in E85 and Regular 88 sales in 2018.

Part of that investment has come through the MEA's Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Program, a competitive, technology-neutral effort to support development of state-wide alternative fuel and electric charging infrastructure.