Blender pumps and E85 dispensers are available from a variety of manufacturers. Check with your equipment supplier for more detailed information. Any fuel above E10 is considered a flex-fuel, so the infrastructure needs to be compatible with E85.

The two largest manufacturers of fuel dispensers in the U.S. – Gilbarco Veeder-Root,  and Dresser Wayne – offer blender pumps built to dispense a variety of ethanol fuel formulations. Both manufacturers’ pumps have Weights & Measures approval and have recently received E85-compatibility approval from Underwriters Laboratories.

In early 2008, Gilbarco introduced 3+0 and 3+1 blender pumps designed to blend ethanol or biodiesel with standard fuels. The blenders are part of its Encore® S product line. For more information, visit Gilbarco's web site.  To locate a Gilbarco distributor click here.

Dresser Wayne offers ethanol blender pumps in a variety of configurations. Its Ovation dispenser unit has a flex-fuel option with stainless steel construction and other E85-compatible materials. For more information, visit Dresser Wayne's web site and search for “retail fuel dispensers and pumps.”  To locate a Dresser Wayne distributor click here.

The blender option typically adds $1500 to $2500 to the cost of a fuel dispenser. Upgrading a pump to meet UL flex fuel requirements currently adds an additional $7000 to $9000. Representatives from the equipment companies expect that the UL add-on cost will come down as blender pumps become more commonly used by the industry.