January 2016

Natural Gas Ethanol Propane Biodiesel

CLEAN CITIES
Alternative Fuel
Price Report
CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Welcome to the
January 2016 issue!
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report is a quarterly report designed to keep Clean Cities coalitions and other interested
parties up to date on the prices of alternative and conventional fuels in the United States. This issue summarizes prices that were
submitted between January 1, 2016 and January 15, 2016 by Clean Cities coordinators, fuel providers, and other Clean Cities
stakeholders.

What’s New in This Issue?

The Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015 (H.R. 3236), was signed into law on
July 31, 2015. Effective January 1, 2016, the law requires that federal excise taxes on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied
petroleum gas (LPG or propane) motor fuels be calculated on an energy equivalent basis, relative to diesel and gasoline. To
show consistent measurements throughout the Alternative Fuel Price Report, therefore, beginning with the January 2016 issue,
in addition to showing retail, at-the-pump sales prices, we are including the following additional tables:

• Tables 16a and 16b compare prices for E85 and propane to gasoline on a gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) basis.

• Tables 16c and 16d compare B20 and B99/B100 to diesel on a diesel gallon equivalent (DGE) basis.

Prices for compressed natural gas are already shown on a gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) and diesel gallon equivalent (DGE)
basis in Tables 5 and 6, respectively.

We will continue to include tables that show retail, at-the-pump sales prices for E85, propane, B20 and B99/B100 on a per
gallon basis, in the sections for each of those fuels. (See Tables 7, 8, 9 and 10).

Looking Ahead
We will continue to improve the Alternative Fuel Price Report, based on user feedback.

• In a future issue, as the number of liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices submitted continues to increase, we will include a
section on LNG prices, relative to diesel.

• We continue to work on creating a system that will allow for additional, customizable, on-line reports.

We look forward to hearing from you as we implement these upgrades.

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Methodology
• This report’s prices represent retail, at-the-pump sales • Consistent with the U.S. Energy Information
prices for each fuel, including federal and state motor fuel Administration (EIA) fuel price reporting format, prices
taxes.1 are grouped by the Petroleum Administration for Defense
Districts (PADD). The PADD districts are illustrated in the
• Clean Cities coordinators, fuel providers, and other key map below.
stakeholders provide prices for fuels in their areas on a
voluntary basis.

• Prices were submitted for all major alternative fuels

currently in widespread use, i.e. natural gas, propane,
biodiesel, and ethanol.

• Prices were submitted for conventional fuels from stations

that also sell alternative fuels, or from nearby stations.

• Prices from public and private refueling stations are

included.2

• Prices were averaged to determine regional price trends

by fuel and variability in fuel price within and among
regions.3

• Some states charge a flat annual fee, in lieu of collecting

motor fuel taxes at the pump, usually for large trucks using
gaseous fuels like compressed natural gas (CNG) and FIGURE 1 
liquefied petroleum gas (LPG or propane). These flat fees PETROLEUM ADMINSTRATION FOR DEFENSE
are not included in the prices reported in these pages. DISTRICTS (PADD)
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

TABLE 1
Number of Data Points Submitted
Region Gasoline Diesel CNG Ethanol Propane B20 B99/B100
New England 40 33 28 5 25 11 4
Central Atlantic 87 88 93 97 50 32 2
Lower Atlantic 71 66 62 80 129 22 13
Midwest 234 128 117 226 78 21 0
Gulf Coast 87 71 59 127 126 7 2
Rocky Mountain 104 75 108 63 76 9 1
West Coast 122 138 130 78 125 34 28
TOTAL 745 599 597 676 609 136 50

1
In some cases, prices were submitted by government refueling facilities, and motor fuel taxes were not included in the prices reported to Clean Cities. In these instances, the appropriate federal and
state motor fuel taxes have been added to the reported prices to provide a more representative basis for comparison.
2
Public refueling stations are open to the public, while private fueling stations are privately-owned or available only to selected fleets.
3
Fuel price averages for this report are determined by simply averaging the individual data points received. A comparison of average fuel prices for private and for public stations by region can be
found on pages 20-21.

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Summary of Current
Report Information

Table 2 shows national average retail fuel TABLE 2

prices for this report and the previous report. National Average Retail Fuel Prices
Changes in average retail prices from one Conventional and Alternative Fuels, January 2016*
quarter to another may be due to a number of
factors, including an actual change in price, October January Change in Price Units of
Fuel Type4
different sample sizes, the inclusion of different 2015 2016 October-January Measurement
locations, and seasonal variations in demand.
Gasoline
$2.35 $1.98 -$0.37 per gallon
(E10)
Prices in this report were reported in the units
in which they are typically sold, for example, Diesel $2.59 $2.23 -$0.36 per gallon
dollars per gallon of gasoline or dollars per CNG $2.09 $2.09 $0.00 per GGE
gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) of CNG. Ethanol (E85) $2.18 $1.86 -$0.32 per gallon
Propane** $2.90 $2.85 -$0.05 per gallon
Consumer interest in alternative fuels generally
increases when the alternative fuel price is less Biodiesel (B20) $2.66 $2.41 -$0.25 per gallon
than the conventional fuel price on a per gallon Biodiesel (B99/
$3.40 $3.21 -$0.19 per gallon
basis, even if that differential does not directly B100)
translate to savings on an energy-equivalent *Includes public and private stations
basis. **Includes primary and secondary stations

TABLE 3 Liquid fuels have differing energy contents per

National Average Retail Fuel Prices On An Energy-Equivalent Basis, gallon, so the price paid per unit of energy content
January 2016* can differ somewhat from the price paid per gallon.
Per Gasoline Per Diesel Per Million Table 3 shows fuel prices from Table 2 normalized to
Fuel Type Gallon Equivalent Gallon Equivalent British Thermal an energy-equivalent basis.
($/GGE) ($/DGE) Units ($/MBtu)
Gasoline
Note that, for the alternative fuels, prices on an
$1.98 $2.24 $17.32 energy-equivalent basis, ie, $/GGE or $/DGE, are
(E10)
generally higher than the prices per gallon, due to
Diesel $1.99 $2.23 $17.33
their lower energy content.5
CNG $2.09 $2.36 $18.29
Ethanol Propane prices include information from both
$2.42 $2.73 $27.63
(E85) “primary” and “secondary” stations. Primary
Propane** $3.91 $4.40 $46.83 stations have dedicated vehicle services and tend
to be less expensive than secondary stations, which
Biodiesel
$2.17 $2.46 $17.17 mostly serve the propane tank and bottle market.
(B20)
Biodiesel Prices for Table 3 were calculated using the nominal
$3.15 $3.53 $26.90
(B99/B100) lower heating values in BTUs per gallon of fuel from
*Includes public and private stations the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Transportation
**Includes primary and secondary stations Energy Data Book.6

4
A very small sample (6 points) of hydrogen information was received, with an average price of $13.93/GGE.
5
For ethanol flexible-fuel vehicles (FFVs), the actual difference in fuel used per mile is somewhat less than would be calculated simply on the difference in energy content of the fuels. Some
sources have noted that some FFVs can achieve better energy efficiency (miles per unit of energy) on E85 than on gasoline. This effect is not currently included in these calculations as the magnitude
of the effect varies by specific FFV model.
6
http://cta.ornl.gov/data A listing of the conversion factors used appears as an appendix at the end of this report.

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Gasoline and Diesel Prices:

Clean Cities and EIA Data

Table 4, below, shows gasoline and diesel prices submitted by Clean Cities coordinators, fuel
providers, and other stakeholders on a voluntary basis, between January 1 and January 15,
2016, compared to prices from the petroleum information section of the Energy Information
Administration (EIA) website, for the week of January 4, 2016.

Clean Cities prices for conventional The EIA data shows weekly average The Clean Cities data is not weighted,
fuels were obtained from retail prices from a sample of approximately and represents simple averages of
stations providing alternative fuel 800 retail gasoline and 400 retail reported prices. While there is some
price information, or from nearby diesel outlets across the country. The variation, the EIA average prices
stations, so data collection was not EIA data points are weighted to reflect match relatively closely with the
uniform across the regions of the the quantity of fuel being sold at that average prices reported by Clean
country; however, the information is price. Cities coordinators.
representative of refueling stations
selling both alternative fuels and
conventional fuels.

TABLE 4
Average Retail Gasoline and Diesel Prices by Region, in $/gal
from Clean Cities and EIA* Sources
GASOLINE PRICES DIESEL PRICES
Region Clean Cities EIA** Difference*** Clean Cities EIA** Difference***
New England $2.12 $2.04 $0.08 $2.50 $2.34 $0.16
Central Atlantic $2.01 $2.07 -$0.06 $2.27 $2.39 -$0.12
Lower Atlantic $1.93 $1.93 $0.00 $2.19 $2.14 $0.05
Midwest $1.83 $1.86 -$0.03 $2.05 $2.13 -$0.08
Gulf Coast $1.66 $1.75 -$0.09 $2.01 $2.11 -$0.10
Rocky Mountain $1.84 $1.96 -$0.12 $2.05 $2.19 -$0.14
West Coast $2.60 $2.66 -$0.06 $2.55 $2.46 $0.09
NATIONAL AVERAGE $1.98 $2.03 -$0.05 $2.23 $2.21 $0.02
*EIA = Energy Information Administration
**EIA prices are from the petroleum information section of the EIA website, week of January 4, 2016.
http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/xls/PET_PRI_GND_A_EPMR_PTE_DPGAL_W.xls
http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/xls/PET_PRI_GND_A_EPD2D_PTE_DPGAL_W.xls
***Negative numbers represent average Clean Cities prices that are lower than EIA prices.

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Compressed Natural Gas (Relative to Gasoline)

TABLE 5
COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG) AND GASOLINE AVERAGE RETAIL The prices
PRICES BY REGION shown in
CNG Prices Gasoline Prices Price Table 5 were
Region submitted by
($/GGE*) ($/gal) Difference**
Clean Cities
New England $2.45 $2.12 $0.33
coordinators,
Central Atlantic $1.97 $2.01 -$0.04 fuel providers,
Lower Atlantic $2.06 $1.93 $0.13 and other
Midwest $1.95 $1.83 $0.12
stakeholders on
a voluntary basis, between
Gulf Coast $2.03 $1.66 $0.37 January 1 and January 15,
Rocky Mountain $1.91 $1.84 $0.07 2016.
West Coast $2.40 $2.60 -$0.20
NATIONAL AVERAGE $2.09 $1.98 $0.11
*GGE = gasoline gallon equivalent
**Negative numbers represent average CNG prices that are lower than gasoline, on a $/GGE basis.

CNG prices in Table 5 As with other fuels, the On average, during Note: The Alternative Fuel Price Report
were obtained from the energy content of natural this reporting is a snapshot in time of retail fuel
“price at the pump,” gas can vary. CNG period, CNG cost prices. Alternative fuel fleets can obtain
given in $/gasoline dispensers are calibrated about $0.11 more significantly lower fuel prices than those
gallon equivalent for local gas compositions than gasoline on a reported in the AFPR by entering into
(GGE), and averaged and dispense an accurate per gasoline gallon contracts directly with local fuel suppliers.
for each region. GGE for the actual gas equivalent (GGE) Contract prices will vary, depending on fleet
being sold. basis. size and amount of fuel to be purchased,
distance from the supplier, region of the
country and other factors.

In this map, negative numbers

represent prices for CNG that
are lower than gasoline, on a per
gasoline gallon equivalent basis.
States not highlighted with a color
did not have any CNG data points in
the current report.

CNG Price Difference

Relative to Gasoline

FIGURE 2 
PRICE DIFFERENTIALS BY STATE FOR COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG)
RELATIVE TO GASOLINE

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), cont.

CNG

$4.00

$3.75
Price per gasoline gallon equivalent ($/GGE)

$3.50

$3.25

$3.00

$2.75

$2.50

$2.25

$2.00

$1.75

$1.50
O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J
‘07 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 ‘16

Gasoline Natural Gas (GGE)

FIGURE 3 
HISTORICAL COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG) PRICES VERSUS GASOLINE

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Compressed Natural Gas (Relative to Diesel)7

TABLE 6
COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG) AND DIESEL AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES BY REGION The prices
shown in
CNG Prices Diesel Prices Price
Region Table 6 were
($/DGE*) ($/gal) Difference**
submitted by
New England $2.77 $2.50 $0.27 Clean Cities
Central Atlantic $2.23 $2.27 -$0.04 coordinators,
Lower Atlantic $2.33 $2.19 $0.14 fuel providers,
and other
Midwest $2.21 $2.05 $0.16
stakeholders on
Gulf Coast $2.29 $2.01 $0.28 a voluntary basis, between
Rocky Mountain $2.16 $2.05 $0.11 January 1 and January 15,
West Coast $2.71 $2.55 $0.16 2016.
NATIONAL AVERAGE $2.36 $2.23 $0.13
*DGE = diesel gallon equivalent
** Negative numbers represent average CNG prices that are lower than diesel, on a $/DGE basis.

Table 6 shows the As with other fuels, the On average, during Note: The Alternative Fuel Price Report
prices from Table 5, energy content of natural this reporting is a snapshot in time of retail fuel
converted to $/diesel gas can vary. CNG period, CNG cost prices. Alternative fuel fleets can obtain
gallon equivalent dispensers are calibrated about $0.13 more significantly lower fuel prices than those
($/DGE), for easy for local gas compositions than diesel on a reported in the AFPR by entering into
comparison with diesel and dispense an accurate per diesel gallon contracts directly with local fuel suppliers.
prices. GGE for the actual gas equivalent basis. Contract prices will vary, depending on fleet
being sold. size and amount of fuel to be purchased,
distance from the supplier, region of the
country and other factors.

In this map, negative numbers

represent prices for CNG that are lower
than diesel, on a per diesel gallon
equivalent basis. States not highlighted
with a color did not have any CNG data
points in the current report.

CNG Price Difference

Relative to Diesel

FIGURE 4 
PRICE DIFFERENTIALS BY STATE FOR COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG)
RELATIVE TO DIESEL
7
A total of 43 liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices were submitted, with an average fuel price of $2.45/DGE. Because of the small number of price points, this data is not reflected in the report.

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), cont.

CNG

$4.75

$4.50

$4.25
Price per diesel gallon equivalent ($/DGE)

$4.00

$3.75

$3.50

$3.25

$3.00

$2.75

$2.50

$2.25

$2.00

$1.75
O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J
‘07 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 ‘16

Diesel Natural Gas (DGE)

FIGURE 5 
HISTORICAL COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG) PRICES VERSUS DIESEL

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Ethanol (E85)
TABLE 7
ETHANOL (E85) AND GASOLINE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES BY REGION
The prices
shown in
E85 Prices Gasoline Prices Price Table 7 were
Region
($/gal) ($/gal) Difference*
submitted by
New England $2.51 $2.12 $0.39 Clean Cities
Central Atlantic $2.12 $2.01 $0.11 coordinators,
fuel providers,
Lower Atlantic $1.92 $1.93 -$0.01
and other
Midwest $1.69 $1.83 -$0.14 stakeholders on
Gulf Coast $1.59 $1.66 -$0.07 a voluntary basis, between
Rocky Mountain $1.87 $1.84 $0.03 January 1 and January 15,
2016.
West Coast $2.37 $2.60 -$0.23
NATIONAL AVERAGE $1.86 $1.98 -$0.12
*Negative numbers represent average E85 prices that are lower than gasoline, on a $/gal basis.

Most gasoline available throughout the E85 energy content for this report is On average, during this
United States today is a blend of 90% therefore calculated as (.70)(E100 reporting period, E85 cost
gasoline and up to 10% ethanol, or E10. energy content) + (.30)(E0 energy about $0.12 less than gasoline
Additionally, the E85 that is sold in the content), to more closely reflect the on a per gallon basis.
United States today actually contains, actual energy content of E85 fuel
on average, approximately 70% ethanol. available today.

In this map, negative numbers

represent prices for E85 that are
lower than gasoline, on a per gallon
basis. States not highlighted with
a color did not have any E85 data
points in the current report.

E85 Price Difference

Relative to Gasoline

FIGURE 6 
PRICE DIFFERENTIALS BY STATE FOR E85 RELATIVE TO GASOLINE

10
CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Ethanol (E85), cont.

$4.00

$3.75

$3.50

$3.25

$3.00

$2.75

$2.50

$2.25

$2.00

$1.75
O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J
‘07 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 ‘16

Gasoline Ethanol

FIGURE 7 
HISTORICAL ETHANOL (E85) PRICES VERSUS GASOLINE

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Propane (LPG)
TABLE 8
PROPANE (LPG) AND GASOLINE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES BY REGION The prices
shown in
LPG Prices Gasoline Prices Price
Region Table 8 were
($/gal) ($/gal) Difference*
submitted by
New England $2.89 $2.12 $0.77 Clean Cities
Central Atlantic $2.79 $2.01 $0.78 coordinators,
Lower Atlantic $2.85 $1.93 $0.92 fuel providers,
and other
Midwest $2.45 $1.83 $0.62
stakeholders on
Gulf Coast $3.04 $1.66 $1.38 a voluntary basis, between
Rocky Mountain $2.88 $1.84 $1.04 January 1 and January 15,
West Coast $2.94 $2.60 $0.34 2016.
NATIONAL AVERAGE $2.85 $1.98 $0.87
*Negative numbers represent average propane prices that are lower than gasoline, on a $/gal basis.

Propane prices in this Note: The Alternative Fuel Price Report is a snapshot in time of On average, during
report are from both private retail fuel prices. Alternative fuel fleets can obtain significantly this reporting period,
fleet refueling stations and lower fuel prices than those reported in the AFPR by entering into propane cost about
public refueling sites that contracts directly with local fuel suppliers. Contract prices will $0.87 more than
can provide propane for vary, depending on fleet size and amount of fuel to be purchased, gasoline on a per
vehicles and for other uses.8 distance from the supplier, region of the country and other factors. (liquid) gallon basis.

In this map, negative numbers

represent prices for propane that are
lower than gasoline, on a per gallon
basis. States not highlighted with a
color did not have any propane data
points in the current report.

LPG Price Difference

Relative to Gasoline

FIGURE 8 
PRICE DIFFERENTIALS BY STATE FOR PROPANE (LPG) RELATIVE TO GASOLINE

8
Because many propane retailers provide fuel for non-vehicle uses (camping stoves, gas grills, etc.), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has worked with suppliers to clarify the
differences. On the AFDC Station Locator website (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/locator/stations/) each public propane station is designated as a “primary” or “secondary” service type. Both types
are able to fuel vehicles; however, stations designated as “primary” have indicated they have facilities and billing procedures specifically designed for vehicle customers. They may also offer special
vehicle pricing and most accept major credit cards, similar to traditional gasoline/diesel retailers. Propane pricing reported in this guide reflects a sampling of both primary and secondary stations.

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Propane (LPG), cont.

LPG

O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J
‘07 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 ‘16

Gasoline Propane

FIGURE 9 
HISTORICAL PROPANE (LPG) PRICES VERSUS GASOLINE

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Biodiesel Blends: B20

TABLE 9 The prices

BIODIESEL (B20) AND DIESEL AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES BY REGION shown in
Table 9 were
B20 Prices Diesel Prices Price
Region submitted by
($/gal) ($/gal) Difference*
Clean Cities
New England $2.49 $2.50 -$0.01 coordinators,
Central Atlantic $2.33 $2.27 $0.06 fuel providers,
Lower Atlantic $2.28 $2.19 $0.09 and other
stakeholders on
Midwest $2.30 $2.05 $0.25
a voluntary basis, between
Gulf Coast $2.10 $2.01 $0.09 January 1 and January 15,
Rocky Mountain $2.21 $2.05 $0.16 2016.
West Coast $2.74 $2.55 $0.19
NATIONAL AVERAGE $2.41 $2.23 $0.18
*Negative numbers represent average B20 prices that are lower than diesel, on a $/GAL basis.

B20 is a blend of 20% biodiesel and 80% conventional Note that B20 prices, in On a national average
diesel. B20 contains only about 2% less energy (BTUs) many regions, track very basis, during this reporting
per volume than 100% diesel. The appendix at the end closely with diesel prices. period, B20 cost about
of this report provides conversion factors for calculating $0.18 more than diesel on
B20 prices on a GGE and DGE basis. a per gallon basis.

In this map, negative numbers

represent prices for B20 that are
lower than diesel, on a per gallon
basis. States not highlighted with
a color did not have any B20 data
points in the current report.

B20 Price Difference

Relative to Diesel

FIGURE 10 
PRICE DIFFERENTIALS BY STATE FOR B20 RELATIVE TO DIESEL

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Biodiesel Blends: B20, cont.

$4.75

$4.50

$4.25

$4.00

$3.75

$3.50

$3.25

$3.00

$2.75

$2.50

$2.25

$2.00

$1.75
O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J
‘07 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 ‘16

Diesel B20

FIGURE 11 
HISTORICAL B20 PRICES VERSUS DIESEL

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Biodiesel Blends: B99/B100

TABLE 10 The prices

BIODIESEL (B99/B100) AND DIESEL AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES BY REGION shown in
B99/B100 Prices Diesel Prices Price Table 10 were
Region submitted by
($/gal) ($/gal) Difference*
New England
Clean Cities
2.35 2.50 -0.15
coordinators,
Central Atlantic 4.30 2.27 2.03 fuel providers,
Lower Atlantic 3.12 2.19 0.93 and other
Midwest --- 2.05 --- stakeholders on
a voluntary basis, between
Gulf Coast 2.28 2.01 0.27
January 1 and January 15,
Rocky Mountain 2.40 2.05 0.35 2016.
West Coast 3.39 2.55 0.84
NATIONAL AVERAGE 3.21 2.23 0.98
*Negative numbers represent average B99/B100 prices that are lower than diesel, on a $/GAL basis.

B100 contains about 10% less The appendix at the end of this report On average, during this reporting
energy (BTUs) per volume provides conversion factors for calculating period, B99/B100 cost about $0.98
than 100% diesel. B100 prices on a GGE and DGE basis. more than diesel on a per gallon basis.

In this map, negative numbers

represent prices for B99/B100 that
are lower than diesel, on a per gallon
basis. States not highlighted with
a color did not have any B99/B100
data points in the current report.

B99/B100 Price
Difference
Relative to Diesel

FIGURE 12 
PRICE DIFFERENTIALS BY STATE FOR B99/B100 RELATIVE TO DIESEL

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Biodiesel Blends: B99/B100, cont.

$5.00

$4.75

$4.50

$4.25

$4.00

$3.75

$3.50

$3.25

$3.00

$2.75

$2.50

$2.25

$2.00 O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J
‘07 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 ‘16

Diesel B99/B100

FIGURE 13 
HISTORICAL B99/B100 PRICES VERSUS DIESEL

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Comparison Of Prices: This Report Versus Last Report

The following tables summarize the average retail prices submitted for this report by region, and compare them to prices
submitted for the October 2015 Alternative Fuel Price Report. It should be noted that a portion of the price changes may be
attributed to differing sample sizes and locations between the two reports.

TABLE 11 a
GASOLINE Region
Price for October Price for January
Difference in $ Difference in %
2015 2016
($ per gallon) New England 2.41 2.12 -0.29 -12.03%
Central Atlantic 2.20 2.01 -0.19 -8.64%
Lower Atlantic 2.15 1.93 -0.22 -10.23%
Midwest 2.36 1.83 -0.53 -22.46%
Gulf Coast 1.97 1.66 -0.31 -15.74%
Rocky Mountain 2.35 1.84 -0.51 -21.70%
West Coast 2.76 2.60 -0.16 -5.80%
NATIONAL AVERAGE 2.35 1.98 -0.37 -15.74%

TABLE 11 b

Region
Price for October Price for January
Difference in $ Difference in %
DIESEL
2015 2016
New England 2.72 2.50 -0.22 -8.09%
($ per gallon)
Central Atlantic 2.73 2.27 -0.46 -16.85%
Lower Atlantic 2.48 2.19 -0.29 -11.69%
Midwest 2.47 2.05 -0.42 -17.00%
Gulf Coast 2.27 2.01 -0.26 -11.45%
Rocky Mountain 2.46 2.05 -0.41 -16.67%
West Coast 2.80 2.55 -0.25 -8.93%
NATIONAL AVERAGE 2.59 2.23 -0.36 -13.90%

TABLE 11 c
Price for October Price for January
CNG Region
2015 2016
Difference in $ Difference in %

New England 2.44 2.45 0.01 0.41%

($ per GGE)
Central Atlantic 1.99 1.97 -0.02 -1.01%
Lower Atlantic 2.07 2.06 -0.01 -0.48%
Midwest 2.03 1.95 -0.08 -3.94%
CNG Gulf Coast 2.04 2.03 -0.01 -0.49%
Rocky Mountain 1.89 1.91 0.02 1.06%
West Coast 2.37 2.40 0.03 1.27%
NATIONAL AVERAGE 2.09 2.09 0.00 0.00%

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Comparison Of Prices: This Report Versus Last Report, cont.

TABLE 11 d
Region Price for Oct. 2015 Price for January 2016 Difference in $ Difference in % ETHANOL
New England 2.78 2.51 -0.27 -9.71%
Central Atlantic 2.41 2.12 -0.29 -12.03%
(E85)
Lower Atlantic 2.07 1.92 -0.15 -7.25% ($ per gallon)
Midwest 2.11 1.69 -0.42 -19.91%
Gulf Coast 1.92 1.59 -0.33 -17.19%
Rocky Mountain 2.20 1.87 -0.33 -15.00%
West Coast 2.62 2.37 -0.25 -9.54%
NATIONAL AVERAGE 2.18 1.86 -0.32 -14.68%

TABLE 11 e

PROPANE Region Price for Oct. 2015 Price for January 2016 Difference in $ Difference in %
New England 2.84 2.89 0.05 1.76%
($ per gallon) Central Atlantic 2.68 2.79 0.11 4.10%
Lower Atlantic 2.96 2.85 -0.11 -3.72%

LPG
Midwest 2.70 2.45 -0.25 -9.26%
Gulf Coast 2.99 3.04 0.05 1.67%
Rocky Mountain 2.91 2.88 -0.03 -1.03%
West Coast 2.96 2.94 -0.02 -0.68%
NATIONAL AVERAGE 2.90 2.85 -0.05 -1.72%

TABLE 11 f
Region Price for Oct. 2015 Price for January 2016 Difference in $ Difference in % BIODIESEL
New England
Central Atlantic
2.70
2.60
2.49
2.33
-0.21
-0.27
-7.78%
-10.38%
B20
Lower Atlantic 2.56 2.28 -0.28 -10.94% ($ per gallon)
Midwest 2.53 2.30 -0.23 -9.09%
Gulf Coast 2.51 2.10 -0.41 -16.33%
Rocky Mountain 2.55 2.21 -0.34 -13.33%
West Coast 2.96 2.74 -0.22 -7.43%
NATIONAL AVERAGE 2.66 2.41 -0.25 -9.40%

TABLE 11 g

BIODIESEL Region
New England
Price for Oct. 2015
2.62
Price for January 2016
2.35
Difference in $
-0.27
Difference in %
-10.31%
B99/B100 Central Atlantic 5.82 4.30 -1.52 -26.12%

($ per gallon) Lower Atlantic 3.33 3.12 -0.21 -6.31%

Midwest 2.46 --- --- ---
Gulf Coast 2.49 2.28 -0.21 -8.43%
Rocky Mountain 2.59 2.40 -0.19 -7.34%
West Coast 3.53 3.39 -0.14 -3.97%
NATIONAL AVERAGE 3.40 3.21 -0.19 -5.59%

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Price Comparison By Region For Public & Private Refueling Stations

The tables below summarize average retail fuel prices contained in this report, sorted by type of refueling station, i.e.,
“private” or “public”. The stations classified as “public” are open to the general public. The majority of the stations classified
as “private” are operated by state or local government agencies, transit agencies, utility districts, colleges or universities, or
military facilities. They serve the host agency’s fleets, and may have contractual or other arrangements in place to sell fuel to
other government agencies and/or selected other fleets. In some cases, contracts may include billing, accounting, or fleet service
management fees that are rolled into the price of the fuel.

For this report, there were 3,101 prices submitted from “public” refueling stations, and 360 prices submitted from “private”
refueling stations, for a total of 3,461 prices.

As with the other prices in this report, these prices include state and federal taxes, as described in the Methodology section of
this document.

TABLE 12 a - Gasoline TABLE 12 b - Diesel

Average Retail Price by Refueling Station Type ($/gal) Average Retail Price by Refueling Station Type ($/gal)

Region PRIVATE PUBLIC Region PRIVATE PUBLIC

New England $2.13 $2.12 New England $2.53 $2.50
Central Atlantic $1.99 $2.01 Central Atlantic $2.07 $2.38
Lower Atlantic $2.00 $1.93 Lower Atlantic $1.99 $2.20
Midwest $2.21 $1.81 Midwest $1.67 $2.06
Gulf Coast --- $1.66 Gulf Coast --- $2.01
Rocky Mountain $1.87 $1.84 Rocky Mountain $1.62 $2.06
West Coast $2.63 $2.59 West Coast $2.39 $2.56
NATIONAL AVERAGE $2.23 $1.96 NATIONAL AVERAGE $2.14 $2.24

TABLE 12 c - CNG TABLE 12 d - E85

Average Retail Price by Refueling Station Type ($/GGE) Average Retail Price by Refueling Station Type ($/gal)

Region PRIVATE PUBLIC Region PRIVATE PUBLIC

New England $2.02 $2.50 New England --- $2.51
Central Atlantic $1.82 $2.04 Central Atlantic $2.17 $2.11
Lower Atlantic $0.75 $2.13 Lower Atlantic $2.31 $1.92
Midwest $1.89 $1.97 Midwest $1.92 $1.67
Gulf Coast $1.77 $2.06 Gulf Coast $1.99 $1.58
Rocky Mountain $1.76 $2.01 Rocky Mountain $1.67 $1.88
West Coast $2.07 $2.44 West Coast $2.44 $2.37
NATIONAL AVERAGE $1.82 $2.16 NATIONAL AVERAGE $2.05 $1.85

--- indicates no data points were submitted for this region.

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Comparison Of Prices By Region For Public & Private Refueling Stations cont.

TABLE 12 e - Propane TABLE 12 f - B20

Average Retail Price by Refueling Station Type ($/gal) Average Retail Price by Refueling Station Type ($/gal)

Region PRIVATE PUBLIC Region PRIVATE PUBLIC

New England $2.58 $2.90 New England $2.14 $2.70
Central Atlantic $1.34 $3.20 Central Atlantic $2.21 $2.70
Lower Atlantic $3.82 $2.84 Lower Atlantic $2.04 $2.32
Midwest $1.61 $2.49 Midwest $2.05 $2.32
Gulf Coast $1.31 $3.15 Gulf Coast $1.99 $2.12
Rocky Mountain $2.43 $2.89 Rocky Mountain --- $2.21
West Coast $3.02 $2.93 West Coast $2.28 $2.93
NATIONAL AVERAGE $2.00 $2.91 NATIONAL AVERAGE $2.20 $2.52

TABLE 12 g - B99/B100
Average Retail Price by Refueling Station Type ($/gal)

Region PRIVATE PUBLIC

New England --- $2.35
Central Atlantic $1.61 $6.98
Lower Atlantic $3.50 $2.89
Midwest --- ---
Gulf Coast --- $2.27
Rocky Mountain --- $2.40
West Coast $3.41 $3.39
NATIONAL AVERAGE $3.26 $3.20

--- indicates no data points were submitted for this region.

21
CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Historical Alternative Fuel Prices From Previous Reports

The following graphs illustrate historical prices for the alternative fuels included in the Alternative Fuel Price Report from 2007
to the present, relative to gasoline and diesel. Compressed natural gas (in GGE), propane, and ethanol (E85) have been graphed
against gasoline prices, while compressed natural gas (in DGE) and biodiesel blends (B20 and B99/B100) have been graphed
against diesel prices.
$4.00

$3.75

$3.50

$3.25

$3.00
Price per gallon

$2.75

$2.50

$2.25

$2.00

$1.75

$1.50
O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J
‘07 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 ‘16

Gasoline Natural Gas (GGE) Ethanol (E85) Propane

FIGURE 14 
ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICES VERSUS GASOLINE

$5.00

$4.75

$4.50

$4.25

$4.00

$3.75
Price per gallon

$3.50

$3.25

$3.00

$2.75

$2.50

$2.25

$2.00

$1.75
O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J A J O J
‘07 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 ‘16

Diesel Natural Gas (DGE) Biodiesel (B20) Biodiesel (B2/B5) B99/B100

FIGURE 15 
ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICES VERSUS DIESEL

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Illustration of Conversion Factors for Fuels

TABLE 13 Conversion factors used to establish prices in
Lower Heating Values dollars per gasoline gallon equivalent ($/GGE) and
dollars per diesel gallon equivalent ($/DGE) were
Fuel Lower Heating Value developed using the lower heating values from the
Gasoline (E0) 115,400 BTU/gal Transportation Energy Data Book Edition 33,9 and
Gasoline (E10)10 114,300 BTU/gal
are listed to the left.

Diesel 128,700 BTU/gal In the case of CNG, prices are provided to us

Biodiesel (B100) 117,100 BTU/gal in GGE, so no conversion is necessary. The
representative heating value of CNG is provided in
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) 11
114,300 BTU/GGE
Table 13 as a reference.
Ethanol (E100) 75,700 BTU/gal
Propane 83,500 BTU/gal

Conversion to GGE TABLE 14

Conversion Factors: $/gal to $/GGE
The conversion factor used to convert the price of an alternative fuel from $/gallon
Fuel Conversion Factor
to $/GGE is determined as follows:
Biodiesel (B20) 0.90
Conversion factor = BTU/gal of gasoline (E10)
Biodiesel (B100) 0.98
BTU/gal of alternative fuel
CNG 1.00
To calculate the price of an alternative fuel in $/GGE, multiply the price per gallon Ethanol (E85)12 1.30
of the alternative fuel by the relevant conversion factor from Table 14.
Propane 1.37

Conversion to DGE TABLE 15

Conversion Factors: $/gal to $/DGE
The conversion factor used to convert the price of an alternative fuel from $/gallon to
$/DGE is determined as follows: Fuel Conversion Factor

Conversion factor = BTU/gal of diesel Biodiesel (B20) 1.02

BTU/gal of alternative fuel Biodiesel (B100) 1.10

For example, the conversion factor used to convert a B100 price from $/gal to CNG 1.13
$/DGE is determined as follows: Ethanol (E85) 13 1.47
128,700 BTU/gal of diesel = 1.099, rounded to 1.10 Propane 1.54
117,100 BTU/gal of B100

To calculate the price of an alternative fuel in $/DGE, multiply the price per gallon of the alternative fuel by the relevant
conversion factor from Table 15.

For example, if the price of B100 is given as $3.00/gal, the $/DGE is determined as follows:
($3.00/gal) x 1.10 = $3.30/DGE

9
http://cta.ornl.gov/data
10
According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Alternative Fuels Data Center, the energy content of common gasoline baseline references (E0, E10 and indolene) varies between
112,114 and 116,090 Btu/gal. We chose 114,300 Btu/gal for the E10 energy content, consistent with the Transportation Energy Data Book (TEDB) energy content of CNG, in GGEs. See next
footnote.
11
(5.66 lbs. of CNG/GGE) x (20,200 BTU/lb.) = 114,332; rounded to 114,300.
12
Most gasoline available throughout the United States today is a blend of 90% gasoline and up to 10% ethanol, or E10. Additionally, the E85 that is sold in the United States today actually contains,
on average, approximately 70% ethanol. E85 energy content for this report is therefore calculated as [(.70) x (E100 energy content)] + [(.30) x (E0 energy content)], to more closely reflect the actual
energy content of E85 fuel available today.
13
See footnote 12, above.

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Comparison of Prices on an Energy-Equivalent Basis

The following tables compare prices for E85, propane, B20 and B99/B100 to conventional fuels (gasoline and diesel) on an
energy-equivalent basis. (Natural gas is generally sold in gasoline gallon equivalents or diesel gallon equivalents, so the natural
gas “price at the pump” can be directly compared to the price of the corresponding conventional fuel, as shown in Tables 5 and
6.)

TABLE 16a TABLE 16b

ETHANOL (E85) AND GASOLINE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES PROPANE (LPG) AND GASOLINE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES
BY REGION (GGE) BY REGION (GGE)
E85 Prices Gasoline Price LPG Prices Gasoline Price
Region Region
($/GGE) Prices ($/gal) Difference* ($/GGE) Prices ($/gal) Difference*
New England $3.26 $2.12 $1.14 New England $3.96 $2.12 $1.84

Central Atlantic $2.76 $2.01 $0.75 Central Atlantic $3.82 $2.01 $1.81

Lower Atlantic $2.50 $1.93 $0.57 Lower Atlantic $3.90 $1.93 $1.97

Midwest $2.20 $1.83 $0.37 Midwest $3.36 $1.83 $1.53

Gulf Coast $2.07 $1.66 $0.41 Gulf Coast $4.16 $1.66 $2.50

Rocky Mountain $2.43 $1.84 $0.59 Rocky Mountain $3.95 $1.84 $2.11

West Coast $3.08 $2.60 $0.48 West Coast $4.03 $2.60 $1.43
NATIONAL NATIONAL
$2.42 $1.98 $0.44 $3.90 $1.98 $1.92
AVERAGE AVERAGE
*Negative numbers represent average E85 prices that are lower than gasoline, on a $/GGE basis. *Negative numbers represent average propane prices that are lower than gasoline, on a $/GGE
basis.

TABLE 16c TABLE 16d

BIODIESEL (B20) AND DIESEL AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES BY BIODIESEL (B99/B100) AND DIESEL AVERAGE RETAIL
REGION (DGE) PRICES BY REGION (DGE)
B20 Prices Diesel Prices Price B99/B100 Diesel Prices Price
Region Region
($/DGE) ($/gal) Difference* Prices ($/DGE) ($/gal) Difference*
New England $2.54 $2.50 $0.04 New England $2.58 $2.50 $0.09
Central Atlantic $2.38 $2.27 $0.11 Central Atlantic $4.73 $2.27 $2.46
Lower Atlantic $2.33 $2.19 $0.14 Lower Atlantic $3.43 $2.19 $1.24
Midwest $2.35 $2.05 $0.30 Midwest --- $2.05 ---
Gulf Coast $2.14 $2.01 $0.13 Gulf Coast $2.51 $2.01 $0.50
Rocky Mountain $2.25 $2.05 $0.20 Rocky Mountain $2.64 $2.05 $0.59
West Coast $2.79 $2.55 $0.24 West Coast $3.73 $2.55 $1.18
NATIONAL NATIONAL
$2.46 $2.23 $0.23 $3.53 $2.23 $1.30
AVERAGE AVERAGE
*Negative numbers represent average B20 prices that are lower than gasoline, on a $/DGE basis. *Negative numbers represent average B99/B100 prices that are lower than gasoline, on a $/DGE
basis.

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CLEAN CITIES ALTERNATIVE FUEL PRICE REPORT JANUARY 2016

Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge all of the contributors from the Clean Cities community who have provided prices
for this report; we sincerely appreciate your continued dedication to the success of this report. The authors would also like to
acknowledge the continued support of DOE for developing this report.

Would You Like To Participate?

If you would like to provide prices for alternative fuels in your region and be part of the data collection effort for this report, or
if you have any questions, please contact:

U.S. DOE, Clean Cities

EE-3V
1000 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20585
Phone: (202) 586-6459
afpr@nwttech.com

DISCLAIMER
This document highlights work sponsored by agencies of the U.S. Government. Neither the U.S. Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees,
makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus,
product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or ser-
vice by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the U.S. Govern-
ment or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the U.S. Government or any agency thereof.

For more information on this and other Clean Cities publications, visit
www.cleancities.energy.gov or contact the Clean Cities Technical
Response Service at 800-254-6735.

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