Flexible Fuel Vehicle Club of America Launches in D.C.
- Source: FFV Club of America, Press Release, July 31, 2008

The nation’s first consumer-driven group supporting the production and utilization of more alternative fuels and vehicles was unveiled on July 31, 2008, at the 11th Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Expo on Capitol Hill.

The Flexible Fuel Vehicle Club of America will be the first consumer group dedicated to rally drivers around the cause of displacing crude oil imports with domestic renewable fuels like ethanol. Club Founder and President Burl Haigwood, a 30-year veteran of the ethanol and alternative fuels movement, helped launch the FFV Club with support from the Clean Fuels Foundation’s Ethanol Across America education campaign. “We also have received support and encouragement from FFV automobile manufacturers and retailers, alternative fuel supporters, industry and government leaders interested in the continued development of ethanol and biofuels and a lot of concerned motorists,” said Haigwood (seen right with his FFV minivan).

U.S. Congressman Lee Terry (R-NE), a member of the Ethanol Across America Advisory Board, helped launch the Club. “At a time when our economy is feeling the weight of our dangerous dependence on imported oil, the Flexible Fuel Vehicle Club is a way to galvanize the millions and millions of ordinary Americans who are already fighting back,” said Terry. “The use of domestic, renewable fuels in high concentrations, such as E85, is a major weapon in this battle to stem the flow of foreign oil.”

Congressman Terry added, “Thanks to the Alternative Motor Fuels Act of 1988, signed 20 years ago, automakers have produced about seven million vehicles which can run on any combination of gasoline and up to 85 percent ethanol. There are at least 30 models capable of this and more coming available every day, but most FFV owners don’t take advantage of the higher percentage ethanol blends. Some don’t realize they can use the alternative fuel. The FFV Club will change that as it will locate, educate, motivate and activate these owners, as well as welcome in the new FFV buyers.”

U.S. Congressman Jay Inslee (D-WA), also a member of the Ethanol Across America Advisory Board, is co-sponsoring a resolution with Terry, recognizing the importance of educating consumers about their FFVs and the benefits of biofuels. “Much like the way airplane research didn’t end with the Wright brothers’ first flight on that Carolina beach, we’re certain corn ethanol will be the first in a long line of biofuels breakthroughs. A developed market for higher blends of ethanol will help create thousands of new jobs, advance the growth of new cellulosic feedstocks and accelerate biofuel technologies,” said Inslee.

“Congress is putting Americans back in the driver’s seat by supporting new vehicle and fuel choices,” Inslee added.

FFV Club members will have access to informational resources and opportunities to network through the Club's website, www.flexiblefuelvehicleclub.org. Haigwood also plans to take his 2003 factory-produced Dodge Caravan, fueled by E85, to public events where he will seek out FFV owners and community leaders.

“When you consider the environmental costs of greenhouse gasses, the healthcare costs of pollution and the personal and financial costs of protecting oil resources in the Persian Gulf, the true price of gasoline is much greater than what Americans pay at the pump and far beyond what the country can afford,” said Haigwood. "The energy business has become personal. It has an impact on every person everyday. The majority of Americans want to do something and be involved, but they don't know where to start—until now.”

The NEVC is also partnering with the FFV Club. “The NEVC is very pleased to be involved with the FFV Club of America. The Club represents a new mechanism to reach out to motorists who currently operate E85 vehicles and to educate those motorists considering the purchase of an FFV,” stated NEVC Executive Director Phil Lampert. “We’ll be working closely with the FFV Club in our efforts to continue to advance the production of FFVs and the establishment of new E85 fueling infrastructure.”

Massachusetts Governor Signs Biofuels Bill

On July 28, 2008, Governor Deval Patrick signed legislation which would make Massachusetts the first state in the nation to exempt cellulosic ethanol from state gasoline taxes. The bill also requires diesel fuel and oil heat distributors to start adding biodiesel or renewable diesel to their fuel blends in 2010.

“The world is waiting for the next generation of clean, renewable alternatives to petroleum fuels, and Massachusetts is poised to deliver,” said Patrick.

The legislation exempts cellulosic ethanol from the state’s gasoline excise tax, based on the percentage of renewable fuel used. For example, the gasoline tax for a blend of E10 (10 percent cellulosic ethanol and 90 percent petroleum) would be reduced by about 2.3 cents. The bill also requires that by July, 2010, all diesel transportation fuels and distillate heating oil blends contain 2 percent biodiesel, or other qualifying renewable diesel. It then increases the requirement by 1 percent a year, to a cap in 2013, when all diesel transport and heating oil blends will contain 5 percent of the renewable fuel by volume. Last November, Patrick, Senate President Murray, Speaker DiMasi and Congressman Bill Delahunt unveiled a legislative package to accelerate the state’s emerging advanced biofuels industry.

“New England is addicted to oil. In Massachusetts alone, we spend more than $10 billion a year on petroleum, and it is very clear where most of those dollars are going,” said Delahunt, noting that Saudi Arabia alone made $160 billion in 2005 exporting oil. “I applaud the Massachusetts Legislature and Governor for taking steps which will both reduce our dependence on foreign oil and help boost the emerging clean energy industry in the Commonwealth.”

Significant environmental and consumer protection safeguards were built into the legislation. For example, all qualifying fuels must achieve at least a 50 percent reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions over petroleum. Moreover, all fuels will be required to undergo a full lifecycle analysis, which includes “significant indirect emissions” and land use changes. The bill also allows state regulators to delay or scale back the blending requirement if there are issues associated with supply or cost.

Pearson Fuels, a member of the NEVC, has opened its third E85 station in the state of California. The Chevron station is located at 1001 Willow Pass Court in Concord.

This new travel facility features a brand new Convenience Store and is the first public E85 station in Northern California. It is located directly off Route 4, at Willow Pass Court, and open 24 hours a day.

The first public E85 alternative fuel station in California was opened in San Diego by Pearson Fuels in 2003. It carries E85, biodiesel, low-sulphur diesel, compressed natural gas and propane, in addition to hosting electric charging for vehicles in need. Many have called this station "The Fuel Station of the Future."

"There are a lot of chickens running around, or cars which can run on ethanol,” as Mike Lewis, owner of Pearson fuels, once said. "And now we just need to make the eggs. I think we have the right product at the right time with the right business model. The potential upside is massive."

E85 Promotion in New York

E85 sold for 85 cents per gallon as part of a promotion to celebrate the opening of an E85 fueling facility in Glenville, NY. General Motors (GM) and the state of New York sponsored the promotion at Glenville Mobil Mart at 245 Saratoga Road for 85 minutes on Saturday, July 26.

“With the generous help of General Motors, we were able to run an E85 promotion and sell the fuel for just 85 cents a gallon for 85 minutes. E85 generally sells for a dollar less than gasoline here. You get a little less mileage, but it is a win-win all the way around," said Glenville Mobil Mart owner, Steve Weekes.

The station currently sells diesel and regular unleaded gasoline as E10. It is open 24 hours a day and offers a full convenience store and 24-hour Dunkin Donuts. The 5,000 gallon E85 tank supplies four E85 nozzles.

Fuel Cell Vehicles 15 Years Away, Research Council Says
- Source: Worldwatch Institute, July 21, 2008

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles could cut U.S. gasoline consumption by about 24 percent by 2035, according to a National Research Council analysis.

Hydrogen fuel cells may be the best energy-saving alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles, and the technology could be economically competitive by 2023, a U.S. National Research Council report announced recently.

The study, which did not include electric vehicles, concluded that hydrogen is the preferred alternative to conventional vehicles to wean the United States off oil and to reduce U.S. automotive emissions. Producing the hydrogen, however, will require increased fossil fuel consumption and worsen the nation's impact on climate change unless a federal policy switches the country to alternative energy sources, the study's authors said.

The NEVC Offers New Station Pump Items

Two new pump items are now available though the NEVC for retailers’ labeling and distinction of high-level blends of ethanol. These items are recommended, in addition to the pump imaging materials the NEVC already has to offer.

The Blender Pump Label (Item #48) and Nozzle Hose Squawker with E85 Insert (Item #49) can be found in the “E85 Merchandise” section on the sidebar of the NEVC homepage at www.E85Fuel.com.

For additional information regarding these items, email the NEVC materials coordinator at order@e85fuel.com.

2009 E85 Purchasing Guide Personalization Now Available

The NEVC is pleased to announce that our 2009 FFV Purchasing Guide will be available soon! This full-color booklet, published annually by the NEVC, showcases all the new FFV offerings for model year 2009 and previous model year vehicles, and also provides answers to many frequently asked questions about E85. Make plans now to personalize the guide specifically for your organization.

The back cover of the 2009 FFV Purchasing Guide will be available to place your company name, address, logo, graphics, or other information of your choosing. What a great way to advertise your organization and showcase your support of E85 at conferences, in mailings or any way you want!

TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF THE NEVC FYI NEWSLETTER TO MARKET YOUR PRODUCTS
THE SIDEBAR IS THE PLACE TO BE SEEN

Beginning with THIS ISSUE of the NEVC FYI Newsletter, new NEVC corporate members will assume the spotlight in its sidebar and take advantage of FREE industry-wide advertising all throughout the year. The NEVC is offering appearances, including company logos and website hyperlinks, to each of its new members and existing corporate members when they make arrangements to have their space reserved. Members can email Haley Wansing at hwansing@e85fuel.com or call 573-635-8445, ext. 12. If a company is not already an NEVC member and would like to belong, they are encouraged to call or email and request a membership quote. This is a benefit the NEVC provides to its valued corporate members, in addition to the NEVC Member Spotlight, featuring detailed information about organizations when they initially join the NEVC. The NEVC FYI Newsletter is the largest ethanol-related publication in the industry and is distributed free of charge to nearly 100,000 subscribed email recipients on a biweekly basis.

New NEVC Members

NEVC welcomes these newest corporate members to the coalition:

Alabama BioFuels, LLC
Bee Line Snack Shop
Drum Oil & Propane
Home Service Oil Company
Jenny’s Market (Eclipse Retail)
KATZEN International, Inc.
Speedy Q Markets
Star Fuel Centers
State of Indiana Fleet Services
Tucson Regional Clean Cities Coalition
University of Oklahoma

Valley Petroleum, LLC, is now a proud member of the NEVC. The company is a petroleum equipment distributor and also belongs to the Petroleum Equipment Institute, the NY State Association of Convenience Stores and the Oil Heat Institute.

“We sell tanks, pumps, dispensers, piping systems, canopies, lighting and POS systems. We also do installations, including ground-up convenience stores, commercial and municipal refueling, emergency power generation and heating oil storage systems. In addition to that, we service everything we sell,” notes Vince Mattson of Valley Petroleum.

Mattson added, “We sold the equipment and handled the first two E85 installations in New York and have since begun the process of adding a half dozen more sites. We feel going forward with E85 will be a large part of the refueling market to reduce the nation’s dependence on imported oil. The manufacturers we represent and our customers are becoming members of the NEVC; and we feel the work done by the NEVC on behalf of this industry will accelerate the awareness and acceptance of E85 by the consuming public.”

Below is a list of fueling facilities which have installed E85 since the issuance of our last NEVC FYI Newsletter.

The following 63 facilities are or will soon be carrying the clean-burning, alternative—E85:

Terrible Herbst	Lake Havasu City	AZ
Roggen Farmers Elevator Association	Keenesburg	CO
Province Center Phillips 66	Highlands Ranch	CO
Big Apple Mart III	Parker	CO
Boulder Gas	Boulder	CO
City of Colorado Springs	Colorado Springs	CO
City of Durango	Durango	CO
City of Englewood	Englewood	CO
City of Ft. Collins	Fort Collins	CO
City of Ft. Collins - Spring Canyon	Ft. Collins	CO
City of Grand Junction	Grand Junction	CO
City of Littleton	Littleton	CO
Fort Carson	Colorado Springs	CO
Gilco Petroleum Park	Rifle	CO
Grainland Cooperative Car Care Center	Holyoke	CO
Southside Station	Steamboat Springs	CO
Stub's Gas and Oil, Inc.	Wiggins	CO
Weld County Government	Greeley	CO
Western Convenience	Thornton	CO
Western Convenience	Denver	CO
Western Convenience	Grand Junction	CO
Western Convenience	Delta	CO
Western Convenience	Fort Collins	CO
Kum & Go	Sloan	IA
Midwest Farmers Cooperative	Orange City	IA
East Dundee CITGO	East Dundee	IL
Clark Gas for Less	Chicago	IL
Diamond Shell DQ	Diamond	IL
Eldorado Knapp Mart	Eldorado	IL
Freedom Gas Station	Springfield	IL
Illinois State CMS Garage	Springfield	IL
River Auto Truck Plaza	Wilmington	IL
McClure Oil #52	Lebanon	IN
McClure Oil #57	Elwood	IN
McClure Oil #9	Kokomo	IN
McClure Oil #46	Greencastle	IN
McClure Oil #50	South Bend	IN
McClure Oil #54	South Bend	IN
Kwik Trip #477	Saint Bonifacius	MN
Centra Sota Cenex	Annandale	MN
Gas & Food	Crystal	MN
Pro Stop Truck Service	Eagan	MN
Farmers Union Oil Co	Grygla	MN
Freeborn County Coop Oil	Lyle	MN
Morris Amoco Food Shop	Morris	MN
City of Saint Paul	Saint Paul	MN
Beeline #5 (Shell)	Columbia	MO
Hornbacker's Fuel Express	Fargo	ND
Fitterer's Inc	Glen Ullin	ND
Western Convenience	Ogallala	NE
Western Convenience	Sidney	NE
Giant Eagle GetGo	Cleveland	OH
Dileo Auto Service	Jeffersonville	PA
Strasburg Auto & Cycle	Strasburg	PA
Kum & Go #615	Elk Point	SD
Get N Go #20	Sioux Falls	SD
RoadRunner Shell 101	Bristol	TN
RoadRunner Shell 113	Kingsport	TN
RoadRunner Shell 145	Kingsport	TN
RoadRunner Shell 124	Jonesborough	TN
Kwik Trip #450	Slinger	WI
Hansen's IGA	Elroy	WI
Cenex North C-Station	Menomonie	WI

There are currently 1,706 E85 stations available across the United States. For a complete listing, go to www.e85refueling.com.

This section highlights emails and letters the NEVC has recently received. Many of the comments or suggestions we receive are of interest to a wider audience and we would like to share them with our readers. Comments included in Letters to the NEVC do not necessarily reflect the views of the organization.

Thanks to the NEVC FYI Newsletter published on July 11, I learned of the new (and only) E85 station in Oklahoma City. Now my wife's Grand Cherokee and my Tahoe will be fed E85 when they're hungry. Of course, I have to drive 14 miles to get to the station, but I know all the great reasons to do it!

The NEVC always appreciates your comments and input. We invite you to contact Phil Lampert, executive director, any time you wish to provide remarks. Lampert can be reached at plampert@e85fuel.com.

Please feel free to email your story suggestions, comments, corrections, or clarifications to info@E85Fuel.com, or call us toll-free at (877) 485-8595.

Thanks for the emails to the NEVC! Feel free to email us with your comments at any time.

Calendar of Events

August 12-14, 2008
American Coalition of Ethanol’s 21st Ethanol Conference & Trade Show at the Qwest Center in Omaha, NE. For more information, visit http://www.ethanol.org.

September 4, 2008
98th Annual New Jersey Weights and Measures Association in Atlantic City, NJ. The NEVC will be discussing E85 issues.

September 28-October 3, 2008
National Conference of State Fleet Adminstrators Annual Conference in Long Beach, CA. NEVC will be exhibiting and making an E85 presentation. For more informaiton, click here.

October 6-8, 2008
Eighth Annual BioCycle Conference Focuses On Renewable Energy, Anaerobic Digestion and Biomass at the Madison Marriott West in Madison, WI. For more information, click here.

November 10-11, 2008
Great Plains Energy Expo at the Bismarck Civic Center in Bismarck, ND, sponsored by Byron Dorgan. For more information, visit www.bismarckstate.edu/GPEE.