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Recent Entries
- Propel announces Bay Area Network launch, 75 stations to come
- Ford’s new police Interceptor E85 compatible
- Heavy-duty Ford trucks gain efficiency
- Air Force Base adds Freedom to its Fuel
- Find Flex Fuel E85 on your iPhone
- Run faster, cleaner? Use E85.
- Volkswagen BlueMotion vehicles named 2010 World Green Car brand
- This 4th of July, Declare your Independence at the Pump
- Find E85, TomTom GPS App released
- US Senator Patty Murray and Propel discuss economic impacts of biodiesel industry
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Propel announces Bay Area Network launch, 75 stations to come
During a grand opening event at the Bay Area’s newest renewable fuel station in Oakland, CA, Propel Fuels along with partners from the California Department of General Services, California Energy Commission, CALSTART & East Bay Clean Cities, formally launched Propel’s Bay Area operations, which will include more than 20 stations across the Bay, with up to 10 open by the year’s end.
The event also announced a $10.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and California Energy Commission (CEC) to build and operate 75 retail renewable fuel stations throughout California over the next two years.
The station development project, know as the Low Carbon Fuel Infrastructure Investment Initiative (LCFI3), has the potential to create more than 450 green jobs in California, while displacing 39 million gallons of petroleum and 187,500 tons of CO2 emissions per year.
Propel’s Oakland Clean Fuel Point is one of four new stations already pumping fuel in the Bay. Propel also has six locations open in Sacramento, CA–with more on the way!
For a list of locations and stations coming soon, visit Propel’s Station Locator.
Posted in At the Pump, Biodiesel, Flex Fuel, Flex Fuel E85, Green Business, News Links, Propel Biofuels, Propel Customers, Retail locations
Tagged Biodiesel, propel, biofuel, ethanol, diesel, fleet, Flex Fuel, E85, biodiesel driver, Propel customer, E85 driver, alternative fuel, Green Business, low-carbon fuel, domestic fuel, Propel stations
Ford’s new police Interceptor E85 compatible
Ford’s new offering to the police force comes equipped with an E85-compatible 3.5L V6 engine that boasts 280 horsepower.
The Interceptor SUV and sedan will both be built at a Chicago Assembly Plant–American-built vehicles that can use American-made fuel.
Read more about the Ford Police Interceptor.
Posted in Emissions, Ethanol Research, Flex Fuel, Flex Fuel E85, Green Business, Vehicles, blog
Tagged biofuel, ethanol, Flex Fuel, E85, V6 Flex Fuel, E85 driver, alternative fuel, low-carbon fuel, domestic fuel
Heavy-duty Ford trucks gain efficiency
With a free computer upgrade, Ford gives its 6.7-L PowerStroke V8 turbocharged diesel engines an added boost of fuel efficiency. This translates to a 20% increase in efficiency for the 2011 Super Duty diesel pickups over last year’s models.
Ford is providing upgrades free for all current owners of a 2011 Super Duty diesel pickup. The upgrade will entail a 30 minute software adjustment by a dealership service department–customers will receive information in the mail regarding the upgrade beginning August 31st.
Want another added bonus? Ford supports the use of Biodiesel B20 blend in all new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbocharged diesel engines.
Air Force Base adds Freedom to its Fuel
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is helping to create independence from imported oil,
providing security to our nation in a whole new way. The base has announced the addition of E85 Flex Fuel, a change that positively affects our economy, our environment and our security.
Government Flex Fuel vehicles are required to use E85 to help meet Federal renewable fuel goals. An executive order states that federal agencies need to reduce energy intensity by 3 percent each year, leading to a reduction of 30 percent by the end of 2015.
“Ethanol is a much safer source of fuel for our environment,” said 1st Lt. Delwyn Campo, 87th Logistics Readiness Squadron, fuels management flight commander. “Along with implementing biodiesel in 2003, E85 is just another great step JB MDL is making toward a long-term environmental change.”
The joint base has two E85 fuel tanks – a 12,000-gallon tank at McGuire and a 10,000-gallon tank at Lakehurst – that are available for flex-fuel government vehicles. There are currently 261 vehicles at McGuire and 43 vehicles at Lakehurst that are E85 capable.
“It’s important for us as a country to start moving away from our dependence on petroleum-based fuels,” said Col. Gina Grosso, JB MDL commander. “This is a big step in that direction, and the joint base is now a model for this initiative.”
Find Flex Fuel E85 on your iPhone
Find, edit and update E85 retail locations–all from your iPhone.
The Renewable Fuels Association recently released a new iPhone App, E85 Fuelfinder–view in iTunes Preview–to help drivers locate E85 access nation-wide.
Users can add favorite stations, get driving directions, and view or update fuel prices. The application costs $1.99 and is available from the Apple App Store.
Read more from DomesticFuel.com.
Run faster, cleaner? Use E85.
The old rules of racing are being challenged as cleaner and more efficient automotive fuels find
their way to the track. Project Green, a group of researchers from the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory has found that modern fuel-injected engines powered by E-85, outperform the same engine with a carburetor and leaded racing fuel. The cleaner burning fuel injection engines have been replacing carburetors since the 80s, except on the track.
“The testing disproves two widely and firmly held beliefs in the circle track racing community: that carbureted engines are inherently more powerful than engines equipped with a fuel injection system; and that E-85, which is less expensive than leaded racing fuel, is not well-suited as a fuel for race cars”, says Forrest Jehlik, principal mechanical engineer at Argonne’s Center for Transportation Technology.
Read more http://www.anl.gov/Media_Center/News/2010/news100707.html
Volkswagen BlueMotion vehicles named 2010 World Green Car brand
“The definition of the World Green Car of the Year was expanded a bit today when the World Car of The Year organization named Volkswagen‘s BlueMotion product brand – including the Polo, Passat, and Golf models – as the 2010 World Green Car during the 2010 New York Auto Show. The 59-member jury’s statement declaring BlueMotion the winner took a swipe at hybrid technology when is said:
It is not necessary to add an electric motor and a heavy battery pack to achieve class-leading efficiency. Based on Volkswagen’s common-rail diesel engines, the BlueMotion models are among the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the market. In fact, the Passat BlueMotion can travel just about 1,000 miles on one tank of fuel in the European cycle. As far as internal combustion engines go today, these models are the ultimate you can get.
Even with these critical words, the organization did pick the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight as the Green Car of the Year runners-up. In other World COTY news, the VW Polo won the overall World Car of the Year title.”
Read more from Autoblog Green.
Find out where to fill up your diesel with cleaner burning biodiesel in California and Washington.
This 4th of July, Declare your Independence at the Pump
The Clean Air Choice Team, lead by the American Lung Association in North Dakota, encourages drivers to choose American-made fuel this Independence Day weekend.
E85 Flex Fuel is a new option at the pump for most drivers. The goal of the Clean Air Choice Team is to educate consumers about E85 fuel and its compatibility with flexible fuel vehicles.
Robert Moffitt, a spokesperson for the American Lung Association in North Dakota, said, “we calculate that if a single flex fuel vehicle is fueled with E85 instead of gasoline for a year, it prevents 4 tons of emissions from entering our air.”
The Clean Air Choice team has launch a North Dakota campaign encouraging drivers to fill tanks with E85 over the 4th of July weekend. Every trip to the pump is an opportunity to choose cleaner burning, domestically produced fuel.
Celebrate your freedom to choose what type of fuel to put in your car, truck or van. Find out if your vehicle can use Flex Fuel E85.
Find E85, TomTom GPS App released
You’re on your summer road trip cross-country, tank gage edging toward empty, you need to find the nearest E85 pump asap — simple, use the TomTom GPS App to navigate toward the closest E85 location.
The application, released by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), maps out the location of E85 fueling outlets all across the country. Flex Fuel Vehicles drivers can download the app to TomTom or Garmin GPS devises at www.ChooseEthanol.com.
Upon announcing the new app, Robert White, RFA Director of Market Development said, “We are continuing to explore new ways to connect the consumer with ethanol-blended fuels. TomTom and Garmin represent 67% of all GPS devices sold in the United States, and with our cooperation with the Department of Energy on station locations, this will continue to yield great results.”
To see a map of E85 stations across the US, visit the US Department of Energy’s interactive map.
Biodiesel + Electricity wins EcoCar Challenge
Mississippi State tops GM’s EcoCar Challenge this year with a GM/Saturn Vue-based biodiesel hybrid. The Vue is estimated to have a 60-mile electric range, to get you to class and back, before the B20 powered 1.3-liter turbodiesel engine spins up. The biodiesel hybrid system can achieve an equivalent of 118 mpg. That’s about 100 mpgs better than the standard Vue. You can understand why they won.
“Each team experimented with technologies and made great strides towards optimizing fuel efficiency and minimizing emissions. With critical and successful testing under their belts, we’re excited to see the teams refine and improve their vehicles in the last leg of the EcoCAR competition,” said Karl Stracke, GM vice president, Global Vehicle Engineering.
More at motortrend.com. Click below to Vue gallery
Posted in Biodiesel
Diesel and ethanol from algae, Texas pilot program begins
The goal is to use sunlight and waste CO2 to produce renewable diesel and ethanol from algae. Joule Unlimited, a Massachusetts-based company, believes they have the key to reaching this goal. In June, Joule will launch a pilot plant near Austin, Texas growing algae in large glass panels.
The company has developed single-cell organisms expressly for the purpose of creating fuel. Joule’s algae plants soak up sunlight and secrete oils, which are flushed out of the panel system using water. From there, the oils are separated from water to eventually refine into diesel and ethanol fuel.
The pilot production plant is slated to reach full commercial production by 2012–and Joule estimates 25,000 gallons of ethanol a year form each acre in production.
Eventually, such fuel production facilities will be located near power plants or ethanol production plants, capturing and using carbon dioxide emissions to feed the algae.
Read more about Joule’s pilot plant from the New York Times.
Posted in Biodiesel
Biodiesel Bulletin: Biodiesel delivers sweet treats
Propel customer, Essential Baking Company, is highlighted in the latest edition of the National Biodiesel Board’s monthly bulletin.

“The Web site for The Essential Baking Company in Seattle says it all: “We’re fussy. Fussy about taste, the texture of our bread, the flakiness of our pastry, the richness of our desserts, and preserving the time-honored techniques of baking. And don’t even get us started about the importance of the pureness of what we put into our bodies or our impact on the environment.”
That commitment to the environment is fulfilled in part by using 99 percent biodiesel . . .” Read more from the National Biodiesel board.
Posted in At the Pump, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Production, Biodiesel Quality, Biodiesel Research, Driver Testimonials, Emissions, Green Business, Propel Biofuels, Propel Customers, Retail locations, Vehicles, blog
Tagged Biodiesel, propel, biofuel, diesel, biodiesel driver, Propel customer, alternative fuel, Green Business, low-carbon fuel, domestic fuel
Buick Regal joins 2011 Flex Fuel Vehicle lineup
Add another flex fuel capable model to the list. All 2011 Buick Regals will be flex fuel ready starting this fall. The retooled 2.0-liter direct injected turbo engine is designed with alternative fuel in mind. The new design will increase fuel efficiency while using Flex Fuel E85.
As technology continues to improve, future engines will maintain the same level of fuel efficiency whether using flex fuel or petroleum gasoline.
See a list of all Flex Fuel Vehicle models.
GM invests in E85 compatible, fuel-efficient vehicles and American jobs
GM recently announced that it will invest more than $890 million to renovate five North American plants, creating or retaining more than 1,600 jobs and producing a new generation of fuel efficient, E85 compatible engines.
Mark Reuss, president of GM North America, stated, “these latest investments show our commitment to improving fuel economy for buyers of every GM car, truck and crossover and giving them the best possible driving and ownership experience.”
The new small block engine family will gain fuel efficiency through direct injection, a redesigned combustion system, and lighter aluminum engine blocks. GM says, “in addition to being E85 ethanol capable, these engines are being designed with the capability to meet increasingly stringent criteria emissions standards expected throughout this decade.”
Amtrak runs biodiesel in America’s heartland
Earlier this week, Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer train made its first journey powered by B20 biodiesel.
The Heartland Flyer will run on tallow-based B20 biodiesel for the next year with plans to potentially expand the program to the entire system. The Heartland Flyer uses over 100,000 gallons of diesel fuel every year on its 400-mile route between Fort Worth, TX and Oklahoma City, OK.
The biodiesel test program is funded by a federal government grant. Amtrak will monitor and track train performance and emission reductions from the use of biodiesel.
The majority of Amtrak’s passenger trains burn petroleum diesel. In one year, Amtrak trains use over 62 million gallons of fuel. Switching to B20 biodiesel would significantly reduce consumption of petroleum diesel and has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by almost 200 million pounds.
Celebrate Earth Day with Propel
Come celebrate Earth Day with Propel in Sacramento on Thursday, April 22, 2010 from 9am – 2pm at Cesar Chavez Park at 10th and I Streets. Propel will be giving away FREE FUEL CARDS to lucky flex fuel and biodiesel drivers.
Enjoy free entertainment, interactive learning and celebrate the earth! For more information please call the Earth Day HOTLINE (916) 808-6525.
Posted in Biodiesel, Climate Change, Flex Fuel E85, Pricing, Propel Biofuels, Propel Customers, Retail locations, Vehicles, blog
Tagged Biodiesel, earth day, Flex Fuel, Free Fuel, Propel Event, Sacramento
Just in time for BBQ season . . . grill with ethanol
Trade in your charcoal barbaque for a cleaner burning alternative–grill with ethanol using FlameDisk®. Sologear, a Wisconsin-based company, developed FlameDisk® technology to create a new, more ecofriendly heat source for existing grills. The grilling technology uses solidified ethanol, it lights quickly and is ready to cook right away.
Sologear describes FlameDisk® as ”much more eco-friendly than charcoal and lighter fluid because it features renewable ethanol. Ethanol is extremely clean burning and generates 90% fewer pollutants than charcoal. The FlameDisk®’s aluminum casing is also recyclable.”
More about FlameDisk®.
Changing how America fuels, one tank at a time
In January, American drivers displaced 784,000 barrels of foreign oil every day by using American-made ethanol fuel, the most renewable fuel ever used in America’s history. A big thanks to all Propel customers who contributed by choosing to fill their vehicles with renewable, homegrown Flex Fuel E85.
Together, we can change what we put in our tanks, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and support domestically-produced, cleaner burning fuel.
Read more from Domestic Fuel.
Posted in At the Pump, Driver Testimonials, Emissions, Flex Fuel, Flex Fuel E85, Green Business, Propel Biofuels, Propel Customers, Retail locations
Tagged alternative fuel, biofuel, domestic fuel, E85, E85 driver, ethanol, Flex Fuel, flex fuel tahoe, ford ffv, Green Business, low-carbon fuel, propel, Propel customer
Mazda unveils 43 mpg SKY-D diesel
Mazda recently announced that it plans to bring a mid-sized diesel vehicle to the United States by 2012. This will be Mazda’s first diesel sold in the U.S.–the vehicle will use the new SKY-D engine and have a 43 mpg highway rating.
Compared to the current diesel engine design, the diesel SKY-D will be 20 percent more fuel-efficient, have more torque, and have a ceramic diesel particulate filter which will meet American emission regulations.
Why Wait? New Lamborghini is E85 compatible
No news on the price tag, but Lamborghini aims to make its new generation more efficient, meet a 35 percent CO2 reduction goal and add E85 fuel compatibility.
A post from Car and Driver reports that Lamborghini is working on “stop/start capability to thrift fuel in urban settings, cylinder deactivation—so that both the V-10 and the V-12 can operate on half as many cylinders—E85 compatibility, and possibly even a mild-hybrid solution.”
Lamborghini will also utilize carbon fiber to reduce the weight of the vehicle and offset any weight-gain from incorporating a hybrid system. Lamborghini collaborated with the University of Washington and Boeing to create the Automobili Lamborghini Composite Structures Laboratory (ACSL). Look for further developments in this field as carbon fiber costs are predicted to decline by 2012 – 2014.
Chrysler focuses on fuel efficiency, E85 compatibility
Chrysler’s new flex fuel-ready, V-6 engine goes into production this week, as part of an overhaul to Chrysler’s powertrain lineup. Not only will engines be fully flex fuel compatible, fuel efficiency will also increase by 25 percent over the next four years.
The new Pentastar V-6 engine will be available in Chrysler, Ram Truck, Jeep and Dodge models. The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee will be the first model to debut the revamped engine, which boasts a 38 percent increase in horsepower, 11 percent increase in torque and 11 percent fuel economy improvement. Read more from Motor Authority.
Is your current vehicle compatible with Flex Fuel E85? Find out now.
New Interceptor Replaces Crown Vic, Remains E85 Compatible
Ford Motor Company recently announced that the new 2011 Police Interceptor, based on the redesigned Taurus, will replace the ubiquitous Crown Victoria. The new Interceptor design meets tough new federal rollover requirements, while the Crown Vic did not.
The power train features a V-6 engine that matches or exceeds V-8 performance in two options: a highly efficient 3.5-liter E8- compatible V-6 engine delivering at least 263 horsepower, and an all-new 3.5-liter EcoBoost™ V-6 twin-turbocharged, direct-injection.
The vehicle is to be built in Ford’s Torrence Ave plant on Chicago’s South side. Read more.
Posted in Biodiesel
Propel’s 85 cent E85 event a great success
Last Wednesday’s event brought drivers across Sacramento to Propel stations to fill with E85 Flex Fuel for $0.85/gallon. New and returning customers were happy to brave the morning’s stormy weather to fill their tanks with low-carbon, domestically produced E85.
Drivers across the region joined together to reduce approximately 30,000 lbs of CO2 and save over $10,000 at the pump–in just one day!
Propel team members enjoyed meeting new customers at the pumps on Wednesday, as well as catching up with many loyal Propel users. We appreciate all your comments and suggestions on ways to improve customer experience at the pumps.
See more pictures from the event on our Facebook page.
Posted in At the Pump, Driver Testimonials, Emissions, Flex Fuel, Flex Fuel E85, Green Business, Green House Gases (GHG), Pricing, Propel Biofuels, Propel Customers, Retail locations, Vehicles
Tagged alternative fuel, biofuel, domestic fuel, E85, E85 driver, ethanol, Event, Flex Fuel, flex fuel tahoe, ford ffv, low-carbon fuel, propel, Propel customer
Propel offers 85 cent E85 on Feb. 24th
On Wednesday, February 24th, Propel will offer E85 Ethanol for $.85/gallon at all Sacramento locations. The goal of the program, in partnership with CALSTART, is to help inform the 25,000 Flex Fuel drivers in Sacramento of the economic savings and environmental benefits of fueling with domestically produced, low carbon fuel. Join us at the pump on Wednesday from 9 am to 6 pm!
Promotion Details
Where: All Propel Sacramento area locations – see map
When: Wednesday, February 24, 9 am – 6 pm
More Info: Email info@propelfuels.com or call 1.800.871.0773
Not sure if you have a Flex Fuel Vehicle?
E85 capable Flex Fuel vehicles can be identified by the manufacturer’s vehicle badge, yellow gas cap, or by checking the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) online. Find out if your vehicle is E85 compatible by checking online at www.propelfuels.com/driveE85.
Engine maker increases fuel economy for E85
Engine technology is beginning to catch up with alternative fuels. How an engine is designed can directly improve fuel economy for alternative fuels like E85, and
Ricardo is making great strides in this direction with their Ethanol Boosted Direct Injection (EBDI) technology. Ricardo estimates that an E85 fuel economy improvement of up to 30 percent is possible with no loss of power or performance, using their EBDI engine in place of currently available gasoline power train. That makes E85 more efficient then gasoline.
So the testing begins. Two demonstrator vehicles are to be produced incorporating Ricardo’s EBDI engine technology showing that extreme optimization of ethanol combustion can enable engine downsizing of the order of 50 percent and still deliver substantial fuel economy and CO2 emission improvements from a cost-effective, high performance, inherently low emission power train. The project will use Ricardo’s EBDI flex fuel engine, developed from a production V6 gasoline engine, to repower two GMC Sierra 3500 HD pickup trucks, each with a curb weight of 6,000 pounds. Ricardo and partner Growth Energy have announced the project aims to show the market-readiness of Ricardo’s EBDI technology, which optimizes flex-fuel vehicles to burn ethanol with consumer value, horsepower and fuel economy comparable to gasoline. All that and independence from foreign oil. We wish them luck!
Posted in Ethanol Research, Flex Fuel, Flex Fuel E85, Vehicles
Tagged ethanol, Flex Fuel, E85, E85 driver, alternative fuel, Green Business, low-carbon fuel, E85 Engine
Enterprise’s shuttle fleet to run biodiesel
Enterprise, the largest vehicle rental company in North America, announced plans to fuel their entire airport shuttle fleet of more than 600 buses on biodiesel. Most shuttle buses will begin by using a B5 biodiesel blend, while in nine regions, buses will use a B20 blend with the intention of converting the entire bus fleet to B20 in the next five years.

By switching to biodiesel, the Enterprise fleet will reduce carbon emissions by the equivalent of retiring 40 shuttle buses and will reduce petroleum use by 420,000 gallons–in the first year alone.
In California, Propel Fuels and Enterprise have formed a partnership aimed to educate Enterprise customers on the availability and benefits of alternative fuels, and to fuel Enterprise’s rental cars with renewable E85.




























