Entries from June 2009
If you look in the Propel parking lot you’ll see a common thread, clean diesel vehicles. As a fuel company working to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, we recognize the importance of providing access to both American-made fuels, as well as efficient clean diesel and Flex Fuel vehicles. Audi recently premiered its “Diesel. No longer a dirty word.” campaign with a provocative message that stuck home. The advertisement reminds us that America uses 1.5 million barrels of foreign oil each day. And with more efficient vehicles, we can send it all back. Watch the video — click here. Learn more about the Clean Diesel Movement.
America uses 1.5 million barrels of foreign oil each day.
With efficient cars and American-made fuels, we can send it all back.
Categories: Big Oil · Biodiesel · Emissions · Green Business · Propel Biofuels · Vehicles · blog
Tagged: alternative fuel, audi, audi tdi, Biodiesel, biofuel, diesel, domestic fuel, foreign oil, Green Business, low-carbon fuel, propel
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu recommends that all cars built in the United States should have the ability to run E85 Flex Fuel. Chu maintains that Flex Fuel compatibility is smart investment that will cost the industry little due to the small incremental costs needed for each new car produced.
“I’ve been told it costs about $100 in gaskets and fuel lines to turn a car so that it can go all the way to E85,” Chu said, addressing government officials at the Des Moines Botanical Center. “But a new car, it would only cost $100 out of $15,000. Wouldn’t it be nice to put in those fuel lines and gaskets so that we can use any ratio we wanted?”
The idea has faced some opposition from manufacturers. “We oppose technology mandates of any kind,” said Charles Territo, with the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. “Manufacturers should be allowed to choose the types of technology they invest in. There’s only so much (research and development) money to go around.”
Read more.
Categories: Flex Fuel · News Links · Politics
Tagged: alternative fuel, domestic fuel, E85, ethanol, Flex Fuel, propel
Categories: At the Pump · Driver Testimonials · Emissions · Flex Fuel · Green Business · Propel Biofuels · Propel Customers · Retail locations
Tagged: alternative fuel, domestic fuel, E85, E85 driver, ethanol, fleet, Flex Fuel, Green Business, low-carbon fuel, propel, Propel customer, USPS Flex Fuel
Propel community members share their stories.
Elk Grove, CA – Elk Grove Clean Fuel Point – June 2009
We were excited to meet Comcast technician, Koso, filling his Flex Fuel service van at Propel’s Elk Grove location. Many of the 2009 Ford E-Series commerical vans are flex fuel capable.
Comcast makes a concerted effort to deploy alternative fuel vehicles as part of their fleet. Currently, Comcast has over 1,200 flex fuel vehicles.
According to Comcast’s 2009 Corporate Responsibility Report, it has the 2nd largest number of hybrid and alternative fuel capable vehicles in the communications industry.
Comcast pledges to “continue to purchase alternative fuel capable vehicles and use alternative fuels where it proves environmentally beneficial and operationally responsible”.
With the increased access to alternative fuels in the Sacramento area, we hope to see more of Comcast at Propel’s pumps!
Categories: Driver Testimonials · Emissions · Flex Fuel · Green Business · Propel Biofuels · Propel Customers · Retail locations · Vehicles · blog
Tagged: propel, biofuel, ethanol, fleet, Flex Fuel, E85, ford ffv, Propel customer, E85 driver, alternative fuel, Green Business, low-carbon fuel, domestic fuel
Propel community members share their stories.
Rocklin, CA – Rocklin Clean Fuel Point – Thursday, June 11th
Trey and Melissa frequently fill up their flex fuel-capable Ford F150 at Propel’s Rocklin, California location.
They bought the F150 without realizing it was a Flex Fuel Vehicle–able to run E85, regular petroleum gasoline or a mixture of both.
Trey noticed a label on the fuel tank door stating “ethanol fuel or unleaded gasoline only,” so he called the dealership. Sure enough, 5.4L engine Ford F150s from the model years 2006 – 2009 (8th character of VIN = “V”) are all flex fuel capable.
As regular gasoline prices climb, filling with E85 has helped Trey and Melissa save money–sometimes as much as $30 a tank!
Categories: At the Pump · Biodiesel · Driver Testimonials · Flex Fuel · Pricing · Propel Biofuels · Propel Customers · Retail locations · Vehicles · blog
Tagged: propel, ethanol, Flex Fuel, E85, ford ffv, Propel customer, E85 driver, alternative fuel, low-carbon fuel
A recent study conducted by John Lumkes of Purdue University confirms what many already know about biodiesel, it performs flawlessly. The study shows that there is zero difference in performance and durability for semitrailer trucks using B20, an industry standard blend of biodiesel and ultra-low sulfur diesel.
“In terms of performance, reliability and maintenance costs, it was basically a wash,” said John Lumkes, the assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering who led the study. “The only differences are environmental and economic.”
The yearlong study compared two 10-vehicle truck fleets, one using the ultra-low sulfur fuel, and the other B20. The fleets had the same engines, similar miles, and drove nearly the same number of miles over the duration of the study. The study was released in the journal Applied Engineering in Agriculture.
Read more at http://www.lafayette-online.com/science-technology/2009/06/biodiesel-performs-well/.
Categories: Biodiesel
Propel community members share their stories.
Sacramento, CA – Folsom Blvd Clean Fuel Point – Friday, June 5th
On a quick trip out to the Folsom Blvd location, we met Lon Hatamiya, former Secretary of Technology, Trade and Commerce for Calfornia, fueling his Chevy Suburban with Flex Fuel E85.
He’s a major proponent of alternative fuels and has been filling at the Folsom Blvd and Rocklin locations since the stations opened in California earlier this year.
Categories: At the Pump · Driver Testimonials · Emissions · Flex Fuel · Propel Biofuels · Propel Customers · Retail locations · Vehicles · blog
Tagged: propel, biofuel, ethanol, Chevron, Flex Fuel, E85, Propel customer, E85 driver, alternative fuel, low-carbon fuel, domestic fuel, suburban flex fuel
We met Dave filling up at our Rocklin, CA location. And couldn’t help but notice his enthusiasm for alternative fuel.
He converted his 1984 Toyota pick-up with the help of David Blume’s book, Alcohol Can Be A Gas!, to run on E85 flex fuel. It’s been four months since he made the conversion and all is going well.
Dave says, “I went from 24 miles per gallon to 22, and the last time I bought fuel, ethanol was $2.05 per gallon and regular was $2.80 at the same station, that’s a lot better miles per dollar.”
Categories: At the Pump · Biodiesel · Driver Testimonials · Emissions · Flex Fuel · Propel Biofuels · Propel Customers · Retail locations · Vehicles · blog
Tagged: propel, ethanol, Flex Fuel, E85, Propel customer, E85 driver, alternative fuel, low-carbon fuel, domestic fuel
On Monday, June 1st, Propel hosted Seattle’s first Hydrogen Vehicle Show at the Downtown Seattle Clean Fuel Point. As part of the 28-city, Hydrogen Road Tour, the event previewed the latest hydrogen fuel cell vehicle designs and provided information on how fuel cells fit into our nation’s clean transportation future. All vehicles on displayed have the potential to provide the range, efficiency and performance consumers expect — with zero tailpipe emissions.
“Propel’s fueling platform delivers advanced low-carbon fuels including biodiesel from waste stream feedstocks like recycled fats and oils, and locally grown, marginal land crops like camelina,” said Rob Elam, President and Co-Founder of Propel speaking of the event on Monday. “Our fueling platform has the forward-flexibility to accommodate advanced fuels such as bio-methane, hydrogen and electric charging as these vehicle technologies gain momentum in the marketplace. Today’s event shows how close these vehicles are to commercialization.”
Fuel cell vehicles from top manufacturers, including Daimler, GM, Honda, VW, and more, were showcased at the event. Fuel cell vehicles are electric vehicles that generate their electricity from hydrogen stored in a tank, instead of recharging from the grid. Fuel cells are also used in transit buses, forklifts, airport tugs, as back-up power for data centers, and as primary power for buildings.
“The Hydrogen Road Tour showcases the progress of hydrogen programs in the U.S. and Canada,” said California Fuel Cell Partnership executive director Catherine Dunwoody.
One of the tour support vehicles, the Volkswagen V10 Touareg TDI filling with Propel B20 Biodiesel.
“These vehicles are comfortable, perform great, refuel in minutes and will travel the distance with zero tailpipe emissions, zero petroleum and greatly reduced greenhouse gases. Thousands of people will get a chance to try these vehicles for themselves.”
Propel partnered with the California Fuel Cell Partnership, California Air Resources Board (CARB), National Hydrogen Association, US Fuel Cell Council and Powertech Labs to organize the event.
Categories: Biodiesel · Driver Testimonials · Emissions · Green Business · Green House Gases (GHG) · Nox · Particulates · Propel Biofuels · Propel Customers · Retail locations · Vehicles · blog
Tagged: Biodiesel, propel, biofuel, hydrogen, fuel cell, Propel customer, alternative fuel, Green Business, low-carbon fuel, domestic fuel, hydrogen fuel
