Tag Archives: E85 driver

Propel Fuels Partners with Econation Green Transportation Service in California

Just in time for the New Year, Propel is making new friends in the fleet world, including our latest fleet customer, Econation – a global ground transportation company that exclusively employs the use of hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles in its fleets.

Econation driver Teddy fills his Suburban with Propel's Flex Fuel E85 in Arcadia, CA.

Econation will fuel its fleet of Flex Fuel vehicles at Propel locations in the greater Los Angeles area with renewable E85 fuel – a cost-effective blend of 85 percent high-performance, American-made ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. As a business member of Propel’s proprietary CleanDrive® program, Econation will also be able to track the environmental impact of every gallon of Propel fuel pumped, including pounds of CO2 reduced, barrels of oil displaced and more.

“Today more than ever, travelers appreciate being able to do something better for the environment while still experiencing the comfort, luxury and affordability they associate with a leading transportation company,” said Econation Managing Partner Ben Bloch. “We view this new partnership with Propel in the same light. We’re able to fuel our Flex Fuel vehicles with the sustainable, American product they were designed for without sacrificing quality, performance or cost. And Propel’s CleanDrive reporting program complements emissions data reports that we offer our clients. It’s a natural marriage.”

The CleanDrive system is an integrated carbon emission reduction tracking platform that tracks and displays the carbon emission reductions from the use of renewable fuels purchased at Propel stations. CleanDrive graphically displays the positive impacts of renewable fuel use including: reductions in CO2, barrels of oil displaced and reductions in foreign oil consumed. The system tracks fuel usage across Propel’s network of fueling stations, enabling businesses and government fleets to quantify the positive impacts of their decision to use low-carbon fuels, and in some cases meet mandated or voluntary fleet emission reduction goals. (You can have your own personal CleanDrive account, too! It’s free to register.)

“We’re proud to work with Econation who is setting high standards in green transportation and introducing sustainable fuels to an entirely new sector,” said Propel CEO Matt Horton. “Together with great fleets, individual drivers and better choices at the pump, we are making progress at reducing our dependency on imported oil and helping meet our nation’s emission reduction goals.”

So who exactly is Econation?

Econation is a global “green” alternative to traditional ground transportation (taxi’s, Town cars, limousines and buses). Offering an assortment of the most cutting edge hybrid and alternative fuel based sedans, utility vehicles and buses, Econation provides corporations and individuals with a way to be environmentally and socially conscious without sacrificing price, comfort, or dependable service. Econation was the first alternative fuel and hybrid firm to win Limousine, Charter and Tour (LCT) magazine’s 2011 Operator of the Year award, which measures chauffeured ground transportation firms on categories including innovation, safety and operational excellence.

To learn more about Propel Fuels, visit us online on from your mobile phone at propelfuels.com. More information on Econation is available at www.econation.com.

Propel’s gone mobile!

We are happy to announce the launch of Propel Mobile. Visit propelfuels.com from your smart phone to get started.

The new Propel Fuels mobile site has everything you need to find and fill with Propel renewable fuels. In addition to the great features above, now you can:

  • Contact Customer Service with the touch of a button
  • Get the facts about our clean fuels
  • Add Propel to your home screen for quick, app-like access on the go
  • Easily access our main site for our full suite of online resources

New engines maximize ethanol’s power and MPGs

Most drivers like the power, price and renewable benefits of E85, but are looking for ways to increase MPGs. Engines designed with gasoline as the primary fuel are not maximizing ethanol’s potential, which can often lead to mileage penalties. However, new  technology from manufactures like Ricardo is geared toward running efficiently with ethanol’s higher octane rating.

In a recent interview with Fleet Owner magazine, Robert Kozak, president of Atlantic Biomass Conversions pointed out that, “Such engine designs tap into the positive ability of ethanol to resist early ignition, thus regaining much of the previous fuel economy loss,” Kozak explained. “Higher octane ethanol makes an internal combustion engine operate more efficiently – up in the 30% to even 40% range – while it’s also priced lower than gasoline, on the order of 10 to 15%, because of its lower Btu or energy content.”

The goal is to produce direct injection engines that perform equal to if not more efficiently than current gasoline engines. And this is what Ricardo engine product group has developed in their ethanol boosted direct injection platform.  According to Rod Beazley, director of Ricardo, Ethanol’s higher octane rating allows the fuel to withstand compression rates closer to that of diesel engines. The higher the compression rates the better an engine can translate energy into power.

These first steps toward boosting ethanol efficiency in heavy-duty engines opens the door for continued technology innovation and helps solidify ethanol as a desirable choice for drivers.

Read more from Fleet Owner.

Michigan Sheriff’s Fleet Saves with E85

Low price at the pump combined with limited MPG-loss combine for significant savings.

Huron County Sheriff’s Office began an experiment last March that had the department testing blends of Ethanol from E50 to E85. The goal: saving the county money through its fleet of 12 flex-fuel vehicles.

Sheriff Kelly J. Hanson found that as long as ethanol prices are less per gallon than the price at the pump for unleaded fuel, it would result in a significant cost savings. “As it turns out, our patrol fleet, which is mainly Chevrolet Impala cars, averaged between 1.5 miles to 2 miles less per gallon on E85 as opposed to unleaded,” said Hanson.

The Department also experimented with E50 and found that there was just about a one mile per gallon difference.

“When we basically went and took a pencil to it, it was determined that as long as pricing patterns remained the same, E85 would be the better choice,” he said. “Obviously, we are going to have to continuously monitor price differences in order for the county to benefit.”

If the price difference (with unleaded fuel costing significantly more) remains the same between E85 and unleaded, Hanson said the department stands to save nearly $1,000 per 25,000 miles.

“When you take into consideration our office puts on more than 400,000 patrol miles in a year, our county could benefit from the use of ethanol,” he said.

But access to the fuel can be an issue. Because Bad Axe and Harbor Beach do not have ethanol stations, Hanson said those patrols vehicles that start out of Bad Axe and Harbor Beach will frequently be forced to use unleaded fuel.

“Our deputies are being encouraged to purchase ethanol if they are in the vicinity of an ethanol station and their vehicle could use fuel,” said Hanson. “It would be pointless to specifically drive several miles in order to just buy ethanol.”

Full Story

Ethanol Producer Magazine: Propel discusses fueling infrastructure’s role in reducing petroleum imports

Earlier this month. President Obama announced a a goal to reduce petroleum imports by one-third by 2025. As reported by Ethanol Producer Magazine, Propel Fuels discusses the role of fueling infrastructure in President Obama’s plan.

“The key to both fleet usage of the fuels and meeting President Obama’s goals is infrastructure,” Propel CEO Matt Horton is quoted as saying in the article. “We’ve got the vehicles today for high blend ethanol, we just need more incentive to build out the infrastructure and we’ll be there.”

To check out the full story, visit Ethanol Producer Magazine. Curious if you can help offset imported petroleum by filling with E85? Visit Propel’s Flex Fuel Vehicles page online, or find a Clean Fuel Point near you.

From Biofuels Digest: The Faces of Biofuels

It starts with having a choice. As those who have chosen renewable fuels over petroleum, you are a crucial part of helping our country meet its economic and environmental goals. This week, the industry’s leading online journal, Biofuels Digest, has provided a fine microphone to share your voices with their first installment of the new series “The Faces of Biofuels.” With a little help from you, this piece featured a whole crew of consumers all happy to be filling their rides with clean, American-made Flex Fuel E85.

Read the full article and meet all of this week’s “Faces”!

Kai, a self-proclaimed "Ethanol Fuel Enthusiast," fills her standard Honda Civic with an E85/petroleum blend

American Patriot Trey fills up his Flex Fuel Ford F-150 at a Propel Clean Fuel Point in Rocklin, CA

CA's former Secretary of Technology, Trade and Commerce fuels up his Chevy Suburban with Flex Fuel E85 at Propel's Folsom location

Thanks to Biofuels Digest for capturing this enthusiasm — and to the growing community of clean fuel drivers everywhere: thank you for your commitment, your businesses and your voice. Every fill with renewable fuels encourages freedom from harmful emissions, petroleum usage and foreign oil dependency, so keep up the good work!

Do you, or does your business, fill with Propel’s clean E85 or biodiesel? Submit your story to Propel Fuels.

From Moonshine to Fuel: Ethanol is an American Tradition

Clean, American ethanol is a part of our history! Click the images below to learn more.

Propel Featured in Ethanol Producer Magazine


Hot off the presses! The February issue of Ethanol Producer Magazine includes a spotlight article on Propel Fuels and the company’s mission to provide the retail infrastructure necessary to bring renewable fuels to the consumer, now and in the future.

In the article, author Kris Bevill details Propel’s unique business model – which includes fostering a symbiotic relationship where Propel leases space on which to build their Clean Fuel Points from existing fuel retailers  – as well as the funding, support and partnerships that CEO Matt Horton says are so elemental to Propel’s current and future success.

“Rebuilding the nation’s fueling infrastructure takes time, but we need to understand as an industry that it’s more than just making a pump available,” Horton is quoted as saying. “We need to treat this issue holistically and make sure we’re addressing all the key drivers for success.”

Today, Propel offers biodiesel at its stations in WA State and both E85 and biodiesel at its stations in CA. Additional plans to expand locations and product offerings in accordance with market demand are in the works.

For more info, check out the full article from Ethanol Producer Magazine
or visit Propel Fuels.

Propel Hosts First Stop of EcoTREK’s “Best of America Tour”

EcoTREK is driving 10,000 miles crosscountry in an American-made Flex Fuel vehicle, powered with cellulosic ethanol provided by POET — all with the goal of increasing awareness of the economic, environmental and national security benefits of domestically grown biofuels.

Tom Holm, Executive Director and intrepid driver for EcoTREK, made Propel’s Oakland Clean Fuel Point the tour’s first destination. Propel CEO, Matt Horton welcomed Tom to the station and shared his enthusiasm for EcoTREK’s goal. “Today we got a preview of ultra-low carbon fuels from non-food sources, representing the next level of sustainability for fuels that can run in our vehicles today. Propel, EcoTREK and POET each represent critical pieces to reducing our dependence on petroleum; widespread consumer access, advanced vehicle technologies, and the next generation of renewable fuels.”

POET’s cellulosic ethanol is produced from corn cobs and light stover (leaves, husks, some stalk) at a pilot pant in Scotland, South Dakota. Work is underway at Project LIBERTY, POET’s planned 25 million-gallon-per-year cellulosic ethanol plant, which will be built in Emmetsburg, Iowa.

Read more about EcoTREK’s Propel visit.

Follow Tom’s journey on the EcoTREK blog.

EcoTREK in Oakland

Music: Quiet Life hailing from Portland, OR. Check out their music.

Check out new 2011 Flex Fuel Vehicle models

Find out if you can drive E85 Flex Fuel! Propel Fuels has updated our website with the current list of Flex Fuel-compatible vehicles, including new 2011 models — and your car, truck, van, crossover or SUV could make a difference. Made in America from renewable resources such as corn, switch grass and agricultural  waste, E85 Flex Fuel helps to:

  • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
  • Support American jobs and farmers
  • Decrease the need for imported oil
  • Strengthen the domestic economy

Check our Flex Fuel Vehicle List today to see if you can help drive America’s future with clean, E85 Flex Fuel — or, for more information on E85, visit www.PropelFuels.com.

A sampling of 2011′s new Flex Fuel vehicle offerings:

Ford Fusion
Take advantage of versatile size & surprising power with the Fusion’s Flex Fuel-compatible 3.0L Duratech V6.

Ford Super Duty F250
One of the most clean fuel-friendly vehicles on the market, the 2011 F250 is available with either a Flex Fuel-compatible gas engine OR a burly diesel engine that can accommodate biodiesel blends of up to 20%!

Dodge Challenger
What’s more American than classic, American muscle? American muscle FLEXing its power with clean, renewable, American fuel!

Dodge Charger
Higher-octance Flex Fuel E85 feels right at home with the Charger’s track-inspired styling.


Flex Fuel E85 Locator for the Android

The Renewable Fuels Association recently unveiled the Flex Fuel station locator app for the Android smartphone platform.

The app equips users with all the necessary tools to quickly find stations offering Flex Fuel in their area. The program provides directions, fuel pricing and contact information for each E85 location. While on the road, the app allows users to find the Flex Fuel outlet in closest proximity. Users can compile a list of frequently visited locations with the Favorites feature.

The Android application pulls from a database of over 2,400 Flex Fuel outlets developed by the Alternative Fuels & Advanced Vehicles Data Center and the U.S. Department of Energy. The app is free to download from the Android Marketplace. Or scan the bar code to deliver the application straight to your phone.

Read more from the Renewable Fuels Association.

Want more power? Burn Flex Fuel E85.

No software or hardware adjustment needed–the 2011 Ford F-150 5.0-liter V8 engine is ready to run on E85.

As posted on PickupTrucks.com, “the 5.0-L F150 is rated at 360 horsepower (at 5,500 rpm) and 380 pounds-feet of torque (at 4,250 rpm) running on regular unleaded gasoline. But the 5.0 is also flex-fuel capable. Flexible-fuel vehicles are designed to run on gasoline or a blend of up to 85 percent ethanol (E85).

Burning E85 fuel boosts 5.0 engine power to 375 hp and 390 pounds-feet of torque, said Mike Harrison, Ford’s program manager for V-8 engines.”

Flex Fuel E85 has a 105 octane rating and a higher compression ratio than regular gasoline, making it a highly efficient fuel.

Read more from PickupTrucks.com.

Want to test it out for yourself? Try a tank of E85 from any Propel California location. For a map and list of stations, visit Propel’s Station Locator.

Innovative design & E85 capability wins Automotive X Prize

The ultra-light, E85-powered Edison2 vehicle getting 102 miles per gallon won the top award in the automotive X Prize.

Out of 111 competing teams, the Edison2 car was chosen as the winner of the Mainstream Class, 4-passenger, 4-wheel vehicles. The “Very Light Car #98″ weighing about 830 pounds,  boasts a 250cc engine fueled by high-octane E85.

The Edison2 team will use the $5 million prize to help bring the vehicle to market in a more consumer-ready version.

Read more the Automotive X Prize.

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.

From Left: Director Joel A. Ayala Governor’s Office of Economic Development. Matt Horton, CEO, Propel Fuels. Steve Sokolsky, represents both East Bay Clean Cities and CALSTART. Commissioner Anthony Eggert, California Energy Commission

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Read more from autoblog.com.

See a list of all Flex Fuel Vehicle models.

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.

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.

Read more about Lamborghini from Car and Driver.

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.

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.

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!

Read more.

At the Pump . . .

Propel community members share their stories.

Elk Grove, CA – Elk Grove Clean Fuel Point - December 2009

We met Jennifer fueling her C230 Mercedes-Benz with Flex Fuel at the Elk Grove Clean Fuel Point. She has been filling with Propel ever since the service department at her vehicle dealership told her that her C230 was flex fuel capable.

Mercedes does not badge flex fuel models, making it difficult to figure out which vehicle are flex fuel capable.

Flex Fuel Capable Mercedes Models:

C230 Sedan 2.5L, model year 2007

C240 Luxury Sedan & Wagon 2.6L, model year 2005

C300 Luxury & Sport 3.0L, model years 2008 – 2009

C320 Sedan, Sport Sedan & Wagon 3.2L, model years 2003 – 2005

See a full list of Flex Fuel Vehicles.

2011 Chevy Cruze hits 40 mpg, adds E85 capability

Replacing Cobalt in 2011, Chevy Cruze will be available with two engine options, an E85-capable 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 140 hp, or a 138 hp 1.8-liter four-cylinder. The Cruze high-efficiency version will hit 40-mpgs highway, aided by variable valve timing, electric, speed-sensitive steering.  The typical automatic transmission Cruze, should hit 37 mpg. The Cruze is an important model to GM, as it competes directly with Civic and Corolla models.

Read more.

Cellulosic Plant takes a big step towards converting Corn Cobs into Fuel

South Dakota based POET is pioneering commercial-scale next generation ethanol Poet_Libertyproduction with their Project Liberty plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa. The 25 million-gallon-per-year plant reached a significant benchmark yesterday receiving a 20 million dollar commitment from Lt Governor Patty Judge. Former four-star General Wesley Clark spoke to attendees about the important role they would play in providing more homegrown fuel for the nation.

“We are involved in something that is historic,” Clark said. “We are going to significantly reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources, and we will strengthen America’s national security.”

POET currently operates a pilot-scale cellulosic plant in Scotland, S.D. currently producing 20,000 gallons per year of cellulosic ethanol. The newly funded Iowa plant will commercialize the process creating hundreds of new green jobs.

Watch coverage by KTIV News 4

E85-driving Vikings fans get free parking

E85_Parking_MNThe Minnesota Vikings team up with the American Lung Association to offer FREE parking to the first 25 flex fuel vehicles at every home game. The flex fuel drivers get prime parking in the Gold Lot, which normally goes for $40, plus discount coupons for the closest flex fuel E85 station.

The new environmental initiative, “Viking Purple Planet – Helping Sustain Vikings Country,” focuses on working with green companies and organization like the American Lung Association to support sustainable programs.

Read more from Live Green Twin Cities.

Flex fuel-driving Viking fan? Enter the E85 contest.

Study finds E85 increases efficiency offsetting MPG loss

PropelCD5_E85_pumpA study released by the University of Nebraska found that E85 delivers more efficiency over higher petroleum fuel blends, offsetting much of the loss in Miles Per Gallon (MPG) typically attributed to E85. The study illustrates that when calculating fuel MPG performance, both the energy density of the fuel (BTUs), and the energy efficiency must be accounted for.

The report tested light, medium and heavy vehicles showing E85 improved energy conversion by 13, 9 and 14 percent respectively when compared to higher petroleum blends. This increased efficiency translates into an MPG decrease of only 14 to 19 percent depending on vehicle size using E85, showing that energy density and efficiency of fuel both factor into overall MPG performance.

This difference in MPG is compensated by the lower price of E85 blends at the pump that are on average 20-30% less than regular unleaded. In fact, Propel E85 is nearly 60 cents cheaper than regular gasoline, making E85 the ecomomic choice.

Find the station nearest you.

Read the University of Nebraska study.