Both stations feature fuel blending at the dispenser, which conforms to the company's model [image-nocss] of providing renewable fuels at the retail level. The company said it plans to add sufficient equipment to provide an additional E20 product at the pumps. It said that it expects to sign the definitive purchase agreement pursuant to the letter of intent by Nov. 30, 2009.Evolution Fuels also has announced its overall strategy forthe rollout of its Evolution Fuels-branded renewable fuel stations. The company's rollout plan extends from Texas and Oklahoma, and eastward through Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. The plan calls for the establishment of select "marquee" stations within key cities in each of these states over the course of the next twelve months, to be followed by additional stations as permitted by the degree of the Company's future successes.
The company plans to provide superior quality fuels to competing fuel stations by virtue of the blending capability within the fuel dispensers at its stations and offering the blends at competitive prices. The planned stations will offer ethanol/gasoline blends of fuel including 10% ethanol/90% gasoline (E10), 20% ethanol/80% gasoline (E20), and 85% ethanol/15% gasoline (E85). The latter two blends are intended for flex-fuel vehicles, although recent studies have shown that many legacy vehicles on the road today may use an E20 blend without incurring damage to the engines or fuel systems.
Additionally, a B20 (20% biodiesel/80% petroleum diesel) biodiesel product is planned at the pumps that can be used in diesel engines without any modifications to the vehicle.
Research and testing has been conducted by groups in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that show blends of up to 20% ethanol can be used in most legacy automobiles. Specifically, in the summer 2007, the DOE initiated a test program to evaluate the potential impacts of intermediate ethanol blends on legacy vehicles and other engines.
In December 2007, the American Coalition for Ethanol reported that research findings "show that mid-range ethanol blendsfuel mixtures with more ethanol than E10 but less than E85can in some cases provide better fuel economy than regular unleaded gasoline, even in standard, non-flex-fuel vehicles." (Click here to view the report.)
The company is in negotiations to acquire ownership in existing stations to be converted to Evolution Fuels renewable fuel stations, and it said that it plans to announce new developments regarding this facet within the next several days.
The company endeavors to market renewable transportation fuels at retail fuel stations that will provide blends of ethanol ranging from 10% to 85% (E10 to E85), and biodiesel blends from 5% to 20% (B5 to B20). The Company's plan calls for the development of a chain of renewable fuel stations that extend from Texas to Mississippi that will be a combination of Evolution Fuels-branded fuel stations/convenience stores and western-motif truckstops modeled after the Willie's Place Truck Stop in Carl's Corner, Texas.
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