KNOXVILLE, Tenn. In eastern Tennessee, Pilot Corp. is offering e85 for the first time. The cleaner-burning fuel was unveiled at the company's store in West Knoxville, Tenn., last week, where it will have four pumps offering E85, said The Knoxville News Sentinel.
This is the first location in 40 states where Pilot has travel centers where this ethanol mixture is offered, said Alan Wright, vice president of supply and distribution. Expansion to other locations depends on consumer demand, Wright told the newspaper.
Wright [image-nocss] said E85 gets a little less mileage than regular gasoline, but also costs a little less. On average, a vehicle using ethanol would get three to four gallons per mile less than it would with regular unleaded gasoline; however, E85 costs about 10% less than regular unleaded gasoline.
Ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, is made from corn and other crops. It burns cleaner than conventional fuel and helps reduce air pollution. It is renewable, biodegradable and does not pollute groundwater, said the report.
Pilot is the nation's largest operator of travel centers and the largest seller of over-the-road diesel fuel. In 2006, it had $11.8 billion in revenues.
On Wednesday, officials marked the addition of the fuel at the West Knoxville location, which was designated by the state as a Tennessee Green Island Biofuel Partner.
Pilot Corp. CEO Jimmy Haslam said, As it is feasible, we will continue to install E85 pumps at other locations in Knoxville and elsewhere. E85 is an important breakthrough alternative fuel source.
The timing is good for Pilot, because over the last year, the number of ethanol producers has significantly increased, Wright said. That, in turn, has brought down the price. A year ago it was too expensive and Pilot was not seriously considering introducing it then, Wright added.
Pilot partnered with the East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition in bringing this fuel to the market, said the report.
Ethanolcontinues to pop up elsewhere around the country. A few recent new pumps include:
Michigan
Also last week, Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm celebrated East Lansing's first E85 pump, located at H&H Mobil. She joined with Michigan Department of Agriculture director Mitch Irwin, Michigan Economic Development Corp. president and CEO James Epolito, the City of East Lansing, the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan and the Greater Lansing Area Clean Cities Coalition to celebrate the pump's debut.
Granholm and Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth director Keith W. Cooley also announced that five other Michigan stations will receive a total of $43,397 in incentives to install E85 and B20 pumps. The station owners have agreed to complete their installation and begin dispensing E85 and B20 fuel to the public by Aug. 31, 2007. The following stations are receiving incentives:
H & H Mobil, East Lansing: $12,000, E85. Belleville Petroleum, Belleville: $12,000, E85. Quick Sav Food Stores, Swartz Creek: $8,397, E85. Northwestern Michigan Biofuels, Boardman: $4,000, B20. Dury Oil Co., White Pigeon: $4,000, B20. Zeeland Farm Services, Zeeland: $3,000, B20."Michigan now has more than 100 service stations offering ethanol and biodiesel fuels to the public, Cooley said.
Funding for the Biofuel Infrastructure Incentive Program is made available through a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. The program is administered by the DLEG Energy Office in cooperation with the Michigan Strategic Fund.
Pennsylvania
In Oakmont, Pa., the Pennsylvania Turnpike's first service plaza featuring a pump with E85 opened last Thursday, said the Associated Press. The Oakmont Service Plaza, which serves eastbound traffic near the Allegheny Valley Interchange a few miles northeast of Pittsburgh, received the E85 pump as part of a complete reconstruction. The new Oakmont plaza opened May 23 and is the first of 18 turnpike service plazas to be rebuilt over four years by HMSHost Corp. and Sunoco Inc. The first E85 pump in Pennsylvania opened last year at a WoGo station in Lititz, about 30 miles southeast of Harrisburg.
California
In Tulare, Calif., thanks to federal and state grants, Stanley's Food Mart will dispense E85 later this summer, possibly by August, said The Visalia Times-Delta.
Indiana
A GasAmerica truckstop near Knightstown is now offering a blend of 10% soy biodiesel and 90% petroleum diesel fuel known as B10, said InsideIndianaBusiness.com. It's the first truckstop in Indiana to offer the new fuel, which is being supplied by Integrity Biofuels of Morristown, Ind.
Iowa
Iowa Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge was on hand in late April as Dahl's Fuel cut the ribbon on the City of Des Moines' first E85 pump, said WHO-TV.As a special promotion, the fuel sold for $1.85 during the first two hours it was open.The new E85 pump is just the fourth in the metropolitan area. Other pumps can be found at Kum & Gos in West Des Moines and Ankeny and the Hy-Vee in West Des Moines.
Massachusetts
Burke's Irving Gas Station, Chelsea, Mass., will soon be the first in Massachusetts to sell E85, reported WCBV-TV. It will start selling it once fire inspectors approve a new dispenser.
New York
Two upstate New York gas stations, the Campus Mobil in Albany and Warrensburg Mobil in Warrensburg began selling E85 in late May. For the next four years, New York state isn't collecting any taxes on E85, making the fuel cheaper than regular gasoline, said AP.
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