September 10, 2003

CONTACT: Eric Cheung (215-567-4004 ext. 237)

GOT ETHANOL?
Greater Philadelphia Clean Cities Program Receives More Than $130,000 to Build The State's First Ethanol Fuel Station

PHILADELPHIA - For the first time anywhere in Pennsylvania, drivers will be able to fill flexible fuel vehicles with ethanol, a clean-burning alternative to gasoline. Ethanol is an alcohol derived primarily from crops, like corn. Most newer model pick-ups, vans, cars and some SUVs are certified to run on fuel blends, including a mix of gasoline and ethanol. A quick way to tell if you can fill-up on an ethanol blend is to check the inside of the gas cap for the flexible fuel vehicle designation. Timing and plans for the new station, made possible by grants from the United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) and Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection, will be revealed during Thursday's Clean Cities meeting.

"For the sake of energy security, our country needs to address its addiction to petroleum, much of which must be imported from volatile regions of the world," observes GPCCP Coordinator Eric Cheung. "The feedstock for ethanol includes agricultural products such as corn and switchgrass. These crops, grown by farmers, make ethanol an American fuel, and consumers who buy the fuel will help keep energy dollars at home," adds Cheung. Ethanol is sold commercially as a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, known as E85. In addition to energy security benefits, E85 also reduces smog-forming compounds and toxic air pollutants.

The E85 retail pump will be located at the Sunoco station on 12th and Vine Streets and is anticipated to be open to the public by May of 2004. E85 prices will be comparable to the price of premium gasoline. As local construction of ethanol plants occurs, prices will drop even more as consumers in Minnesota and Illinois can testify.

Clean Cities anticipates that initial users of E85 in our region will be local government fleet operators, but outreach efforts will include the general public. "Imagine the conversation at the pump as a Dodge Caravan filled with members of the community soccer team pulls in to refuel with E85 - the educational opportunities will be as big as the benefits to the economy," noted Cheung. Flexible fuel ethanol vehicles are the most numerous of the alternative fuel vehicles currently produced. To verify whether your vehicle can operate on E85, log-on to the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition's website: www.e85fuel.com.

A consulting firm, Sustainable Energy Strategies, Inc., has partnered with Clean Cities to install the E85 pump. Thursday's meeting is open to the public and will be held at the Philadelphia Regional Office of the Department of Energy (8th Floor of the Wanamaker Building). Additional information can be found on GPCCP's website: www.cleanair.org/cleancities.

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GPCCP is a nonprofit, private/public partnership dedicated to increasing alternative fuel vehicle usage and alternative fuel infrastructure in the Greater Philadelphia region. GPCCP operates through public outreach and education and by offering financial incentives towards the purchase of alternative fuel vehicles. With the help of GPCCP's efforts nearly 1,000 vehicles in the region run on alternative fuels.