Petroleum Retailers Pumped Up About Biodiesel
Public Pumps Open by the Dozen in Some Cities JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.– A South Carolina petroleum retailer now makes a 20 percent biodiesel blend (B20) available at 35 public pumps statewide, signifying a trend of increasing availability to consumers nationally.
The Spinx Company has opened the locations throughout upper South Carolina. Thirteen of the B20 pumps are in Greenville, SC, giving the city’s consumers a new level of convenience for choosing B20. A similar move is happening in other cities as well – Austin, Texas is now home to 33 B20 pumps, while Las Vegas recently opened 16 pumps carrying B5 (five percent biodiesel). A petroleum distributor in the Boise, Idaho area plans to open B10 pumps at 11 of its Treasure Valley area convenience stores in September.
“I see the beginnings of a real transformation in the B20 retail market,” said Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board. “We’re starting to see a higher concentration of public pumps carrying biodiesel, which means more availability to truckers and all consumers. Cities like Greenville and Austin are leading a fuel revolution with B20.”
A big driving factor in the opening of the retail pumps is a federal tax incentive that has been effective in lowering the price of biodiesel blends for consumers.
Of The Spinx Company’s 35 locations, 11 are truck accessible. That’s significant because the nation’s truckers have shown substantial interest in biodiesel. As a result, NBB has established “Biotrucker.com” as a Web resource for truckers to find biodiesel.
The Spinx Company opened one the nation’s first truck-accessible retail B20 pumps last year in Greer, S.C.
“We are very proud to be able to work with our state and local governments to bring environmentally friendly fuels such as biodiesel to the Upstate,” said Stewart Spinks, Founder and CEO of the Spinx Company. “We are fortunate to have the immediate support of our customers to make the introduction of biodiesel such a success.”
As new fuel efficient diesel passenger vehicles begin entering the scene, such as DaimlerChrysler’s diesel Jeep Grand Cherokee, more consumers will seek out biodiesel at the pump. J.D. Power says the diesel share of U.S. light-vehicle sales is expected to increase from 3.2 percent in 2005 to more than 10 percent by the middle of the next decade.
Biodiesel is made from renewable resources such as soybean oil and other natural fats and vegetable oils. Soybean farmers founded the U.S. biodiesel industry through a program called the soybean checkoff.
Biodiesel is available at more than 800 retail pumps in the U.S. It offers environmental and engine benefits. It significantly cuts emissions of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and virtually all sulfur. Biodiesel blends increase lubricity, adding to engine life by preventing premature wear and tear. With biodiesel’s high flash point and non-toxicity, it is extremely safe to use and handle. It also has the highest energy balance of any fuel according to a Department of Energy Life Cycle analysis. For every unit of energy put into producing biodiesel, 3.2 units are gained.
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To see a map of U.S. retail biodiesel availability, click here. For more on the Spinks Company, visit www.spinxco.com. |
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