The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has launched a new application for Garmin and TomTom GPS units that that maps out the location of E85 (85% ethanol/15% gasoline) for users with flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs).

FFV’s are vehicles that are able to use either gasoline (which has up to 10% ethanol by content) or E-85 ethanol, which is a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.  There are over 7 to 8 million FFVs on the road today.  This new feature will eliminate the frustration many FFV owners have of not knowing where they can fill up with higher level ethanol blends, like E85, by showing the exact location of the nearest E85 pumps.

Using the Garmin navigation system, FFV owners can download station locations and program their device to direct them to nearby E85 stations.  The Garmin application is available for download on ChooseEthanol.com.  There, consumers can download individual state data, a combination of states, or national data directly to their computer and then to their Garmin devices.  Directions for installing this data are available on the site.  TomTom users can search for E85 stations through a national database.

The data comes directly from the United States Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center (AFDC), which has information on where to find all different types of transportation fuel across the country.  The station location data will be updated quarterly to keep up with the expansion of E-85 pumps throughout the country.

While the program is currently only available for Garmin and TomTom GPS units, work is underway to bring this data to other navigation systems.

Consumers and fleets may also find alternative fueling locations by using mobile devices such as cell phones, iPhone’s, Blackberrys, or other personal handheld devices to access AFDC’s Alternative Fuel Station Locator mobile site at http://www.afdc.energy.gov/stations/m.  This site will find the 5 closest alternative fueling stations to your location, will provide a map and directions to fueling stations, and will allow GIS-enabled Blackberrys to automatically find stations near you.

Scott Minos is a 22 year employee of the Department of Energy and works for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). He works on special education and outreach projects and manages both EERE’s Information Center and EERE’s Online Publication and Product Library.

Unless you can walk or bike, you can’t travel carbon-free.  But you can minimize your emissions with these simple strategies:

• Pad your schedule.  If possible, start your trip a day earlier and/or return a day later.  You’ll not only avoid the stress associated with peak travel times, but reduce emissions as well.  For example, when a car is stuck in traffic its fuel consumption rate can be double the rate at steady cruising speeds.  If you must travel on peak days (most weekends), schedule your trip for non-peak hours and, if driving, use a GPS system with real-time traffic monitoring to avoid congested roads.
• Traveling with family? Make it a road trip.  The BTS reports that 91 percent of long-distance holiday travelers go by car.  On a 500-mile trip, a family of four traveling in a typical SUV actually produces less carbon per person than flying or taking the train.  If you can, though, leave the SUV at home and drive a hybrid or fuel-efficient conventional car instead—in addition to consuming more gas, SUVs emit up to four times more carbon than the most efficient hybrid. If you don’t own a hybrid, consider renting one.
• Fly the eco-friendly skies.  First-class seating requires twice the space of coach and therefore produces twice the amount of carbon emissions per passenger, so always choose coach.  Next, minimize the length of your trip by flying the most direct route, and minimize carbon-heavy takeoffs, landings, and ground operations by flying nonstop.  If you’re traveling solo, flying nonstop coach is actually better than driving any car—regardless of the distance traveled.
• Get on the bus.  No matter how many people are traveling with you, a bus pays the biggest environmental dividends.  A couple traveling by bus, for instance, generates between 50 and 75 percent less carbon than flying or driving (especially on trips under 500 miles).  Bus fares are often cheaper than airline tickets, and many now have similar amenities.

For more green traveling strategies, read the UCS report Getting There Greener: The Guide to Your Lower-Carbon Vacation (see Related Resources).

Related Resources
Union of Concerned Scientists—Getting There Greener

Bureau of Transportation Statistics—U.S. Holiday Travel

• Aggressive driving kills your fuel economy. Speeding on the highway, for example, can decrease your fuel economy by 33%.
• Take the junk out of your trunk. An extra 100 pounds of cargo in your vehicle can decrease your fuel efficiency by 2%.
• Turn your car off when you’re not driving. Idling wastes gas and adds greenhouse gases needlessly into the environment.
• Keep your tires inflated to the right pressure. You can improve your fuel economy by more than 3% just by checking your tires.

Additional tips can be found here http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/drive.shtml It’s never too late to do a few simple things to max out your fuel efficiency. It will save you money, help shrink your carbon footprint, and do a good deed for the environment.

Cheers,
Ryan

The president and four members of his cabinet fanned out across the nation’s industrial heartland, hit hard by the recession, to announce the grants, meant to help companies bolster large-scale manufacturing lines for modern batteries of the sort now mostly made in Asia.

The rest of this article can be read here http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/business/06battery.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

The CARS Program, under the purview of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), offers eligible buyers between $3,500 and $4,500 off the cost of a new vehicle when they trade in an older, less fuel efficient vehicle. More information on the program, including more detailed eligibility information, can be found through the CARS Program Web site.

While there is some question over how long this program will last, as of today, the CARS Web site says it is still operating. The Web site itself is a treasure trove of information, with a dealer locator that can help you find dealers near you that are participating in the CARS program, a list of helpful FAQs, and an interactive vehicle eligibility guide that can help you determine if your vehicle qualifies. If you need further assistance, you can also contact the CARS hotline directly at (866) CAR-7891 or TTY at (800) 424-9153.

Even if, like my family, you are unable to take advantage of the CARS Program, you still may be able to benefit from federal or state tax incentives for the purchase of an eligible hybrid or alternative fueled vehicle. More information on federal incentives for hybrid purchases can be found at FuelEconomy.gov. For state-level incentives, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center maintains an extensive listing.

Article by Amy Foster Parish, whom is a staff member with the Washington State University Extension Energy Program and answers inquiries through the EERE Information Center.