The NEVC and national deployment of E85 fuel

The National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition (NEVC) is the nation's primary advocate of the use of 85% ethanol as a form of alternative transportation fuel.  The NEVC is governed by a Board of Directors composed of automakers, ethanol producers, agricultural organizations, the Governors' Ethanol Coalition, environmental groups, equipment manufacturers, and others; the NEVC is organized as a 501C6 and managed by a 20 member Board of Directors. 

Founded in 1996 and incorporated in 2000, the NEVC has been involved with the establishment of each of the more than 1,100 E85 fueling sites in the nation as of Jan. 2007.  From development of our standard image logo, to establishment of our web site which averages more than 28 million hits per month, to responding to the more than 1,400 calls per month to our toll free line, the NEVC is the nation's leader in E85 advocacy.

Beginning in Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 02 through FFY 06, the Congress has appropriated $8.5 million US to the NEVC to advance the national deployment of E85 fueling infrastructure and educate consumers as to the benefits of the use of domestic-renewable transportation fuels.  Using FFY 04 funds as administered through a DOE grant, the NEVC was required to establish 55 stations and exceeded this goal by almost 600% by installing 328 new E85 fueling locations.  These funds were used specifically to provide:

1)     Direct grant support for the purchase of E85 refueling equipment;

2)     Technical assistance to help ensure compliance with applicable environmental standards;

3)     Marketing assistance, including point of sale and labeling materials; and

4)     Help in securing E85 supply contracts. 

Using $1.4 million US in federal fiscal year 05 funds, the NEVC opened 569 new E85 fueling locations during 2006 or an average cost of federal support of less than $2,500 US each. 

The NEVC has partnered with the Petroleum Equipment Institute to establish an electronic listing of all E85 parts; has partnered with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to author the nationally recognized "Handbook for Handling, Storing, and Dispensing E85; worked closely with the National Clean Cities Coalition; maintains the nation's only daily updated E85 fueling site map; worked to establish the Yellow Fuel Cap as an FFV industry standard, and; is called on by both the government and private sector for information relating to technical standards, fuel access, and to respond to other questions regarding E85.

Each public and private station in the U.S. including those on DOE Labs, military installations, nuclear power sites, and the local E85 station, has customer materials that describe the vehicles that have been manufactured to operate on E85.  Consistent logos and placards are in use from Arlington, VA to San Diego, CA so that consumers are familiar with a consistent E85 label and image.  These materials are all made available to E85 vendors by the NEVC at no cost.

The National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition is not only the nation's primary advocate of the use of E85 as a motor fuel, but we also serve as the nation's primary source of technical materials/information, educational materials, and other documents.  The NEVC maintains a professional staff with more experience in the general use of ethanol and specifically E85 than any other group in the nation.  For example, the DOE Alternative Fuel Data Center uses materials and information that are generated by the NEVC.

As the use of Biofuels such as 85% ethanol become more important in the nation's efforts to promote energy security and reduce emissions of Green House gasses, the demands on the skills and expertise of the NEVC continues to increase.  Thus it is critical that the NEVC continue to receive federal financial support to maintain and promote the growth of the use of E85. (Source:  National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition)

Contact:  Phil Lampert, National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, telephone:  (877) 485-8595, email:  plampert@e85fuel.com, www.e85fuel.com