Chapel Hill, NC converts 60 percent of vehicles to alt fuels, will reach 100 percent by 2012

In North Carolina, Chapel Hill has converted 60 percent of its vehicles to alternative fuels with a goal of 100 percent conversion by 2012. The town most recently converted biodiesel trucks and E85-ready police cars.

Recently, Burlington, NC  converted to B10 biodiesel for its city vehicles after concluding a successful test of B5 which began in July. Burlington hopes to convert eventually to B20, but cited the need for a slow transition due to the cleaning effect of biodiesel which can clog fuel filters. The city saw fuel cost increases of 20 cents per gallon when the pilot program commenced, but prices have subsequently dropped and now provide a one-cent savings.

Despite notable biofuel conversions and the state’s desire to take a leadership role in the biofuels movement, five new ethanol plants have struggled to find financing. E85 cancelled a planned ethanol plant in Fayetteville, and a plant near Aurora has been postponed for more than a year to date, despite $3 million in state incentive financing. Two small plants in Hoke and Robeson counties are still possible, based on a planned conversion to cellulosic ethanol when the technology becomes commercially viable. A cellulosic ethanol plant in Spring Hope is still in the planning stages and not yet cancelled. The owners, Xethanol, plan to develop a $20 million biofuels facility for biodiesel as well as ethanol.

Free Subscription to the Daily Biofuels Digest e-newsletter

Related Stories

Colombia to set ethanol production record; will reach B5, E10 targets; mandates flex-fuel vehicles by 2012

In Colombia, the national government has issued a directive that, commencing in 2012, all vehicles must have E85 flex-fuel capability. The announcement comes as the government confirmed that it expect...

Maryland converts snowplows to biodiesel

In Maryland, state highway officials said that they would convert snowplows to a B5 blend this season, and expect to convert their equipment to B20 in 2008-09. In September, the state government un...

Globel ethanol market to reach 27.7 billion gallons by 2012: report

A report from Global Industry Analysts projected that the global ethanol market will reach 27.7 billion gallons by 2012. The report found that 66.5 percent of global ethanol sales in 2008 represented ...

Dole converts Arizona fleet to B20 biodiesel

In Arizona, Dole Fresh Vegetables has converted its harvesting equipment in B20 biodiesel. The company had been testing B20 since August in both farm equipment and its off-road vehicles. Safeway St...

EPA-approved Flex Fuel kit released to convert older vehicles to E85

Flex Fuel US has released a $1200 Flex-Box Smart Kit that converts older cars to E85. The EPA-certified kit, according to the company, results in a 15 percent reduction in overall fuel costs and an...

New Zealand scraps fuel economy standard, confirms biodiesel grants through 2012

In New Zealand, the national government has scrapped plans for a national fuel economy standard. It had been rumored that a cap-and-trade system was in the cards, where less fuel efficient vehicles wo...