Going Green on a Budget: Lessons Taught and Learned at the Green Neighbor Festival

May 08, 2019

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by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Coal powers the GM Bolt with West Virginia license plates parked in the EV section at Frederick Maryland’s Green Neighbor Festival, explained the enthusiastic owner. Actually, it’s his wife’s car. His is the Volt (with a "V"). He and his WVA extended family have been early adopters of electric vehicles for years. And he made no excuses for the fossil fuels that power these vehicles. How refreshing. A really nice fellow who understands the hidden reality of EV promotion by powerful fossil fuel and utility interests. We enjoyed spending the day with him at what has become an annual community gathering showcasing ways that regular people can pursue more environmentally conscientious lives.

Going Green on a Budget

As a contrast to the more expensive EVs (a Tesla also showed up) and hybrids displayed by the local Shockley Honda dealership, Advanced Biofuels USA featured a bright yellow Ford 2002 Focus retrofitted to use high octane/high ethanol blend fuels up to E85.

Many regular folks stopped by to hear and see the details. From a gaggle of very well-informed school girls and other students completing homework assignments at the festival to a number of people who had sworn off VWs after being victims of the Dieselgate scandals, to groups speaking various languages who recently moved to the area, to long-time residents; they were fascinated with a way to learn about a personal transportation option that was “greener,” and less expensive than the high-priced models down the line.

We explained that our vehicle has been using 85% renewable fuel for 56,000 miles since November 2015 (series of articles listed below). We compared that to the 5% renewables coming through Frederick outlets to the EVs (with the rest of the power generation somewhat equally distributed among coal, natural gas and nuclear).

We noted that this option wasn’t available or recommended for all vehicles and provided information about how engines and fuels worked together.

For example, flex fuel vehicles would not need the retrofit. They were already designed to use renewable high ethanol blends. Hybrids with Atkinson cycle engines likely would not benefit from more than 30% ethanol. Engines with carburetors would not be candidates for this retrofit designed for fuel injection systems. And messing around with an engine still under warranty was probably not a good idea.

Nevertheless, we joked, our end of the line of “alternative fuel vehicles” was the poor person’s section demonstrating a way to go green today (not years from now) with blends of E15 to E85 usually priced significantly less than E10 and much less than E0 fuel. (The newly opened Royal Farms station near National Harbor, Maryland had E85 priced 40 cents less than regular. Other places in the country have even better deals.)

People can save by retrofitting an existing car or truck or fueling their FFV with green fuel. They don’t have to wait for electricity generation from renewables or for affordable (or used) EVs. And “going green” can be not more expensive, but less. And more of their fuel dollars stay in the US.

Who knew? And What Can We Do about That?

And there’s the rub. This was completely new information for everyone who stopped by. Many also had no idea about FFVs. No one knew where E85 could be purchased. (There’s only one gas station west of the Monocacy River in Maryland that sells it—W Express on Route 40 near the local Ford dealership.)

If the trade organizations refuse to sponsor community groups of E85 users (like the EV clubs recruiting EV owners); if they fail to even try to identify and promote participation in community activities like this by people who use their product to reach new audiences (outside the Midwest where the corn and soybean growers fill this need), then individuals need to take the time and make the effort ourselves.

We Learn as Much as We Teach

When we attend these events, we learn as much as we teach. What we learned here was the dire need for more people to take their FFVs and old E85 retrofitted vehicles to community events to spread the word.

We also explained that Advanced Biofuels USA is an organization dedicated to explaining to people that there are ways to make fuels that don’t use petroleum. Lots of nods and expressions of agreement for the value in that.

We also talked about biodiesel, renewable diesel, renewable natural gas and the value of fleets looking at renewable options. And talked about where to find information on these topics on our website.

Sadly, this region lacks in production and availability of renewable fuel. We talked about that, too.

What You Can Do

This organization can be a resource for individuals and groups to follow our lead on this.

Go to a community fair, town festival, civic/church group event, a local race track or even just a regional park on a nice day.

Pop the hood.
Explain FFVs.
Explain retrofits if you have done one.
Explain that we can make fuel out of things other than petroleum.
Tell people that they can go green with what they have; that they don’t have to wait for their electricity to become renewable or to be able to afford an EV.
Maybe you can get your local E85 or biodiesel retailer to provide hand-outs.

In theory, they/you can travel more conscientiously now. However, in many regions like the mid-Atlantic, people need to start making suggestions and demands of their political and business leaders for renewables to be available.

Organizations should put some resources into helping this along, especially here where so many people work for the federal government, are engaged in policy development and implementation. Bring the world of renewable fuels to their everyday lives.

*Joanne Ivancic serves as executive director of Advanced Biofuels USA.

Read other articles in this series about the Ford Focus E85 retrofit:

Celebrate Earth Week: Take a Look under the Hood of Advanced Biofuels USA’s E85 Retrofitted 2002 Ford Focus (includes links to VIDEOs)

https://advancedbiofuelsusa.info/celebrate-earth-week-take-a-look-under-the-hood-of-advanced-biofuels-usas-e85-retrofitted-2002-ford-focus/

Walking the Walk in Advanced Biofuels USA’s “E30 and Beyond Retrofitted” Focus

http://advancedbiofuelsusa.info/walking-the-walk-in-advanced-biofuels-usas-e30-and-beyond-retrofitted-focus/

E85 Retrofit Project: Getting Started, Choosing a Retrofit Kit

http://advancedbiofuelsusa.info/e85-retrofit-project-getting-started-choosing-a-retrofit-kit/