Austin Leads the Nation for B20 Availability at the Pump
Opening of 19 biodiesel pumps at local Shell stations makes Austin top city

AUSTIN, Texas– A city renowned for its live music is now also renowned for its availability of biodiesel. Nineteen Shell stations in the Austin, Texas area recently opened pumps that carry a blend of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent diesel (B20). This makes Austin the number one city in the nation for B20 retail availability.

John Zamora, owner of King Daddy Ice, uses B20 to deliver ice in the Austin area. The city has the most restaurants and bars per capita of any city in the country, making it a product with hot demand.

“It’s awesome,” Zamora said of B20, which has fueled the local business’s three trucks for the last year. “Conceptually and functionally it’s great. I’m all for not trading with terrorist nations, and I’m supporting a domestically produced fuel instead.”

The recent pump openings now give Zamora more options and convenience for filling up.

Austin Biofuels, a biodiesel distributor and marketer, teamed up with Triple S Petroleum, a local petroleum distributor, to bring B20 to the Shell-branded “Signature Austin” convenience stores.

“It’s an exciting time in Austin,” said Jeff Plowman, president of Austin Biofuels. “As the city is pushing to become the Clean Energy Capital of the World, being a part of the clean energy growth is very fulfilling.”

Ford Smith Jr., President of Triple S Petroleum and Signature Austin Convenience Stores, said, “We are taking a major step toward making biodiesel a real alternative in the Austin area.”

One other public pump in Austin previously carried B20, bringing the total to 20. Three pumps also make pure biodiesel (B100 or B99) available. The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) estimates that there are more than 800 retail pumps nationwide, with varying blend levels.

“This concentration of B20 pumps should be a goal for all major U.S. cities,” said Joe Jobe, CEO of NBB. “What’s happening in Austin with B20 availability represents a significant achievement, and is a powerful stand for renewable energy and energy independence.”

Biodiesel is made from renewable resources such as soybean oil and other fats and vegetable oils. When produced to the national specification for biodiesel and blended properly, B20 works in today’s diesel engines without modification.

The B20 at the stations currently sells for about $2.89 a gallon, which is about the same price of diesel. Federal and state incentives have made biodiesel blends more affordable to all consumers.

“As the number of retail biodiesel outlets continues to increase across our state, the Texas Department of Agriculture looks forward to promoting home-grown, renewable fuel and working with farmers entering new markets for their commodities,” said Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs. “This is our opportunity to boost production and demand of Texas agricultural products while expanding and diversifying the Texas economy.”

About 1,700 petroleum distributors like Triple S carry biodiesel nationwide. More than 600 fleets use biodiesel, including the Airport Fast Park shuttles at Austin Bergstrom International Airport.

Individual motorists are fast becoming biodiesel consumers as more people buy diesel vehicles. DaimlerChrysler, which makes a diesel Dodge Ram and will soon begin production of a diesel Grand Cherokee, says promoting increased use of biodiesel is part of a campaign to re-introduce diesel-powered passenger vehicles to U.S. consumers. Modern, clean diesel vehicles offer fuel economy improvements of about 30 percent and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, compared with gas-powered vehicles. At the same time, diesel vehicles provide the power and performance valued by American consumers.

Biodiesel has become America’s fastest growing alternative fuel according to the Department of Energy. Production tripled in 2005 to 75 million gallons, from 25 million gallons in 2004. The industry is on track to produce 150 million gallons this year. Biodiesel and biodiesel blends reduce emissions while offering similar performance to petroleum diesel. Biodiesel has the highest energy balance of any liquid fuel. For every unit of energy used to make biodiesel, 3.2 units are gained.

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