Member Article

'Fuel of the future' event targets transport operators

An event being staged later this month in the Tees Valley is hoping to highlight the potential for transport operators to switch to the new ‘green’ fuel E85 – a blend of 85 per cent bioethanol and 15 per cent petrol. Organised by Northeast Biofuels, the event will take place at the TFM Darlington Arena on Tuesday 22 May, and commentators at regeneration organisation Renew Tees Valley say it could not come at a better moment.

Doctor Dermot Roddy, Chief Executive of Renew Tees Valley, said: “Already four companies have announced plans for bioethanol production in the Tees Valley – including the Ensus plant at Wilton where construction work has just got under way – and other projects are also under active development. It means that within two to three years our region will be producing almost as much bioethanol as the current production of the entire European Union, but what we need to do is raise awareness within the transport industry of the opportunities to make the switch to E85.”

The event will include presentations from both Saab and Ford, who already produce vehicles able to use the new fuel, and delegates will have the chance to drive one of the new generation of ‘flexi fuel’ cars. Also supporting the event is the supermarket company Morrisons which is hoping to make E85 increasingly available on its forecourts.

Further information on the bioethanol event is available from Dawn Topping at Northeast Biofuels, telephone 0870 0130629, email dawn.topping@btconnect.com.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .