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SmartWay Grow & Go Initiative
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EPA420-F-06-067, October 2006
SmartWay Grow & Go is an initiative developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to encourage greater use of renewable fuel blends with environmental benefits. EPA's SmartWay Grow & Go will contribute to the President's goal to reduce U.S. dependence on petroleum and help improve our environment. This initiative builds on existing EPA activities, and provides a specific renewable fuel component to EPA's SmartWay Transport Partnership. EPA's existing Regional Collaboratives will work with local partners to implement SmartWay Grow & Go
goals.
Fuels
There are many renewable fuels available today that provide environmental benefits. Second-generation biofuels, like cellulosic-based ethanol, hold tremendous promise for the future. SmartWay Grow & Go seeks to encourage greater demand for renewable fuels today and help ensure continued progress toward cellulosic-based ethanol and other renewable fuels in the future.
SmartWay Grow & Go initially will focus on E85 ethanol and biodiesel. E85 is a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline which can only be used in specially-designed flex fuel vehicles (FFV).
Ethanol is also sold as E10, a blend of 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline, which can be used in any vehicle and is the predominant ethanol blend available today.
Biodiesel in its pure form is known as "neat biodiesel" or B100, but it can also be blended with conventional diesel, most commonly as B5 (5 percent biodiesel and 95 percent diesel) and B20 (20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent diesel).
The Goals
By working with our SmartWay Transport partners, SmartWay Grow & Go aims to increase the use of E85 and biodiesel among some of the nation's largest truck and light duty vehicle fleets. By 2012, EPA's goal is for 25 percent of our SmartWay partners to commit to expand the use of biofuels. Our long-term goal is for 50 percent of our partners to have made this commitment by 2020. EPA's seven regional collaboratives--public-private partnerships committed to reducing emissions from the transportation sector--will assist in these efforts through their many local partners.
Through SmartWay Grow & Go, EPA will strengthen the technical and regulatory framework needed to ensure quality fuels and continual progress toward cellulosic-based ethanol. EPA and its partners will also work to increase awareness of the environmental benefits of renewable fuels.
EPA is working with its current and future SmartWay partners, domestic automakers, and renewable fuel producers in the SmartWay Grow & Go initiative. Together their efforts will help increase public awareness of the benefits of E85 and biodiesel and build consumer and corporate demand for these fuels.
The Benefits of E85 and Biodiesel
All vehicles manufactured today must meet EPA's stringent Tier 2 emissions standards, regardless of the fuel used. However, the use of E85 and biodiesel provide additional environmental benefits including reduced emissions of many harmful toxics, criteria pollutants, and greenhouse gases. These fuels hold even greater promise as cellulosic ethanol and other developments are realized.
SmartWay Grow & Go Partners
Several members of the fuels, automotive, and nonprofit communities have agreed to join the SmartWay Grow & Go effort. These partners will help increase public awareness of the environmental, economic, and energy security benefits of E85 and biodiesel, expand fueling infrastructure, and build consumer and corporate demand.
In addition to these new partners, SmartWay Grow & Go will build upon the efforts of EPA's:
- SmartWay Transport Partnership – a collection of shippers, carriers, and trucking companies committed to improving the environmental performance of their fleets. SmartWay Grow & Go will further encourage SmartWay companies to use E85 and biodiesel to reduce emissions.
- Regional Collaboratives – public-private partnerships in seven regions across the country focused on improving air quality by reducing emissions from the transportation sector. SmartWay Grow & Go will work with these collaboratives and their many partners to bring more biodiesel and E85 pumps to key transportation corridors across the nation.
- Renewable Fuels Standard – program to double the volume of renewable fuel required to be blended into gasoline by 2012.