The alternative fuel industry in Pittsburgh received a big boost this month through a series of creative local initiatives that have helped to promote local biofuel stations and raise public awareness for green transportation.
And this is just the beginning.
Last weekend more than 2000 people turned out for the first Alternative Transportation Festival in Pittsburgh, a daylong event filled with free activities that advocated the use of alternative fuels, public transportation, hybrid and flex fuel vehicles and biking.
On Tuesday General Motors (GM) and Carnegie Mellon University, a leading ethanol research center, hosted a forum on biofuels to promote the use of E85 ethanol fuel, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gas. General Motors spokeswoman MaryBeth Stanek estimates that there are 10,000 GM flex fuel vehicle owners in Pittsburgh served by seven E85 stations.
Pittsburgh is one of the best positioned cities in the country for the production and distribution of biofuel thanks to its geographic location and role as a transportation hub, says Nathaniel Doyno, executive director of Steel City Biofuels and coordinator for Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities. Local companies are already investing in the infrastructure to make it happen.
“There is an accelerating interest in our region,” Doyno adds. “With the PennSecurity Fuels Initiative, we’re moving into a new stage where we’re helping bigger players in the industry.”
Gov. Rendall’s PennSecurity Fuels Initiative hopes to replace 900 million gallons of state transportation fuels with alternative sources such as biodiesel, ethanol, or fuel derived from coal processes over the next 10 years.
Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Nathaniel Doyno, Steel City Biofuels, MaryBeth Stanek, General Motors