Thorntons Groupon Promotion - Buy E85 at 50% off

Monday December 27 through Wednesday December 29, Thorntons is sponsoring a promotion on E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) – which is available at 13 Thorntons locations in the Louisville/Southern Indiana area. They have partnered with Groupon, an online coupon and gift card marketer, to allow customers to purchase gift cards online for e85 gasoline at 50% off. Customers can purchase a $20 gift card, that is restricted to e85 fuel purchases, for $10 at www.groupon.com/deals/thorntons-inc-louisville. In addition to the gift card, purchasers will receive a Thorntons FREEquency card preloaded with one free fountain or coffee drink. Limit one gift card purchase per customer.

For a list of E85 Thorntons locations, visit http://www.thorntonsinc.com/Store-Locations.html.

Clean Fuel Tax Credits Passed and Signed by President

Tax legislation approved late Thursday, December 16, represents significant continued investments in alternate fuels and for domestic biofuel production.   

The legislation includeed several provisions to reduce oil dependence by encouraging biofuel production, including one that extends the current 45 cent per gallon tax credit for ethanol through 2011. The bill also extends, through 2011, $1 dollar per gallon tax credits for biodiesel production and diesel fuel created from biomass, as well as a 10 cent per gallon tax credit for agri-biodiesel producers.

It is a great success that the tax credit for alternate fuels, such as Natural Gas and Propane of .$50/gallon also came through, retroactive to January 1. 2010.

The bill also included investments in alternative vehicle refueling infrastructure. The bill extends through 2011 the 30% investment tax credit for infrastructure that supports alternative fuels like ethanol, hydrogen, biodiesel and natural gas.

These reinstated tax credits should lower the cost of alternative fuels throughout Kentucky and serve as a helpful incentive for cleaner domestic fuels.

The President signed the legislation today among many alternative and biofuels supporters.

Mammoth Cave National Park Chosen for Partnership

KCFC long-time member Mammoth Cave National Park was chosen to lead a national partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Park Service in 2010.

This initiative is designed to reduce petroleum use, improve air quality, curb congestion and educate visitors about the advantages of cleaner fuels.

MCNP was chosen as the first participant because of the proven commitment to cleaner fuels. In 1999, MCNP introduced E85 to their fleet and quickly became the first national park fleet in the nation to be 100% powered by clean fuels/technologies. Four additional Propane powered buses, two Propane powered pick up trucks and five Low Speed Electric vehicles are included for MCNP.

Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks will also participate in the program.

A variety of vehicle technologies are included in the $1.3 million dollar partnership. Propane, Electric, Ethanol (E85) and hybrids will be featured, along with an extensive education component.

Kentucky’s Corn Farmers Support American Ethanol Partnership with NASCAR

More than 50 million NASCAR fans will soon be introduced to the benefits of American corn-based ethanol. Not only will the popular racing organization fuel all 2011 races with E15, a 15 percent corn ethanol blend, but will highlight the renewable fuel as part of a promotional partnership with corn farmers and ethanol supporters.

NASCAR announced yesterday in Las Vegas that it has joined forces with American Ethanol, an ethanol initiative backed by Growth Energy, the National Corn Growers Association and its state affiliate associations, including the Kentucky Corn Growers Association (KyCGA). 

“We are proud to be part of this exciting new venture with NASCAR,” says Jim Barton, chairman of KyCGA’s Promotion Council and corn farmer in Lexington, Ky. “The partnership will allow us to show NASCAR’s fan base that ethanol is not only ‘green’ but can be used in high-performance engines. We also hope to bring more information to the public about how family corn farmers are growing, and will continue to grow enough corn for food, livestock feed and fuel.” 

As part of the multi-year agreement, America Ethanol will be highlighted on every vehicle running in a NASCAR race and be prominent on NASCAR’s Green Flag. In addition, American Ethanol will sponsor a new award for every race, be featured on-site race day events and more. American Ethanol will support drivers, teams and tracks with marketing, promotional activities and advertising. 

“NASCAR and American Ethanol are ideal partners,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “NASCAR is a great American sport in its third generation of family ownership, and ethanol is produced from the harvest of family-owned farms across our country’s heartland.”  

“American Ethanol’s new partnership with NASCAR is much larger and more ambitious than a typical sports sponsorship,” France added. “Here we have an entire industry looking to NASCAR to communicate its message that America is capable of producing its own renewable, greener fuel. The entire NASCAR industry will benefit from American Ethanol’s multi-faceted support of NASCAR, as well as from thousands of farmers and members of the ethanol supply chain now serving as new ambassadors for the sport.” 

Led by Growth Energy, nearly 100 different entities – from individual ethanol plants to Corn Grower Associations to biotech companies – are rallying around NASCAR to communicate their ethanol message. 

“E15 is an enormous opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create U.S. jobs, and strengthen national energy security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy. “There is nothing more American than NASCAR, and there is no fuel more American than ethanol. We are so proud that the bounty of American farming will be used in NASCAR racing.” 

For more information, visit www.americanethanolracing.com

kyGREEN.tv features Griffin Industries on Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Segment

Airs Tuesday, December 7

KyGREEN.tv recently launched a new series, Kentucky’s Greenside, where they discovered the behind the scenes green initiatives at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. This series airs online at www.kygreen.tv and on Kentucky Educational Television (KET). The episode featuring Griffin Industries and how they supplied Biodiesel for the WEG will air tomorrow online at http://www.kygreen.tv/channels/kentuckys-greenside/. The next scheduled KET airdate is December 9 at 10:00 p.m. EST on KET1.