FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 28, 2005

Ethanolfacts.com Gives Consumers Plain Talk on Ethanol and Vehicles

ST. LOUIS (July 28, 2005)  – Several myths have been spread within the automotive business and related industries about ethanol-blended fuel’s efficiency, performance and environmental capabilities. At ethanolfacts.com, car enthusiasts can learn the truth about burning ethanol- blended fuels in their vehicles.

The Web site provides in-depth information about ethanol, a renewable fuel that increases engine performance, reduces dependence on foreign oil and burns cleaner than conventional gasoline.

“There is a real need to get the facts out about ethanol: what it is, what vehicles can use ethanol blends and where you can find these fuels,” said Leon Corzine, National Corn Growers Association president. “This is a great tool for the general consumer to be able to go to one site and retrieve information directly.”

Ethanol, produced mostly from corn grown in the United States, has already had a remarkable impact on the automotive gasoline market. Three out of every 10 gallons of gasoline in the United States contain ethanol. More than 4 million Americans, many of them unknowingly, drive flex-fuel vehicles that are capable of running on a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gas (E85).

As the world’s oil reserves continue to be depleted because of high demand, the automobile industry is looking at ways to adapt. Ethanol-blended fuel is one way that the industry can help America reduce its dependence on foreign oil and help the environment. Ethanolfacts.com serves as a medium for consumers to learn about the availability of E10 unleaded (10 percent ethanol, 90 percent gas) and E85 fuels; the environmental and economic impacts of ethanol; and that ethanol is not harmful to engines.

Despite the myths perpetrated by ethanol opponents, ethanol is a clean-burning, high-performance fuel that has numerous benefits, such as:

• E10 gas supplies two to three more octane points than regular gas, helping engine performance;
• Ethanol-blended fuel cleans fuel injectors better than 100 percent gasoline, preventing the buildup of power-robbing deposits in the engine;
• Ethanol reduces toxic greenhouse gas emissions. A recent study in Sweden on a Ford Focus running on E85 revealed a 75 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions compared with a Focus running on 100 percent gasoline.

“NCGA views this Web site as an extremely vital source of information,” Corzine said. “Renewable fuels are becoming a larger part of our fuel supply, and it’s great to know there is a Web site out there that in plain English that dispels some of the common misperceptions about ethanol.”

To visit ethanolfacts.com, go to http://www.ethanolfacts.com.

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The National Corn Growers Association’s mission is to create and increase opportunities for corn growers.  NCGA represents nearly 33,000 members, 45 affiliated state organizations and hundreds of thousands of growers who contribute to state checkoff programs. For more information, log on to www.ncga.com.