Zarco USA Grand Opening

 Zarco USA Earth Friendly Fuel Station had a grand opening Monday at Ninth and Iowa in Lawrence, Kansas.

It is the first of its kind in Kansas, using blender pumps that offer customers lower fuel prices.

Zarco USA had a three-hour promotion Monday offering fuel for $1.85 a gallon.

Alternative fuel vehicle owners use blender pumps for more choices to get better fuel economy and with less air pollution. The station offers E-10, E-20, E-30, and E-85 fuels.

The station also boasts a coffee shop that is energy efficient with solar energy and a grass roof.

 From KSNT

Fifteen hundred locations dispense E-85 fuel in the U.S.

Zarco USA is an eco-friendly gas station selling ethanol and bio diesel fuels.

Scott Zaremba owns the station and says the green business’s success is a sign of the times.

“Renewable fuels are something we’ve had around for a long time, but with the price of crude oil moving up in the past three years it was something I thought was a viable option,” said Zaremba.

A timely business move all customers appreciate.

A ten percent ethanol blend works in vehicles of all makes and models.

“I have a 1992 Buick L’sabre,” said customer Paul Marks.

“You have to save a penny every place you can,” said Shirley Harrell, customer.

“Until gas prices drop off, that’s going to be the name of the game,” said Marks.

The blended fuel is cheaper.

“Bio-diesel also burns cleaner and puts off less emissions,” said Zaremba.

The one of a kind machines give the consumer a choice between two and 99 percent bio-diesel, and when you make a selection it’s blended right on the spot.

“Anyone who can use it, it would be much less expensive,” said Harrell.

And for those weary of change. the blends have such a wide range so people can ease themselves into using the new fuel.

“You can start with a low blend learn about it, and move up,” said Zaremba.

“The price is the same, but it’s also about the environment with the recycling bins out here, it’s a one stop shop,” said Marks.

“So we think now’s the time for people to come in and learn about what we have to offer,” said Zaremba.

The station plans on opening a “green” coffee shop behind the pumps. It will feature a “living roof,” a wind turbine, and a rain garden.

 CSPTV takes a look at two retailers who have incorporated sustainability into their site designs: Zarco USA and Rutter’s Farm Stores 

Odometers are not standard equipment on the race cars competing in NASCAR but if they were, collectively they would surpass a momentous milestone this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. NASCAR began running Sunoco Green E15 in its three top national series back in 2011 and this coming Saturday during the NASCAR XFINITY Series™ Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200 race, NASCAR will hit and surpass 7 million miles of racing, the equivalent of almost 30 trips from the earth to the moon or 281 laps around the earth!

NASCAR made the fuel change in conjunction with their NASCAR Green® Platform, the largest and most comprehensive recycling, tree planting and renewable energy programs in sports. Not only has the move to Sunoco Green E15 proven to be an environmentally beneficial decision, it’s actually boosted the performance of the race cars in all three national series – lowering emissions and increasing horsepower.

“From our initial seamless transition to Sunoco Green E15, a 15 percent American-grown, American-made ethanol racing fuel blend in Daytona in 2011 to 7 million miles reached here at Phoenix International Raceway, NASCAR has shown under the most demanding competition that E15 is safe, reliable and it works,” said Dr. Michael Lynch, Vice President, NASCAR Green Innovation and STEM Platforms. “NASCAR fans are 80 percent more likely than non-fans to support the use of ethanol blends in their own car on the street, because they understand that NASCAR and our diligent race teams did our homework from the start with thousands of miles and hours of testing.”

“NASCAR validates what a great performance fuel [E15] is,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy. “If you meet with the teams and talk with the owners, they have noticed only increased horsepower, higher performance, and reduced emissions without a single issue when it comes to durability and dependability.” Buis added, “This partnership has been critical in showing the American consumer that if E15 performs in the most rigorous and demanding situations in motorsports, it’s clearly a safe, high performance reliable fuel that is good for American consumers who want a choice and savings at the pump.”

“Thanks to countless miles of testing, research and collaboration with NASCAR, we were prepared to run Sunoco Green E15, a 15 percent ethanol fuel in our race cars and the transition was flawless,” said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “We didn’t listen to the negative rhetoric about this, we did our own homework and testing and the switching of fuels has gone fantastic. It has also been very welcomed throughout NASCAR. Since this change took place, we have seen increased horsepower from a higher-octane ethanol fuel blend and decreased emissions. In our own internal tests at RCR, we used ethanol blends up to E30 and found no issues with that fuel, either. If you need any further proof, look no further than the 7 million miles NASCAR is about to complete.”

“Drivers across the United States have a long and successful history with 10 percent ethanol blended fuel,” said Jon Holzfaster, a farmer from Nebraska and National Corn Growers Association Board member. “Frankly, they like the cost savings provided by ethanol and the fact it comes from family farmers. Automotive technology has changed and so have the needs of the public. Cars made since 2001 are designed to run on E15 and NASCAR has proven to be a great way to grow consumer awareness as E15 availability grows.”

It’s always very troubling when a person touted as having a high proficiency in one area tries tackling something in which they have zero proficiency. I think this may be the situation with Debbie Carlson, a professional writer who typically pens financial articles. Two days ago TheGuardian.com published her story titled ” Energy hypocrisy: Ethanol isn’t a good fuel, but it’s not going away anytime soon.” Ms. Carlson apparently failed to investigate the subject sufficiently. (Read her entire article at http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jan/28/ethanol-biofuel-corn-expensive)

To be fair, if fair is the correct word to use, the genesis of Ms. Carlson’s article may not have come from an original inspiration; it may have been initiated via a solicitation from an interested subjective party. These kinds of solicitations usually come to freelance writers and speakers with suggested phrases and key points that must be addressed in the presentation. Because these solicitations often emanate from what seem like respectable middlemen and public relations companies, the freelancer often does little or no independent fact checking, choosing to just rely on the veracity of the information provided.

Given the large number of inaccurate statements in Ms. Carlson’s article, it probably wasn’t her investigative skills that were at fault.

My problem with Ms. Carlson’s article begins with the title. There are two reason for this: First, it’s untrue, ethanol is an excellent fuel. Second, she included nothing within her story to support calling ethanol a bad fuel.

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