Source: Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders

“We are extremely pleased to have HYPERFUELS as a partner for the 2009 Jetta TDI Cup series. SynDiesel(R) B5 biodiesel has been fully approved for use in all Volkswagen TDI powered vehicles that are available at local Volkswagen dealerships today,” said Clark Campbell, Motorsport Manager, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “The addition of SynDiesel B5 biodiesel in the Jetta TDI Cup race cars further demonstrates the feasibility of biodiesel as an alternative fuel source for American consumers and supports the clean and green racing of the Jetta TDI Cup series,” added Campbell.

Performance testing has proven that diesel powered vehicles offer more low-end torque than traditional gasoline engines, providing quicker off-the-line acceleration that’s well suited for the race track. In addition, the Jetta TDI engine’s use of a “common rail” direct injection system improves fuel economy over gasoline engines and reduces sooty emissions by 95 percent, even under demanding race conditions. During the 2009 season, the Jetta TDI Cup cars will consume approximately two tanks of B5 biodiesel during race conditions and overall carbon emissions produced by the series will be reduced by 2,583 pounds as a result of the new fuel. These environmentally-friendly characteristics classify all Volkswagen TDI models as Advanced Lean Technology Vehicles, qualifying consumers for a $1,300 Federal Income Tax Credit.

“HYPERFUELS is excited that the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup and SCCA Pro Racing acknowledge that the addition of biodiesel creates a clean performance racing fuel,” said Jess Hewitt, President, Gulf Hydrocarbon, the parent company of HYPERFUELS. “If we can help take biodiesel awareness and performance to the next level, then everyone wins. It’s cleaner burning, yields a faster burn, produces less emissions and is easily accessible. I can’t imagine a better fuel or better cars to showcase the performance and benefits of biodiesel,” added Hewitt.

The SynDiesel B5 biodiesel that HYPERFUELS is supplying is a synthetically made diesel fuel, with a 63 cetane rating, storage life of up to 10 years and 20 percent more BTU’s than conventional diesel. The same fuel used in the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup racing series is available for purchase on www.hyperfuels.com

Beginning with the season-opening race on April 25 at VIRginia International Raceway, drivers will compete in ten events on eight road courses around North America in identical factory-prepared and maintained Jetta TDI’s powered by B5 biodiesel. The series champion will win $100,000. In addition, each driver who competes in the series will earn a Pro Racing license from SCCA at the conclusion of the season. The Jetta TDI Cup car is powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder TDI clean diesel engine mated to a six-speed, double-clutch, automatic DSG transmission. The car is only slightly modified from stock with race suspension and brakes.

2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Schedule

Round 1 & 2

April 24 – 26 – VIRginia International Raceway – Alton, VA (with Grand-Am)

Round 3

May 15 – 17 – Miller Motorsports Park – Salt Lake City, UT (with ALMS)

Round 4

June 19 – 21 – Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course- Lexington, OH (with Grand-Am)

Round 5

July 24 – 26 – Autobahn Country Club – Joliet, IL (with Speed World

Challenge/Atlantics)

Round 6

Aug. 14 – 16 – Road America – Elkhart Lake, WI (with ALMS)

Round 7

Aug. 28 – 30 – Mosport International Raceway – Mosport, ON (Canada) (with

ALMS)

Round 8 & 9

Sept. 11 – 13 – New Jersey Motorsports Park – Millville, NJ (with ARCA)

Round 10

Sept. 25 – 27 – Road Atlanta – Braselton, GA (with ALMS)

Volkswagen of America, Inc.

Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe’s largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Eos, Rabbit, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon, CC, Tiguan, Touareg 2 and Routan through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2009 Volkswagens come standard-equipped with Electronic Stabilization Program. This is important because the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called ESC the most effective new vehicle safety technology since the safety belt. Visit Volkswagen of America online at vw.com or www.media.vw.com to learn more.

HYPERFUELS

HYPERFUELS features racing fuels from Sunoco, Shell Racing Solutions and SynDiesel. Fuels can be purchased in individual 5 and 55 gallon pre-sealed drums, race fuel can also run in regular cars and can be stored for up to two years, providing a quick and stable fuel source. Racing oils sold at HYPERFUELS include Royal Purple and Synergyn. Race fuels and oils are available in containers eligible for ground shipping on FedEx and UPS throughout the USA. For more information visit www.hyperfuels.com.

Find out more on The Solution

To prevent climate change we need a revolution in energy policy and an evolution in the way we all use energy.

here is a video from Greenpeace that I want to share with you…

JOIN THE ENERGY REVOLUTION

Nearly 200 more people would die yearly from respiratory problems if all vehicles in the United States were to run on a fuel blend made mostly of ethanol by 2020, the research concludes. The author of the study acknowledges that such a quick and monumental shift to plant-based fuels is next to impossible.

Each year, about 4,700 people, according to the author of the study, die from respiratory problems related to ozone, the unseen component of smog, combined with small particles. Ethanol would raise ozone levels, particularly in certain regions of the country.

“It’s not green in terms of air pollution,” said Mark Jacobson, a Stanford University civil and environmental engineering professor and author of the study. “If you want to use ethanol, fine, but don’t do it based on health grounds. It’s no better than gasoline, apparently slightly worse.”

His study, based on a computer model, was published Wednesday in the online edition of the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science and Technology. It added to the messy debate over ethanol.

Farmers, politicians, industry leaders and environmentalists have clashed over just how much ethanol can be produced, how much land it would take to grow the crops to make it and how much it would cost. They also disagree on the benefits of ethanol in cutting back fuel consumption and in fighting pollution, especially of the gases linked to global warming.

In January, President George W. Bush announced a push to reduce gas consumption by 20 percent over 10 years by substituting alternative fuels, mainly ethanol. Scientists with the Environmental Protection Agency estimated that such a change could mean approximately a 1 percent increase in smog.

Jacobson’s study troubles some environmentalists, even those who work with him. Roland Hwang of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said that ethanol, which cuts one of the key ingredients of smog and produces fewer greenhouse gases, is an important part of reducing all kinds of air pollution.

Jacobson’s conclusion “is a provocative concept that is not workable,” said Hwang, an engineer who used to work for the California pollution control agency. “There’s nothing in here that means we should throw away ethanol.”

And Matt Hartwig, spokesman for the Renewable Fuels Association, the largest Washington ethanol lobby group, said other research and real-life data show that “ethanol is a greener fuel than gasoline.”

But Jacobson found that it all depended on where you lived, with ethanol worsening the ozone problem in most urban areas. Based on computer models of pollution and air flow, Jacobson predicted that the increase in ozone – and the diseases it causes – would be worst in areas where smog already is a serious problem: Los Angeles and the Northeast.

Most of those projected 200 deaths would be in Los Angeles, he said, and the only place where ozone would fall was in the Southeast, because of the unique blend of chemicals in the air and the heavy vegetation.

The science behind why ethanol might increase smog is complicated, but according to Jacobson, part of the explanation is that ethanol produces more hydrocarbons than gasoline. And ozone is the product of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide cooking in the sun.

While praising Jacobson as one of the top atmospheric chemists in the nation, Hwang said that he had problems with some of Jacobson’s assumptions, like that of an entire switch to ethanol by 2020.

Jacobson is also ignoring that ethanol reduces greenhouse gases, which cause global warming, and that global warming will increase smog and smog-related deaths, according to an international scientific panel, Hwang said.

By Seth Borenstein source: IHT

The pollutants created by the vehicle emission fall into two categories – solid pollutants and gaseous pollutants. Let us analyze each pollutant along with the hazards associated with it.

Carbon monoxide (CO) – A poisonous gas produced as a result of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels or any fuel containing hydrocarbons. Carbon monoxide when inhaled combines with the hemoglobin in the blood and forms a compound called carboxyhemoglobin. Carboxyhemoglobin affects the supply of oxygen from the blood to different body parts, causing severe coronary problems leading to death. Generally known as carbon monoxide poisoning, it is affecting largely those who have a history of respiratory problems.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) – Commonly known as green house gas (GHG), CO2 is the major contributing agent to global warming. As the reports show, the temperature of the earth has increased by 0.6 ± 0.2°C since the late 19th century. A great percentage of the emissions from the fossil fuels are carbon dioxide.

Nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2) – These powerful gases are produced when fuel is burned at a very high temperature. The hazards of these compounds in the air are many. Nitrogen oxides along with the air particles form a reddish suspension in the air. When the humidity is high, these gases combine with water particles and form acid rain. Acid rain is found to be one of the reasons for the tarnishing of archeological structures and buildings. When inhaled, these gases cause serious threats to the respiratory system.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) – Sulfur is present in the raw form in the fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum. When these fuels are burnt, SO2¬ ¬ is formed. This gas dissolves in water easily and forms sulfuric acid, which in turn results in another form of acid rain. Due to the stringent measures adopted by the EPA in the use of such pollutants, the emission of SO2 has been reduced by more than a third in the past 30 years.

Lead – The main source of lead in the atmosphere is the automobiles. Though leaded gasoline is not used nowadays in most of the vehicles as a fuel, lead batteries still pause a threat to the environment. When inhaled, lead directly affects the brain, nerves, and kidneys and causes severe damage to the respiratory system. As a result of the drastic steps taken by the EPA, the amount of lead has been reduced considerably. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reported that the levels of lead in the blood samples of people have been decreased by about 78%.

Yet, we have more miles to go, and the clock ticks remind us of the imminent disasters in terms of global warming and other hazards associated with that. New technology, such as the hybrid cars and the use of alternate fuels are talked about as the only solution to this situation.

Green house gases (GHG) mainly comprise carbon dioxide, which is emitted to the atmosphere as the byproduct of burning of fossil fuels, respiration, industrial activities, etc. Carbon dioxide emission caused by the vehicles on the road is the main cause for the increase of the carbon dioxide level.

The global warming, caused by the green house effect, happens in the following way. Carbon dioxide has the ability to trap the infrared rays of the sun and thus maintain the temperature of the planet. But the abnormal level of carbon dioxide emerges as a threat to earth; it has been reported that the average global atmospheric temperature has risen 0.6 ± 0.2 degree celsius since the late 19th century.

The aftermaths of global warming are many. It can cause rise in the sea level, in turn, make many lands disappear from the earth in the due course. This mainly happens because of the increase in temperature in the Polar Regions which causes the polar glaciers melt and thus result a rise in the sea level. Flood, hurricane, and extreme climate conditions are some of the challenges we are expecting in the near future. The end of the sad story is that many plant and animal species are going to be extinct due to this adversity.

Environmental agencies across the globe are working out strategies to reshape the earth’s meteorological map which is occupying more and more red in the place of blue. The only practical solution to this impending disaster is the use of alternate fuels. The automobile industry has been seriously involved in projects such as hybrid technology by which fuel efficiency of the vehicles can be improved.

Hybrid cars, which work on the combined effort of an oil fuel and electricity, is found to be more efficient than its single-fuel counterparts in terms of mileage and emission. More and more eco-friendly fuels such as alcohol and bio-diesel (fuel produced from vegetable oil or animal fats) are also being considered as the future fuel of the greener hybrid cars. There are more hopes with the much-awaited hydro-fuel technology taking shape, where water can be used as a fuel. Water is split into hydrogen and oxygen and the hydrogen is utilized as a fuel for running the motor, whereas oxygen is released as the exhaust!

The U.S. Department of Energy launched a ‘Climate VISION’ program initiated by President Bush in February 2003. The program’s focus is to reduce the intensity of green house gas by about 18% between 2002 and 2012, and they are involved with various federal agencies for its success. But EIA has a different version saying that ‘Climate VISION’ may not be able to reduce the absolute level of carbon dioxide as EIA’s statistics shows that it has increased 15% annually during the period 2001-05.

However, the situation is not beyond control. The contribution of each individual matters in saving the entire planet from peril. It is high time for governments to bring an international law that strictly adheres to the policies intended to reduce the emission from vehicles and other hazardous sources.

There are many harmful components, which are produced by the combustion of conventional fuels such as coal and petroleum. Carbon monoxide, which is produced by the incomplete combustion of a fuel is a major health hazard. Smog, a mixture of smoke and fog, is caused by the accumulation of the solid suspensions, the unburned carbon particles in the fuels. The oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur are the contributing factors for the acid rain that has become a common phenomenon nowadays. Lead, arsenic and such carcinogenic wastes are the byproducts of the use of fossil fuels in the existing engine technology.

Though an immediate solution is not possible, the countries are serious about working out an environmental policy to make regulations on reducing the use of hazardous pollutants and fuels and thus contribute a bit to a greener environment. The U.S Energy Policy Act, which came into existence in 1992, identified eight fuels, viz., bio-diesel, ethanol, natural gas, hydrogen, electricity, propane, and methanol, as alternative fuels that can be used in the vehicles in order to alleviate the problems associated with the harmful emissions on the roads.

Along with the selection of fuels, the technology also plays an important role in reducing the emissions to an extent. Such a technological solution is the hybrid cars, which already has hit the market. As we know, vehicles cause a significant share to the atmospheric pollution. With the help of hybrid technology, we would be able to not only reduce the density of the harmful gases in the atmosphere, but also save a significant quantity of fossil fuels which are going to be extinct from the earth.

Hybrid technology is an addendum to the existing engines of a car or an automobile. Hybrid cars work with a combination of two sources of energy – gas/oil and electricity. There are many hybrid combinations; some are already tested and found successful on the roads, and some are yet to take shapes.

In a hybrid technology, a sufficient quantity of fuel, petrol or diesel or gas according to the make of the engine, can be saved with its regenerative energy mechanism. The fuel wastage which happens during an acceleration or a sudden brake in a normal situation does not happen in the hybrid cars as the battery in the hybrid system draws energy from the fuel which is wasted in such situations and thus enable it remain charged even without the help of a separate fuel source or plug-in.

More hybrid versions such as those with fuel cells and plug-in hybrids which work on solar panels are waiting to take shapes. These are revolutionary concepts as they offer little or no emission, and these are working on the non-conventional sources such as water and solar energy.