Chevron USA Inc. has embarked on a road trip with Toyota across the Gulf Coast to demonstrate what it said is a new gasoline blend with more than 50 percent renewable content.
The fuel “is more than 40 percent less carbon intensive than traditional gasoline on a life-cycle basis,” Chevron Corp. said. in a press release on Monday.
The tour of Toyota’s Camry, RAV4 and Tundra began on Monday and passes through the states of Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. During the trip, Chevron representatives will talk to the public about the benefits of low-carbon fuels such as renewable gasoline blends and biofuels.
Chevron said the renewable gasoline blends can be used in current vehicle models and can be hosted on the existing fuel network.
“Chevron believes the future of transportation is lower carbon and is increasing its offering of biofuel solutions for customers,” he said in the statement.
It already produces and markets biodiesel, renewable diesel and renewable natural gas and is also building a hydrogen fuel facility in the state of California, according to the release.
“To complement these efforts, Chevron has developed, produced and tested renewable gasoline blends with the goal of these blends being manufactured using today’s infrastructure and used in nearly any gasoline-powered vehicle to provide an immediate reduction in carbon intensity compared to traditional gasoline”. Chevron added.
Andy Walz, Chevron President for Americas Products, commented, “With more than 265 million gasoline vehicles on the road in the United States today, renewable gasoline blends could empower virtually every driver to play a role in a future of transport with less carbon.”
Public policy
Chevron says on its website that gasoline is poised to remain the primary fuel for automobiles through 2050, noting that 95 percent of passenger vehicles in the U.S. run on gasoline today.
“The light-duty vehicle sector currently accounts for a staggering 57% of US transportation emissions, and renewable gasoline blends, when supported by ambitious policies, are one way to reduce that number,” says the Chevron portal.
Since 2006, the US government has required an increase in average annual volumes of biofuel and renewable fuel in the transportation energy mix. The minimum volumes are specified in the Renewable Fuel Standards Program of 2006 as amended by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. They were in effect from 2006 to 2022.
For the years 2023, 2024 and 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed volumes of 11.92 percent, 12.55 percent and 13.05 percent respectively for renewable fuels. Advanced biofuel is proposed to have 3.33 percent by 2023, 3.8 percent by 2024 and 4.28 percent by 2025. Biomass-based diesel is proposed to have 2.54 percent, 2.6 percent and 2.67 percent respectively. Cellulosic biofuel has proposed volumes of 0.41%, 0.82% and 1.23% respectively.
Hydrogen fueled transportation
In addition to the renewable fuel, hydrogen is seen by Chevron as a low-carbon alternative to power the transportation sector.
In Monday’s announcement, it said that together with Toyota it is “exploring new technologies to power light and heavy vehicles and pursuing a strategic alliance to explore new hydrogen fuel solutions in the transportation sector.”
According to Chevron’s low-emissions roadmap released on October 12, 2021, it was producing around one million tons of hydrogen annually.
“At our Richmond, California refinery, the excess capacity of the new hydrogen unit, combined with existing and future strategic partnerships, will be the foundation for supporting the growth in hydrogen demand across the heavy transport, industrial and electric,” said his climate. indicated plan
Chevron said on April 21, 2021 that it had signed an agreement with Toyota Motor North America Inc. “to explore a strategic alliance to catalyze and lead the development of commercially viable and large-scale hydrogen businesses.”
The memorandum of understanding provides for collaboration on public policy measures to promote hydrogen infrastructure, assessment of demand and supply opportunities for light and heavy-duty fuel cell electric vehicles, and exploration of transportation and hydrogen storage.
Chevron aims for zero direct upstream emissions by 2050.
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