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Northbrook, IL (Oct. 5, 2007) - You may have caught the blue and green “e” ethanol logo on the #17 IndyCar® Series entry during the Indianapolis 500 this summer. Or maybe you’ve seen it during one of the “pump tours” during which hundreds of drivers line up to purchase ethanol-enriched fuel at a discounted price. Now that “e” is coming to the Village of Northbrook and the rest of Illinois.

The Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB) is working with the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC), the American Lung Association of Illinois and the Illinois Petroleum Marketers Association to introduce a voluntary statewide brand initiative for ethanol fuel including E10 (a blend of 10 percent ethanol-enriched fuel and 90 percent gasoline) and E85 (a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent unleaded gasoline).

“Illinois is ethanol country and consumers want to support the product. E10 is already widely available but this branding program will make it easier for the public to find ethanol products and make them feel good about their fuel choice. As E85 fuel and flexible fuel vehicles become more readily available we also hope their good experience with 10 percent blends will result in continued customer loyalty,” said Mark Lambert, ICMB Communications Director.

ICMB and EPIC chose the Northbrook location to announce the program because of the Village’s long history of support for E85 and flexible fuel vehicle technology. Northbrook adopted E85 and began converting its vehicle fleet to E85 a decade ago, making them the first municipality in Illinois to make a commitment to renewable fuel.

“Northbrook is a community concerned about the environment in general and local air quality in specific. Many residents also share a growing national concern that America should be energy independent. Our investment in E85 has been consistent with working toward the achievement of those goals,” said John Novison, Northbrook Village Manager.

Illinois has labeled E10 pumps with plain, black and white stickers for years, however, the new pump labels are brighter and will offer a higher profile. According to EPIC’s Director of Operations, Robert White, significant developments such as the Renewable Fuels Standard in the Energy Bill, higher gasoline prices and positive media coverage of ethanol have created a high level of consumer interest. This interest provides the opportunity for retailers to position themselves as responsive to consumer demand, and build on the growing interest in E85.

“Switching to the new labels is voluntary but it enables fuel retailers to capitalize on growing consumer awareness and the national brand-building activities that are being spearheaded by EPIC,” said White. “More and more consumers are seeking out ethanol-enriched fuel and this branding program will help consumers find it simply by looking for the brand image that will be consistent from pump to pump and from city to city across Illinois -- and, eventually, across the entire United States.”

Formed in 2005, EPIC has quickly gained traction in its quest to create a national brand for ethanol including consumer promotion, auto technician training, educational workshops—even working with the IndyCar Series to switch to 100 percent ethanol. “Ethanol is about performance—for engines, for our environment, for our economy and for our energy security,” White said. “This is a powerful brand message that is all wrapped up in that single and memorable ‘e’ logo.”

Source: EPIC / Illinois Corn Marketing Board