Michigan-Florida I-75 green corridor offers practical solution for biofuel travel

From the northern tip of Michigan to the southern slope of Florida, drivers of flex-fuel vehicles can cruise I-75 and no long worry about where to find the next refueling station.

LANSING, MI – From the northern tip of Michigan to the southern slope of Florida, drivers of flex-fuel vehicles can cruise I-75 and no long worry about where to find the next refueling station. States along the north-south interstate are in the final stages of building one of the world’s longest biofuel stations corridors. The 1,786-mile route passes through Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and Florida. 

Five years in the making, “I-75 Green Corridor Project” significantly increases the availability of biofuels E85 and B20, and offers a practical path along the historic stretch of interstate highway for alternative vehicle owners, who, until recently, did not have as many refueling options. 

In recent years, biofuel stations have been added in metro areas and along the highway corridor with stations located no more than 200 miles apart. There are 12 biofuel stations along I-75 in Michigan. 

The initiative is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities. Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Michigan Energy Office (MEO) along with General Motors helped form the I-75 partnership with the Clean Cities coalitions in the five states, and Clean Energy Coalition of Ann Arbor. 

“The corridor is a major step in establishing practical, cost-effective transportation for flex-fuel vehicle drivers, and complements the forward-looking efforts of flex-fuel vehicles manufacturers,” said MEO Deputy Director Robert Jackson. 

“With biofuel refueling made more convenient, it’s easier and affordable for fleets traveling along the corridor to use alternative-fuel vehicles,” he said.

Biofuels are composed of or produced from biological raw materials (such as corn or soybeans). There are 26 E85 (a fuel with 85 percent ethanol) stations, and 9 B20 (a biodiesel blend) stations along the I-75 corridor with another nine to be installed this summer.

Providing a practical means to use biofuels – such as ethanol made from corn and other alternatives – is more environmentally friendly and emits much less carbon than burning regular gasoline, draws upon U.S.-based fuel production, and lessen reliance on foreign oil. 

In the last five years, more than 3.3 million gallons of biofuel have been sold at stations along the corridor, which translates into the displacement of 2.6 million gallons of petroleum, or 61,000 barrels of renewal fuel. 

Other environmental and energy benefits include: 

• Avoidance of 25,220 tons of CO2 emissions
• Elimination of annual C02 emissions from 4,817 U.S. passenger vehicles
• Saving the equivalent amount of energy by switching 604,604 incandescent lamps to compact fluorescent lamps
• Saving on the energy used by 2,109 homes for a year
• Avoiding the amount of carbon sequestered by 18,946 acres of U.S. forests in a year

For more information, please visit www.CleanFuelsCorridor.com 

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.