Embracing Clean Fuels a Matter of Sense and Sustainability

At the National Biodiesel Board 2010 Conference and Expo in Dallas, Enterprise Holdings announced that our entire North American fleet of more than 600 airport shuttle buses will begin using at least five percent biodiesel (B5). These buses operate across more than 50 North American markets under the Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and National Car Rental brands. Further, we’re immediately converting buses in nine markets to 20 percent biodiesel (B20) as a first step toward our goal of converting our entire bus fleet to B20 over the next five years.

It’s a commitment we were pleased to make for several reasons. First, we estimate that this move to biodiesel will reduce our petroleum use by approximately 420,000 gallons in the first year alone. And the reduction in carbon emissions during that first year will be equivalent to retiring 40 buses from our fleet.

We also know that our effort comes at a pivotal time for the biofuels industry. Consider, for example, the White House’s recent announcement that it plans to support efforts to more than double the production of biofuels in the U.S. by 2022.

But it’s important to realize that, for us, the choice of biodiesel for our shuttle buses simply makes sense for our business. Our choice of biodiesel is one more way for us to advance our commitment to help grow the market for clean fuels and engine technologies by embracing them as they become commercially viable.

It’s that same commitment that led us to add more than 7,000 gas-electric hybrid vehicles into our fleet, which customers can rent from 100 ‘hybrid branches’ in 30 markets across the country. Looking ahead, it’s why we’re committed to ensuring that extended range electric vehicles (EREVs) become a vital part of our fleet as that technology continues to emerge.

Helping to grow the clean fuel market is just one of several steps we’re taking to manage our business for long-term, sustainable success. It stems from our goal of making sure that the core parts of our business – cars and fuel – remain acceptable to society, and it’s a principle we apply across all of our brands and operations.

Our environmental commitment extends beyond simply taking what the clean-fuel market provides to include strong support of renewable fuels research. In fact, a $25 million grant made by our company’s owners to the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, a leading plant science research facility, led to the creation of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels. At the Institute, scientists are working to develop alternatives to finite fossil fuels by finding new ways to create fuel from renewable, reliable plant sources. In fact, much of the Institute’s work has focused on using algae to produce ‘third-generation’ biofuels that someday could be used on a large scale to power cars, trucks, and aircraft.

This commitment to environmental stewardship extends to other parts of our business as well, including WeCar, our car sharing service that provides an environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and convenient transportation solution to our business customers. Hybrid and plug-in vehicles are the cornerstone of WeCar, which can reduce our customers’ fleet costs and overall emissions while supporting their sustainability initiatives.

Our environmental stewardship efforts, including our conversion to biodiesel, may not be a total solution. But we believe we’re taking significant steps in the right direction. And, as our nation continues to move toward a clean-energy economy, we hope our actions encourage companies across all industries to embrace clean fuels and other sustainable alternatives that make sense for their own businesses, as well as for the environment.