In an effort to communicate the many options in which ethanol can be produced and to enhance its position as a global commodity, the IndyCar Series—which has been at the forefront of the greening of racing and embraced renewable fuels since 2006—has announced a partnership with APEX-Brasil making the trade promotion agency the official ethanol supplier to the IndyCar Series beginning with the 2009 season.
The multi-year deal names APEX-Brasil an official partner of the Indy Racing League and the Indianapolis 500, which includes cooperation from UNICA (the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association) to identify those interested in supplying ethanol to the series. Initially, UNICA will look to partner with a U.S.-based ethanol company to supply the IndyCar Series with corn-based ethanol.
One of the primary messages of the new partnership is that regardless of the sources used in the production of ethanol - corn, sugarcane, or various cellulosic materials in the future - the end product is identical, a clean, renewable bio-fuel that reduces dependence on fossil fuels and combats one of the major causes of climate change.
“The move to other sources of ethanol is a natural progression as the ethanol industry continues to grow and evolve,” said Terry Angstadt, president of the commercial division of the Indy Racing League, the sanctioning body for the IndyCar Series. “We continue to strive to be on the leading edge of the greening of racing. The IndyCar Series was the first motorsports series to mandate use of a renewable fuel, and now we will work with the ethanol industry in both the United States and Brazil to promote the use of all types of ethanol by consumers.
“During our recent manufacturer roundtables, the participating engine companies were enthusiastic about our potential use of various sources of ethanol. We feel this move is another step in the right direction with our goal of introducing a new engine and chassis by the 2011 season.”
In 2007, the governments of the United States and Brazil signed a Memorandum of Understanding on bio-fuels with particular aim at consolidating ethanol as a global commodity. Jointly, the U.S. and Brazil produce in excess of 75 percent of the world’s ethanol output. Both countries are committed to ethanol development at a global level.
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