Townsville City Council vehicles are running on E – that’s E for Ethanol not for empty. Council has made the switch to a more sustainable fuel with 200 of its 315 strong fleet of vehicles now using 10 per cent ethanol blended fuel – E10.
Bulk fuel tanks at the Garbutt operations centre have now been converted to hold the ethanol blended fuel with vehicles starting to fill up in May.
Chair of the Council’s Engineering Services Committee, Councillor David Mather, said the switch demonstrated Council’s commitment to renewable energy and supporting the local sugar industry’s efforts to establish ethanol production.
“This is one way we can contribute towards environmental sustainability and support local industry at the same time,” Councillor Mather said. “Ethanol production from sugar cane is a potential saviour for the industry. Considering the huge economic input the industry has in Townsville it’s important that we get behind our cane growers.”
The ethanol in the E10 fuel Council is using is produced in North Queensland at Sarina, but Councillor Mather is hoping more widespread use of the fuel will see production closer to home.
