Biodiesel Car Captures Highest Ratings In Six Performance Categories At The 2003 Michelin Challenge Bibendum
SAN FRANCISCO--Sept. 29, 2003--| Achievements Include Gold Awards In Reduction Of Global Warming (CO2) Emissions And Fuel Economy |
Green Star Products, Inc. (OTC US: GSPI) announced today that its 35% owned affiliate company -- American Biofuels, captured an impressive array of performance awards at the 2003 Michelin Challenge Bibendum.
One of the American Biofuels entry vehicles, a 2001 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Turbo diesel, running on 100% biodiesel, captured `A' ratings in six categories, more than any other "production class" vehicle entered, including all of the major automobile manufacturers.
The Challenge Bibendum is not considered a competitive event but a performance event to display the advancements in vehicle technologies. Therefore, entrants are only rated with A, B, C, and D letters (ratings). There are eleven performance categories that receive Gold Awards for `A' ratings and Silver Awards for `B' ratings, excluding four of these categories that are non-award categories.
There were a total of twenty-six of the most advanced production vehicles in the World entered in the event; hybrid, fuel cell, natural gas, and biofuel vehicles. Entries include: Seven by Honda , six by Toyota , three by Nissan (Nasdaq SC: NSANY), two by Volvo , three by DaimlerChrysler , one by Ford , one by Mercedes-Benz, and two Volkswagen diesel cars by American Bio-Fuels.
The `A' ratings are very difficult to attain. For example, twelve of the twenty-six production entries from the major automakers did not achieve one single `A' in any of the eleven performance categories. Furthermore, even the Honda Insight hybrid vehicle, which is considered to be the most efficient and environmentally friendly production vehicle on the road today, received not one `A'.
The American Biofuels' Volkswagen Jetta entry running on 100% biodiesel needed 43 miles per gallon to secure its first `A' Gold Award in the fuel efficiency event. It attained the Award by achieving over 60 miles per gallon on the aggressive Infineon Raceway while clocking some of the fastest lap times in the fuel efficiency event.
American Biofuels entered the Michelin challenge this year to specifically capture the CO2 awards that relate to reducing global warming gases and providing a renewable and sustainable transportation industry.
American Biofuels attained `A's in all three CO2 performance categories and received its second Gold Award for CO2 performance.
At the conclusion of the four-day Michelin Challenge the awards were presented at a Gala Dinner at the Downtown San Francisco Marriott Hotel. During the awards dinner there were many very notable speakers including the Mayor of San Francisco, Willie Brown and (via video tape) the Vice-President of the European Union, Loyola de Palacio, who identified the great importance of biofuels in establishing a sustainable and renewable transportation industry.
In light of these kind of presentations by the speakers it is not surprising that the American Biofuels race team felt deprived of their victory when there was no mention of their achievements in the production class category while all of the awards were presented only to the major automobile companies competing in this category in the event.
Furthermore, a two-page press release by the Michelin Challenge Bibendum dated September 25th neither mentioned the American Biofuels top awards or even the word biofuels. On Friday, September 26, 2003 the Los Angeles Times printed an article covering the Bibendum Challenge, which stated that eighteen Gold Awards were given to all of the major automobile manufacturers, without mentioning American Biofuels' production class Gold Awards. This was Michelin's chance to draw attention to the many benefits of diesel engines and biodiesel fuel proved by their own Bibendum event.
It is also noteworthy that the second American Biofuels entry, a Volkswagen TDI Golf vehicle running on 20% biodiesel blend (B-20) also received two `A' ratings and three `B' ratings.
At the Bibendum event many of the European participants stated that they believed that the United States was not committed to reducing CO2 emissions while the European Union has already committed to substantial CO2 reductions.
CO2 emissions contribute to the ecological life cycle, which causes the green house effect that is melting our polar caps and is drastically changing our weather conditions.
American Biofuels and Green Star Products, Inc. (OTC US: GSPI) have identified a 311-page comprehensive government study (NREL/SR-580-24089 UC Category 1503 "Life Cycle Inventory of Biodiesel and Petroleum Diesel for Use in an Urban Bus," sponsored by USDA & USDOE May 19, 200398 http://www.nrel.gov), which clearly indicates that the use of biodiesel can reduce CO2 emissions by 78.45% on a life cycle basis. This means that the use of renewable biodiesel fuel produced by our American soybean farmers will reduce CO2 emissions by 78.45% versus the use of conventional "out of the ground" diesel fuel.
The US Senate clearly recognizes the need to increase the use of environmentally friendly renewable resources and clean burning fuels produced in the United States, and passed the 2002 Version of the Energy Bill with a vote of 84 to 14 on July 30th 2003 to provide a tax incentive for biodiesel and increase biofuel production in the US to 5 billion gallons per year by 2012.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released a comprehensive technical report of biodiesel emissions data that shows the exhaust emissions of particulate matter from pure biodiesel are about 47 percent lower than overall particulate matter emissions from petroleum diesel. Breathing particulates has been shown to be a human health hazard. Biodiesel emissions also reduce by 80 to 90 percent potential cancer-causing compounds called Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) and nitrated PAH. Emissions of total unburned hydrocarbons, a contributing factor to smog and ozone, are reduced by 68 percent. Carbon monoxide is reduced by 48 percent.
American Biofuels' strategy is to demonstrate that green technologies available today are more effective at alleviating the current ills of our environment and economy than other more expensive technologies that will not be available to the general public for many years to come. Biodiesel, a fuel created from renewable resource living plants, is a clean and practical fuel that is currently available to the general public.
GSPI owns 35% of American Biofuels, which is currently building the largest biodiesel plant in the United States, scheduled for start up by the end of this month.
Green Star Products Inc. is organized as a holding company with major ownership positions in a set of subsidiary and affiliated companies now commercializing advanced automotive and energy technology products. For more information, see GSPI's Web site at http://www.baat.com