Shell to debut 'watershed' renewable racing fuel in IndyCar

Beginning next season, Shell’s new fuel for the IndyCar Series will consist of a blend of second-generation ethanol derived from sugarcane waste and other biofuels.

The result is a fuel that is 100-percent comprised of feedstocks categorized as “renewable” under the applicable regulatory frameworks.

Currently, the fuel used by IndyCar is a variation of E85, which contains 85-percent ethanol and 15-percent high-octane racing fuel. The new fuel enables at least a 60-percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil-based gasoline.

“In discussions with Shell we looked at what can we above and beyond a sponsorship in a racing situation, how can we do something for the environment?” said Roger Penske, owner of Team Penske, the IndyCar Series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “So, we went to work.

“Obviously, with our two engine manufacturers (Chevrolet and Honda), we basically had to get both of those manufacturers comfortable from the standpoint of durability and reliability and also from the power perspective. I would say this is really a club decision, meaning the manufacturers, certainly IndyCar and certainly ourselves from the standpoint of the speedway.

“It’s the first real series to have this kind of commitment. Believe me, everyone wanted to be sure it was done properly and we got what we wanted technically.”

The second-generation ethanol used in the fuel will be sourced from Raízen, a Brazilian Joint-Venture created in 2011 by Shell and Cosan. Raízen is one of the largest sugarcane ethanol producers in the world, and owner of the first commercial second-generation ethanol plant.

“This is a watershed time when you think about the environment, the sustainability – the thing we are all focused on today,” Penske said. “These are top-of-the-line opportunities.”

Dani Silva, Shell’s vice president of Enterprise Accounts, said many elements went into selecting the type of fuel the IndyCar Series would utilize.

“The second-generation ethanol is something in which Shell has invested in a joint venture since 2011, so it’s critical that we understood what a sustainable fuel could look like,” he said. “There are so many options today in feedstocks that make it renewable.

“We worked for sustainability not at the expense of performance.”

In addition to the 100-percent renewable racing fuel, Shell and IndyCar will continue their sustainability journey together in several other ways, including:

- Pennzoil Synthetics 0W oils are used to power all engines running in the IndyCar Series and are now carbon neutral.

- A 150kW, high-power electric charger has been installed on the IMS grounds. All race tires for practice, qualifications and race day of the Indy 500 were delivered using the Freightliner eCascadia from Penske Truck Leasing’s fleet of electric vehicles.

- IMS will offset its entire operational carbon footprint during the month of May through its contributions to GreenTrees, which restores natural habitats in more than 1 million acres across seven states in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, and part of Shell’s portfolio of Nature Based Solutions projects.

- IMS continues to work toward being the first sports facility in the world named a Certified Responsible Sport venue by the Council for Responsible Sport, which promotes environmental, social and economic sustainability in the sport sector.