Shell will develop a new racing fuel for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES beginning in 2023, the oil company announced recently. The fuel is made from a combination of second-generation ethanol created from sugarcane waste and other biofuels to produce a fuel that is composed entirely of “renewable” feedstocks, as defined by the applicable regulatory frameworks.
This means that this fuel may be made from waste, Dr. Selda Gunsel, President of Shell Global Solutions, explained to Forbes.
The Shell-developed fuel will make the NTT INDYCAR SERIES the first U.S.-based motorsports series to use 100 percent renewable race fuel. The fuel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by at least 60 percent compared to conventional gasoline, according to the statement.
Raizen, a Brazilian joint venture formed in 2011 by Shell and Cosan, will supply the second-generation ethanol. Raizen is one of the world’s largest sugarcane ethanol producers and the owner of the world’s first commercial second-generation ethanol plant.
“Motorsports has always been at the forefront of innovation and technology, and today INDYCAR is furthering this tradition in a very important and transformational way,” said Mark Miles, President & CEO of Penske Entertainment Corp, company that owns NTT INDYCAR SERIES. “We are proud to become a leader in sustainability and decarbonization as we work towards becoming the first U.S. motorsport series to run on renewable fuel.”
