San Diego Makes Alternative Fuels Happen!

A gas station, Pearson Fuels, stands proudly on El Cajon Boulevard, just east of I-15, offering the full gamut of fuel sources, both old-school and eco-friendly. The assorted pumps in multiple bays offer biodiesel, two varieties of natural gas, vehicle-grade propane, and ethanol beside the traditional pumps for diesel and gasoline. They even have six nearly-obsolete bays for the discontinued electric cars whose production ceased in 2004.

Although gasoline still tops the station's bestseller list, ethanol is creeping up the ranks as drivers turn to alternative fuel sources to feed their hungry machines. The numbers speak. On an idle Wednesday, Pearson Fuels sold 1,281 gallons of ethanol and 1,835 gallons of gasoline, a figure that clearly illustrates the rising demand for alternative fuels. In fact, it is the ethanol sales that keep this station operating at full-throttle, as ethanol yields a greater profit than traditional gasoline. Gasoline sales at Pearson have reduced by over half, while skyrocketing prices close the profit window for dealers, rendering hardship in the area of gas sales. Pearson, ahead of the curve, is already expanding by outfitting other stations with ethanol permits and product. The first station to sign on opened last moth in Carlsbad and Pearson Fuels aims to open one new facility per month through the end of the year.

California already has approximately 250,000 cars that can run on ethanol, but there are few pumps to fuel them with. And thanks to federal incentives, automakers are pumping out more and more compatible cars. Pearson is more than a fuel station, but also serves as an education center, funded by both state grants and private donors. To date, the center has been visited by 28,000 schoolchildren from the San Diego area, all of whom have been shuttled in on a natural-gas powered bus. California has long been considered a forerunner in environmental education and practices. Early education and solution-seeking are the natural extension of this eco-consciousness that is "so Cali!"