Dorr first in county to market biodiesel

MANCHESTER — In a state known for being "green," alternative fuel sources should be easily available in Vermont. That's what Donald Dorr thought, and he did something about it.
Beginning on Friday, the service station at Dorr's Oil Company on Route 30 began selling biodiesel as an alternative to diesel fuel.
And as of Monday, Dorr said, all the trucks in his fleet - which is about two dozen - will run on the fuel.
According to the National Biodiesel Board, biodiesel is a clean burning fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources and blended with petroleum diesel to be used in diesel engines.
"I think within a year, everybody is going to be running on biodiesel. People are interested in conserving, interested in the environment," Dorr said.
Not readily available
While biodiesel has gained a lot of credibility as an alternative fuel, it has not been readily available in Vermont. According to the Vermont Department of Public Service, there are only about a dozen places in the state selling biodiesel.
Most are in the northern or eastern part of the state, with the closest outlets in places like Brattleboro or Bellows Falls. Dorr is the first to sell biodiesel commercially in Bennington County.
Dorr said he knew some people in the area have been "playing with" biodiesel and producing it for themselves. Biodiesel can be produced from a mixture of diesel and vegetable oil, which sometimes results in a constant smell of French fries or doughnuts.
But Dorr said the biodiesel he has, which is supplied by an Albany, N.Y., company, is not from "chicken oil" and has almost no discernible smell.
Dorr described the soybean mixture used in the biodiesel he's selling at his station by repeating a popular slogan: "It's clean, green and made from a bean."
"That's what fuel oil is, vegetation that was compressed from 10 million years ago and that's what a soy bean is, it's vegetation," he said.
While biodiesel is more expensive, Dorr said he is selling it for the same price as diesel, a practice he hopes to continue.
Customer Ron Nagel, of East Rupert, said on Saturday as he was buying gas, he thought there were benefits to biodiesel.
"It's good for farmers and it reduces our dependence on foreign oil. ... Donny's always been an entrepreneur for a lot of things. I think this will be great for him," he said.
Bennington County residents can come by the service station Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. or Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon to get biodiesel, according to the sign on the door. But Dorr, whose company promises 25-hour-a-day service, said people could expect a little more.
"Sometimes we're still here later in the day, so we're open. Or folks can call me at home, and I'll come fill 'em up. I'm always around," he said.