[Biodiesel News] Biodiesel use growing

Biodiesel use growing

Contra Costa Times - CA,USA

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY deserves credit for joining other public agencies in switching its diesel-run vehicles to biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel ...

 

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY deserves credit for joining other public agencies in switching its diesel-run vehicles to biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel could become a significant alternative to regular diesel, especially if oil prices remain high.

 

Biodiesel is made from soybean oil and methanol or ethanol, all of which are produced in the United States. The fuel costs about the same as conventional diesel and there is little difference in the miles per gallon that vehicles get.

 

Contra Costa estimates it would save about $30,000 a year once its fleet of trucks and other large vehicles switches to biodiesel. Currently, the vehicles are using B20, a mixture of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent conventional diesel. After a three-month trial period, the county hopes to use B100, pure biodiesel.

 

The fuel has many advantages. Because it is domestically produced, taxpayers' money stays in the United States rather than going to foreign producers of oil. Also, using biodiesel sharply reduces pollution. There is a 48 percent reduction in carbon monoxide, 47 percent less particulate matter and no sulfates.

 

Moreover, it is easy to convert diesel engines from petroleum-based fuel to biodiesel with little or no modification. With so many benefits, little difference in costs or mileage and ease of conversion, there is no good reason why biodiesel cannot become widely used in the near future.

 

In fact, there has been a rapid increase in the production of the fuel. Just seven years ago, only 500,000 gallons of biodiesel were produced in the United States. This year, U.S. production is more than 150 million gallons.

 

That is still a tiny fraction of the 60 billion gallons of diesel used each year in the United States, but the future bodes well for biodiesel.

 

Alameda County, Marin County and Berkeley already use biodiesel fuel. San Francisco is considering using it for all its Muni buses and other city vehicles. Contra Costa is likely to be another major user of biodiesel. That is good new for our air and our economy.  

 

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Posted by Vince to Biodiesel News at 9/21/2006 05:36:00 AM