Biodiesel is heating up

Biodiesel is heating up
Chester Daily Local Online - Chester,PA,USA
... of foreign oil, in addition to addressing environmental concerns, and people throughout the five-county area are excited about the potential of biodiesel. ...

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With the winter months fast approaching and the nights beginning to get cooler, business for home-heating distributors in the region is beginning to warm up -- and with it, a source of alternative energy.

Throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, the energy industry is quickly turning to a mix of heating oil and biofuel produced from soybean oil.

It’s part of a movement to alleviate the country’s dependence of foreign oil, in addition to addressing environmental concerns, and people throughout the five-county area are excited about the potential of biodiesel.

"We’re excited about it. I believe this is the future," said Rich Longacre, CEO of Telford-based Farm & Home Oil Co. "This is the writing on the wall, and I believe the technology is only going to get better and better."

Farm & Home, which conducts retail and wholesale operations throughout eastern Pennsylvania, and through its Pottstown division, delivers to communities in northern Chester County.

It will begin distribution of its home-heating blend called Bioheat in mid October, which Longacre said will start at 2 percent, until more research is done on higher-level blends.

Additionally, Longacre said the company will run its fleet on biodiesel.

"We want to make sure we’re very comfortable using it," Longacre said. "It’s a relatively new industry."

Also turning to biodiesel is The Energy Cooperative, of Philadelphia, which partners with Strastburg-based HC Rineer.

"A lot of customers are very excited, a lot are signing up for this year," said EC Services Associate Dave Weinar, adding that the buzz is circulating in the industry. "There’s definitely not a lack of interest. More companies are thinking about getting into (biodiesel), and we’re in a situation where we can bring it to customers."

Weinar said the company distributes a B-20 blend, meaning 20 percent of the heating oil is made up of biodiesel, and began offering the alternative fuel last year.

But it’s not just the bigger companies on the block that are switching, even smaller operations like Lancaster Fuels Inc. are taking advantage of the technology.

Owner Eric Diobilda said he saw that a bigger operation, Worley & Obetz Inc. of Manheim, was using biodiesel and decided to give it a try.

"I learned about it last fall and got into it ... because I think it will probably catch on," Diobilda said. "And there weren’t many other companies getting into it."

He added that he distributes a 5 percent blend, which last winter cost about 5 to 10 cents more than regular heating oil.

"Now it’s close to 4 cents," Diobilda said. "I’ll continue with it. It’s a renewable source of energy."

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, soybeans are the largest source of protein feed and vegetable oil in the world.

Soybean and soybean product exports accounted for 43 percent of U.S. soybean production in 2003. Soybeans equal about 90 percent of U.S. total oilseed production, while other oilseeds -- such as cottonseeds, sunflower seeds and peanuts -- account for the remainder.

Biodiesel is made through a chemical process called transesterification, whereby the glycerin is separated from the fat or vegetable oil. The process leaves behind two products -- methyl esters (the chemical name for biodiesel) and glycerin (a valuable byproduct usually sold to be used in soaps and other products), according to the National Biodiesel Board.

Some of the benefits of using biodiesel include lower emissions as compared to petroleum, and biodiesel also serves as a lubricant and solvent inside oil tanks and heating systems.

Yet one of the most cited advantages among those in the industry was having less dependence on foreign sources of oil.

For all of those reasons, Mack Services Group of Berwyn and Parkesburg is thinking about moving toward biodiesel.

"We’re looking into it," said Tim McCorry, vice president of sales and marketing. "A lot of our terminals are having a hard enough time serving our current goals of production. But we’ve done preliminary looking."

Similarly, John Reilly, of Reilly and Sons Inc. in Exton, said the company was going for a 3 percent blend, and hoping to begin distribution in October.

"We’re doing a change in storage. Usually we serve low sulfur diesel, but we’re going to change to bio," he said. "We’re hoping to do big things with bioheat next spring, and looking to have more commercial accounts and on-road and off-road, as well. But it’s not a small expense."

Though most biodiesel is shipped in from the Midwest, Reilly said most fuel for his company will be transported from Harrisburg.

A former president of the Chester County Fuel Dealers Association, Reilly added that he is confident more tests will lead to higher blends of biodiesel.

"The Underwriters Laboratory hasn’t given approval at higher ratings, but hopefully every year we’ll be able to up the amount of soybean oil."

Even so, the buzz is not just in the home-heating industry.

The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a Southeast Regional Roundtable at 9 a.m. Wednesday focusing on alternative-energy issues.

"At this meeting, speakers will discuss future priorities and the economics of alternative energy and share news about regional showcase projects," said DEP Southeast Regional Director Joseph A. Feola.

DEP’s regional roundtable is made up of volunteers, including residents, consultants, government officials and business leaders.

The meeting will be held at DEP’s regional office, 2 E. Main St. in Norristown. Deputy Secretary Daniel J. Desmond of DEP’s Office of Energy Technology and Deployment, Blue Hill Partners Senior Manager Joyce M. Ferris and Media Borough Councilman Peter Alynakian are scheduled to speak at the meeting.

To contact staff writer Michael Crist, send an e-mail to mcrist@dailylocal.com.
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