Workshop educates Tristate about biodiesel
Biodiesel may be the wave of the future in Northern Kentucky, but cost concerns in the meantime have held back some potential customers.
The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Tri-State Clean Fuels Network partnered for a workshop on Jan. 19 to introduce the advantages of biodiesel, which has been approved as a registered fuel and fuel additive by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Biodiesel is a methyl ester that is derived from a variety of oils and fatty acids, which are then mixed with methanol or ethanol, and can stand alone or be added to diesel fuel to make a cleaner product for the environment.
Jim Conway, the vice -president of sales and marketing at Griffin Industries in Cold Spring, spoke at the conference about biodiesel. Griffin Industries, one of 53 companies around the country that produces biodiesel, produces nearly two million gallons of biodiesel each year.
“It certainly is an emissions reducer, as far as getting a lot of the toxins out of the air,” said Conway. “It can also help us reduce our dependency on foreign oil, and we think the power and performances of the vehicles are unchanged.”
Conway also explained that a number dictates the amount of biodiesel that is present in a fuel (i.e. B20 means that the fuel is 20 percent biodiesel, B100 means the fuel is pure biodiesel), and the percentages vary depending on the season and climate. According to Conway, colder weather is a potential problem with higher mixtures of biodiesel, as the fatty acids can congeal within the fuel.
However, Conway says Griffin produces only B20, and each batch is tested to meet requirements set forth by the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM). Biodiesel is currently in use in varying forms throughout many tri-state organizations, including many school districts and public transportation departments.
Bob Wehr, who is the shop supervisor for the transportation department of Kenton County Schools, received a grant in 2002 to test the fuel, and was pleased with the results.
“It came down to a cost issue with us,” explained Wehr, who currently isn’t using biodiesel. “Its a great fuel, it burns very clean, and eliminated most of the smoke of our buses upon starting up, but it is still a little too costly, although I wish we were still using it now.”
Currently, Conway says that biodiesel costs between two and five cents more per gallon than petroleum, but the costs have steadily decreased in recent years, and he expects that trend to continue. Costs for biodiesel vary, with prices slightly higher for mixtures with more biodiesel. Conway also said that current and future legislation is being passed to lower the costs of biodiesel to consumers, by eliminating various taxes.
“If the costs were even, it’d be a no-brainer” said Ken Edgell, an environmental administrative coordinator for Hamilton County (OH). “But even at just a few cents more per gallon, for a large fleet of vehicles, that can add up quickly and make a huge difference.”
Conway added that he expects to see an increase in consumers, both public and private, as costs continue to fall and more people are made aware of the benefits. For more information on biodiesel, visit the Griffin Industries at www.biog3000.com, or visit the Tri-State Clean Fuels Network website at www.Clean CitiesCincinnati.org.