Fueling Future with Biodiesel - 10/12/06

Area farmers in Alabama are tending to use biodiesel fuels rather than diesel.   The production of this fuel’s technology is still in its infancy, however Alabama experts sees considerable potential as an alternative or supplement to petroleum diesel and a revenue generator. 

A diesel vehicle needs no converter to be able to use biodiesel, unlike ethanol.  Many consumers say their vehicles run better on biodiesel.  Area farmers are stating that due to emission regulations sulfur is slowly being reduced from diesel fuel which lowers the lubricity of the fuel.  It is very abrasive on the fuel pumps and systems.  Biodiesel’s lubricity is greater than a standard low-sulfur diesel.  There is a downside to using biodiesel.  This fuel gels quicker than diesel and with cooler weather coming that means problems.  

Biodiesel uses soybean oil for production.  The are some significant other sources available also.  Rapeweed and cottonseed oil are an option.  Rapeweed yields higher oil than soybean.  Research is now being conducted to test jojoba and to see if it may be commercially grown in Alabama.  Jojoba produces much higher yields of oil than soybean.   

Southeast BioEnergy LLC plans to construct a $9 biodiesel plant in Athens.  The focal point of this plant will be its research facility with hopes of building three high-capacity diodiesel production plants.  The estimated production is about 4 million gallons of biodiesel a year.  Oil will not be produced by BioEnergy.  Plans are to have the oil shipped by rail or truck.  The source of the oil is immaterial.  Recently Malaysia was providing palm oil and this is a cheaper source than most U.S. grown crops.  However, they have decided to retain 60 percent of their harvest which changes the economic equation.  So now soybean has potential.  However, the biodiesel fuel industry in Alabama is not blowing up.  There are only 80 plants in America right now.  Approximately 131 plan to be online by the end of 2007.  There are not enough soybeans to support a large biodiesel effort.  Hopefully in a couple of years farmers may be able to change their crop and grow more soybeans. 

By Eric Fleischauer
The Decatur Daily
Sunday October 8, 2006

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