Sam Adams likes the idea that he
can help make a difference in the environment and
economy simply by switching his fuel.
The general manager of Cortese Tree Specialists is in
the process of converting the company's five diesel
trucks to biodiesel.
"It's been on my
radar, and I've been looking forward to switching over
to it. But it's only just now becoming readily
available," Adams said.
At a time when gas prices are at record levels and
the region has reached non-attainment status for its bad
air, biodiesel is garnering local and national
attention.
The cleaner-burning alternative fuel made from
renewable resources like soybeans or animal fats is now
available in Knox County, with the opening of its first
public pump last week. Regal Petroleum Co. became the
sixth fueling station in the area to sell the diesel
blend, most commonly sold as B20 - 80 percent standard
diesel fuel and 20 percent biodiesel.
Individual users and fleets from corporations and
government organizations are among those who are jumping
on the bandwagon.
The amount of biodiesel used nationally increased
from 500,000 gallons in 1999 to an estimated 25 million
gallons in 2003, according to the National Biodiesel
Board.
In East Tennessee, biodiesel consumption was
practically nonexistent prior to the area's first B20
pump last April.
By the end of 2004, 20 fleets consumed 90,000 gallons
of pure biodiesel known as B100, or the equivalent of
500,000 gallons of blends, said Jonathan Overly,
executive director of the East Tennessee Clean Fuels
Coalition.
"I would not be surprised if it goes 10-fold this
year," Overly said. "We're going to see excellent
results. I have no doubt."
The right thing to do
McNutt Oil Co. Vice President Pete Gale had never
heard of biodiesel until a Maryville dump truck operator
approached him about it almost two years ago.
He liked the fact that it could help American farmers
and reduce the country's dependency on foreign oil.
"It seemed like such a good idea. We were all excited
about trying it," Gale said.
Gale helped spearhead the opening of East Tennessee's
first biodiesel pumps at three Mr. Gas Texaco public
fuel stations in Alcoa, Loudon and Newport. The initial
response from consumers was slow, but over time, Gale
said the word on biodiesel spread.
"It has really grown very quickly. It seems to be
everywhere," he said.
Maryville-based McNutt Oil also supplies biodiesel to
aluminum manufacturer Alcoa Inc. and Knoxville Area
Transit, which have switched entire fleets to B20.
The cities of Chattanooga, Gatlinburg, Maryville,
Sevierville and Alcoa are also using biodiesel, while
Knoxville and Knox County are considering starting a
pilot project.
Like Gale, some point to the nation's dependency on
foreign oil as enough reason to make the switch. Others
tout the environmental benefits of biodiesel - from
lower emissions to fumes that smell less offensive.
But most agree it's simply the right thing to do
given the area's recent non-attainment status by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Knox and six surrounding counties were given the
designation last year because they weren't in compliance
with federal ozone requirements.
As a result, Scott Smith, president of
Knoxville-based Regal Petroleum Co., said he believes
"the market is going to demand it."
"I think it's going to eventually be a part of the
everyday product mix," Smith said.
Regal Petroleum Co. spent thousands of dollars to
become the first commercial fueling station in Knox
County to begin publicly selling B20 at its 1206 Proctor
St. location.
Other biodiesel pumps are in Blount, Cocke, Hamilton
and Loudon counties.
It wasn't until biodiesel became publicly available
that 71-year-old Blount County resident Dan Pursglove
got interested. He now uses it in his 2002 Volkswagen
Jetta.
"The more I read about it, the more I liked it,"
Pursglove said. "Unfortunately, until more people start
asking for it, there aren't enough places to buy it."
Overly said his East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition
is in talks with Pilot Corp. and three other petroleum
companies in Knoxville to possibly open biodiesel
stations in the area.
"There's definitely a lot of room for growth in East
Tennessee, and we're working in that direction," Overly
said.
Making the switch
Biodiesel typically costs about 20 cents to 25
cents a gallon higher than standard diesel. As of
Thursday, diesel was selling for $2.22 a gallon in
Knoxville, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report.
But a federal tax credit that went into effect at the
first of the year has helped offset some of the cost and
boost demand.
With government incentives comparable to those
provided for ethanol, biodiesel sales could reach about
2 billion gallons per year, or replace about 8 percent
of conventional highway diesel fuel consumption,
according to the American Biofuels Association.
Minnesota became the first state to mandate nearly
all diesel fuel sold contain a small percentage of
biodiesel. Other states, like Michigan, are considering
similar initiatives.
"It's only a matter of time before we get there in
Tennessee," said Mark Downing, who has been using
biodiesel in his 1984 Volvo for almost two years,
pumping it out of a 55-gallon drum before it became
publicly available.
Downing, 49, owner of TransTech Volvo/BMW in Oak
Ridge, said consumers shouldn't worry about higher
costs. Biodiesel makes vehicles run better, extending
the life of the car. Plus, the alternative fuel is more
economical, getting more miles per gallon.
Environmental Engineer Chris Moore said Alcoa Inc.
just wants to be a good corporate citizen. The Blount
County company has been looking for ways "to minimize
the environmental footprint."
"We wanted to make tangible changes at our facilities
to help reduce emissions," Moore said.
Alcoa switched its fleet of 550-plus vehicles last
November from conventional diesel to biodiesel.
The transition, however, ran into problems as cold
weather set in and tended to clog the vehicles' fuel
filters because of the presence of animal fats in the
fuel.
The company halted use of the alternative fuel but
resumed using it last week, Moore said.
"We feel like it's our responsibility to do all we
can within reason to help," Moore said.
Knoxville Area Transit is the biggest user of
biodiesel in East Tennessee, using in excess of 11,000
gallons of B100, or 55,000 gallons of blends a month for
its more than 80 diesel buses, said Barry Greenberg,
director of maintenance for KAT.
The public transit operator has plans to switch from
B20 to B25 in the next 30 to 60 days and to B40 and B50
by the end of summer. Ninety-three percent of fuel
consumed by KAT is alternative fuel. Greenberg is aiming
to increase that by 5 percent by the end of the year.
Last October, KAT was named the top transit system in
the nation by the American Public Transportation
Association in part because of its clean fuels program.
"We're going to do everything within our power to
reduce emissions and make better the environment for our
citizens," Greenberg said. "Nobody is going to be ahead
of us."
Business writer Carly Harrington may be reached at
865-342-6317.
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