http://ens-news.com/ens/mar2002/2002L-03-18-09.html Environment News Service: AmeriScan: March 18, 2002 Biodiesel to Fuel Buffalo Buses ALBANY, New York, March 18, 2002 (ENS) - The Buffalo Niagara region of western New York state is about to be fueled with biodiesel to supplement the conventional diesel fuel for bus transport and home heating. The state of New York is awarding nearly $400,000 to a company and a transportation agency to introduce biodiesel fuel in the region.
Speaking at the Renewable Diesel Workshop 2002 today in Albany, William Flynn, president of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced a $320,000 award to the NOCO Energy Corporation in Tonawanda, New York for two projects to develop and use biodiesel fuel in the transportation sector. A separate award of $62,000 to the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) will help offset added costs for NOCO biodiesel fuel as compared to conventional diesel fuel for 140 of the 330 NFTA buses for at least a year. Biodiesel is a renewable, biodegradable fuel that can substitute for petroleum diesel or be blended with it. Biodiesel is made by chemically combining any of several natural oil or fat feedstocks with an alcohol such as ethanol or methanol. Vegetable oils that can be used include soybean oil, corn oil, peanut oil, cottonseed oil, and canola oil, as well as animal fat byproducts such as lard, tallow and used restaurant cooking oil. With $150,000 from NYSERDA, NOCO will make infrastructure improvements to blend, market and sell biodiesel in the Buffalo Niagara area. NOCO will use the fuel in its fleet of trucks and also provide biodiesel to the Town of Tonawanda for its truck fleet. "Governor Pataki has placed a great emphasis on improving our energy security by reducing New York State's dependence on imported petroleum as well as using cleaner energy technologies to improve air quality," Flynn said. "Biodiesel blends can help us achieve those goals by stretching existing petroleum supplies while reducing harmful emissions." "If they gain commercial acceptance," Flynn said, "biodiesel products may also help to stabilize prices for petroleum products, which have spiked in recent years causing economic hardships on residential and commercial petroleum customers alike." NYSERDA will provide $170,000 to NOCO through its research and development program to evaluate the use of bio-heating fuels in boilers and furnaces. The goal is to identify affordable domestic fuels that can be derived from cooking oils, soaps, or other consumer items that can be blended with Number 2 and Number 6 oils, which are used in home and commercial heating systems. The expectation is that the bio-blended heating fuels will reduce nitrogen oxide and particulate emissions. NOCO president James Newman said, "As a New York State based, family owned energy company, the biodiesel project creates a unique opportunity for us to diversify our energy products and services while enhancing our commitment to protecting our environment and dependence on oil. Funding for this effort comes from federal grants provided through the New York State Clean Cities Challenge, which attempts to reduce transportation related emissions by encouraging the use of alternative fuels and vehicles. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Stock for $4. No Minimums. FREE Money 2002. http://us.click.yahoo.com/BgmYkB/VovDAA/ySSFAA/9bTolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuels at Journey to Forever http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuel at WebConX http://www.webconx.com/2000/biofuel/biofuel.htm To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
