DNR Parks and Recreation equipment across the state is trying an environmentally-preferred alternative fuel made from vegetable oils. This renewable fuel, called biodiesel, is made from crops such as soybeans, canola and industrical hemp and by chemically-reacting alcohol with vegetables oils, fats or greases. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. This blend can be used in any diesel engine little or no modifications and can be stored and distributed through existing facilties. Besides being a renewable fuel, biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.

More than 25 facilities are using biodiesel blends to fuel their diesel mowers, tractors, bulldozers, backhoes and other diesel-powered heavy equipment. For the 2005 use season, all locations used either a 5-percent blend called B5 or a 20-percent blend called B20. Visitors will be able to spot the equipment running on this alternative fuel by the colorful bumper stickers declaring "Running Green." These stickers were provided free to the division by the Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee.

To track progress, monthly reports are compiled on the amount of biodiesel used as well as comments the operators have on equipment performance and emissions. If the trial is successful, there is the potential for all the division's diesel equipment to be operating on biodiesel blended fuel in 2006.

As an expansion of the program, a 5-percent (B5) marine biodiesel fuel was made available to boaters at the Cedar River State Harbor in Upper Peninsula. This new harbor was able to offer boaters with diesel engines an option of choosing a biodiesel blended fuel or petroleum diesel and saw biodiesel sales outpace petroleum diesel sales by 2 to 1. Part of the success of the product was a series of incentive coupons funded by the Department of Labor and Economic Growth Biomass Energy Program that provided discounts to boaters to try this new product. Biodiesel will be offered at Cedar River again in 2006.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• U.S. Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center
• National Biodiesel Board
• Soy-based Biodiesel Supplier/Retailer List