UVA implements fleet wide B-20

From: "Blue Ridge Clean Fuels" <brcfi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "VA Biofuels Forum list" <biofuels-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 12:54:27 -0400
University bus system becomes eco-friendly
By Melanie Mayhew
Daily Progress staff writer
Wednesday, October 19, 2005


Students strolling the University of Virginia campus may think they smell
McDonald?s, but that faint fry-like smell is actually eco-friendly bus
exhaust.
As of the middle of this month, UVa is adding biodiesel to fuel its 30-bus
fleet. The fuel is a blend of 80 percent diesel and 20 percent soy compound.
After the university did a test run this summer with the biodiesel fueling
two buses, director of Parking & Transportation  Rebecca White determined
that the biodiesel and all-diesel buses were equally efficient and required
similar maintenance.
UVa?s decision to shift from diesel to biodiesel will help Virginia farmers
who grow the soybeans that partially comprise the biodiesel fuel, White
said. Also, the shift will benefit the environment because, unlike diesel,
soybeans are a renewable resource. Additionally, powering university buses
with biodiesel will slightly reduce smelly diesel emissions, said Ramon L.
Espino, a UVa research professor in chemical engineering.
?This is a step in the right direction,? Espino said. ?It will be
interesting to see how it?s received.?
But bettering the environment will cost the university an additional $30,000
each year, 10 percent to 15 percent more than the $250,000 Parking &
Transportation spends annually on fuel. The cost could rise or fall with the
industry market price index.
The decision to switch from diesel to biodiesel is just the first step in
White?s plan to make Parking & Transportation more environmentally
conscious. During the next 12 years, she?ll replace the 18 cars and trucks
in the fleet with diesel and hybrid vehicles.
The popularity of biodiesel has found a place in UVa classrooms as well.
Mark T. Aronson, an associate professor of chemical engineering, and Bob
Davis, chairman of the chemical engineering department, assigned their
introduction to engineering students the semester-long task of designing a
process to convert a gallon of vegetable oil into biodiesel.
?We chose biodiesel as our topic because of the current energy situation,?
Aronson said.
The biodiesel buses circling the campus represent a first and important
step, he added.
?This is not going to solve the country?s energy problem,? Aronson said.
?But it is a step in the right direction using a renewable resource as
 fuel.?
Added White, ?Why not explore this opportunity to use [fewer] petroleum
products and reduce emissions??
Contact Melanie Mayhew at (434) 978-7265 or mmayhew@
dailyprogress.com.
This story can be found at:
http://www.dailyprogress.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=CDP/MGArticle/CDP_Ba
sicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1128767623248&path=


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UVA implements fleet wide B-20

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