Soybeans, chicken fat get boost as biodiesel gains foothold in gas market

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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Chicken fat, soybeans and used vegetable oil are finding a new use across the state and country.

Biodiesel, a fuel made from processed animal fats and vegetable oils, is gaining a small foothold in a market still dominated by its petroleum counterpart. The product can be used in normal diesel engines but is nontoxic and produces significantly less carbon dioxide.

According to a National Biodiesel Board estimate, U.S. consumption soared to 250 million gallons in 2006, up from just 75 million gallons the year before.

The organization’s Web site lists seven Maryland distributors, and the state’s first factory for the product opened in Worcester County last June.

Once a Midwestern anomaly, biodiesel has become more popular on the East Coast in recent years, according to John Hoffman of Westminster-based Tevis Oil.

“There’s a big push now with the increase in gasoline and diesel prices to look for alternative fuels,” Hoffman said. “I don’t think we’re ever going to see biodiesel replacing the petroleum market, but if it can reduce the consumption by 10 or 20 percent, that would be terrific.”

Biodiesel is incompatible with the gasoline-burning engines found in most consumer vehicles, but the fuel has developed a niche market among farming equipment, state highway fleets, home-heating systems and other diesel-burning machines.

“The primary concern [of customers] is that it’s environmentally friendly and that it helps energy independence,” said Ginger Warren, vice president of Maryland Biodiesel Inc.

One of the primary sources of biodiesel — soybeans — is also Maryland’s second-largest crop.

Sandy Davis, executive director of the Maryland Soybean Board, said the organization has made efforts to get government agencies and consumers to switch to biodiesel blends.

“Of course price is a factor, but once people give it a try, the price doesn’t seem to bother them as much because they see the benefits of using it,” Davis said.

Limitations on biodiesel production make it unlikely to supplant petroleum altogether as a fuel source. According to a 2005 report by the U.S. Department of Energy, almost all of the arable land on Earth would need to be planted with high-yield crops to meet current energy needs with biofuels.

The fuel has other drawbacks, as well. Because of its solvent properties, many vehicle manufacturers advise owners to clean fuel filters more often when using the product. And while the fuel has become more competitive as oil costs have risen, Hoffman said, it remains slightly more expensive than petrodiesel.

“As we get production locally, hopefully that’s going to help with the cost,” Hoffman said. “We won’t have to pay for so much in the way of transportation.”

Where to buy biodiesel

» Baltimore Biodiesel, 2800 Sisson St., Baltimore, 410-235-3080

» Bare Truck Center, Route 140, Westminster, 410-848-4433

» Canton Biofuels/Jestor Technologies, 4201 Boston St., Baltimore, 443-255-5092

» Taylor Oil Co. Inc., 28 Thomas Ave., Brooklyn, 908-884-3813

» Taylorsville Shell, 2605 West Liberty Road, New Windsor, 410-634-8901

» Tevis Oil Company, 82 John St., Westminster, 410-840-0666

» Tevis Oil Inc., 1618 North Main St., Hampstead, 410-848-4433

» Westway, 1055 Hull St., Baltimore, 410-539-5950

Advantages of biodiesel

» It is less toxic than table salt and biodegrades as fast as sugar.

» Since it is made in the United States from renewable resources such as soybeans, its use decreases our dependence on foreign oil and contributes to our own economy.

» Biodiesel contains no sulfur or aromatics, and use of biodiesel in a conventional diesel engine results in substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matter.

» Biodiesel is better for the environment because it is made from renewable resources and has lower emissions compared with petroleum diesel.

» A U.S. Department of Energy study showed that the production and use of biodiesel, compared with petroleum diesel, resulted in a 78.5percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

Source: Maryland Biodiesel

jdavisson@baltimoreexaminer.com

SEE THE LATEST ON THIS STORY

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20 days ago: Cardin, Ulman praise success, outlook of Enviro-Center

26 days ago: Anne Arundel businesses and homeowners protest critical-area bill

30 days ago: Activists exploring changes to Maryland growth laws

33 days ago: Women at the front of the new green movement

39 days ago: Lights Out is for the birds

74 days ago: Virginia classifies more miles of waterways as polluted

79 days ago: In reversal, city to remove toxic dirt

80 days ago: Steep fees for felled trees — if Belmont has its way

82 days ago: Howard officials probing ‘problem areas’ at Upper Little Patuxent watershed

85 days ago: Toxin-laden dirt poses no threat, according to Baltimore officials