Biofuel boosted on Ag Day

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Former American Soybean Association President Mike Yost urged farmers and truckers to support Minnesota House and Senate bills promoting biodiesel Thursday at the Farm-City Hub Club's annual Agriculture Day luncheon at Turner Hall.

Yost, of rural Murdock, also promoted biodiesel as part of a new energy bill in Congress.

"This is bigger than agriculture," Yost said. "Call your representatives and tell them to support biodiesel bills."

Minnesota biodiesel bills are the first of their kind in the country and could become models for other states.

The Minnesota Soybean Association got such a bill introduced last year but it never had a hearing. It would have required all diesel fuel sold in Minnesota to contain at least two percent biodiesel fuel as of Jan. 1, 2001.

Biodiesel is an alternative fuel made from renewable biological sources including soybean oil. It can be used in diesel engines without modification, is biodegradable, nontoxic, and emits less sulphur dioxide and aromatics than conventional diesel fuel.

It is the first and only alternative diesel fuel to have submitted a complete evaluation of emission results and potential health effects to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Air Act.

Emissions testing protocols are the most stringent ever required by the EPA for certification of fuels or fuel additives in the U.S.

It is also safer than conventional fuel, with a flash point of over 300 F.

Biodiesel is simple to make. Alcohol is added to raw soybean oil and glycerin is removed.

Yost said biodiesel originated as a by-product of hand cremes and soups, biodegrades as fast as sugar, and can be blended with conventional diesel at any level.

When used in a diesel engine, biodiesel differs from conventional diesel fuel since it has improved lubricity and does not produce visible black smoke.

It smells like fried chips and has less smoke-forming potential.

Sulfur, carbon monoxide and particulate (smoke and soot) emissions are reduced.

Minnesota demand for low blend (2-5 percent biodiesel) is 550 million gallons per year, requiring 11-27.5 million gallons of soy oil.

The demand could raise the price Minnesota farmers receive for soybeans by up to six cents a bushel, according to the Minnesota Soybeans Growers Association.

Current markets are for B2 (two percent biodiesel) and B20 (20 percent biodiesel), both of which are approved for use in all diesel engines.

At the two percent level being proposed, biodiesel, when handled like No. 2 diesel, may raise the cost of diesel fuel by a couple cents per gallon.

Biodiesel has a positive impact on the U.S. balance of trade, making it less dependent on imported oil and improve the rural economy, according to the association.

"Couple this with the high cost of energy, strong interest in air quality, the desirability of renewable fuels and EPA demands to remove 97 percent of sulphur out of diesel fuel by 2006," Yost said. "We believe that biodiesel is the natural solution to this. I firmly believe that the stars are in alignment for biodiesel like they've never been before."

For more information, call the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association at 1-888-896-9678 or visit mnsoybean.org.