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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us January 18, 2005 City's fuel mix lowers pollutants By Jennifer Squires Ashland Daily Tidings Vehicle by vehicle, the City of Ashland is going green. For almost a year, the city's public works department has been using B20, a fuel mix that is 20 percent biodiesel, in select vehicles. Biodiesel, like the liquid shown in this jar, is being used to fuel some City of Ashland vehicles. File photo Ashland Daily Tidings "We're always looking for ways that we can put fewer pollutants in the air," said Dan Nicholson, the fleet manager in Ashland. "So far, the feedback is coming back really positive." Biodiesel is a cleaner-burning diesel replacement fuel made from natural, renewable, agricultural resources such as soybeans or cooking oil. According to Nicholson, several cities and counties around the state of Oregon now run part of their fleets on biodiesel mixtures. The interest and experience of other fleet managers encouraged Nicholson to pursue fuel alternatives for Ashland city vehicles. "Ashland is green, so [we will do] anything we can do to look for alternatively fueled vehicles or alternate fuels," Ashland Public Works Director Paula Brown said. "This has been something that's been around." An EPA study cited by Albina Fuel of Portland reports B20 reduced total hydrocarbons by up to 30 percent, carbon monoxide up to 20 percent and total particulate matter up to 15 percent. In the end of March last year, city employees began filling the tank of the diesel lawnmower used to cut the grass in cemeteries with biodiesel. Now, two street sweepers, a backhoe and a water department utility truck also use the fuel. "The positives of it are the cleaner emissions and using less diesel," Nicholson said. "The negatives are it's 35 to 45 cents more per gallon." The additional cost is only one of the drawbacks the city has found with biodiesel. The fuel doesn't work in engines of older vehicles and some vehicles experience loss-of-power problems, meaning emergency vehicles may never test-drive biodiesel. The fuel also gels in cold weather, which is why the city uses a mix that is just 20 percent biodiesel. However, the low-level blend does not require any engine modifications. "Some of the other agencies have tried it and then gone away from it because it didn't work for them year-round," Nicholson said. "I wanted to give it about 12 months so I could give it the different ranges of weather we have here in Ashland." According to information published by Albina Fuel, the lubricity provided by biodiesel helps reduce equipment wear and premature breakdown. Nicholson plans to continue using biodiesel, although specific plans for expansion of the project have not been determined. The city would need another storage tank to house a biodiesel reserve or for a local fuel supply company such as Pacific Pride to begin dispensing the fuel. Currently, the city borrows a 500-gallon fuel tank from Hays Oil Co. of Medford, the one of the local biodiesel distributors. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Slippers Women's Slippers men's slippers Ceramic Piggy Banks heloc libor rate Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weight Loss Programs Memory Foam Mattress college loans alternative student loans Matchmaking & Dating Scripts Adventure Travel Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems student loan consolidation trillion cut diamonds Currancy Exchange Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams