NCET

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Feeling the pinch at the pump? Escalating fuel prices are turning attention to alternative, renewable fuels like never before, which is good news for both small-scale and large commercial biodiesel providers in greater Reno-Tahoe.

The National Biodiesel Board broadly defines biodiesel as “a domestic, renewable fuel for diesel engines derived from natural oils like soybean oil, which can be used in any concentration with petroleum-based diesel fuel in existing diesel engines with little or no modification.”

 However, biodiesel is not the same thing as raw vegetable oil. Rather, it’s produced by a chemical process that removes the glycerin from the oil. Biodiesel can be used to displace petroleum-based fuel in diesel engines, which, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, makes up more than 20 percent of the fuel consumed in the nation’s transportation sector annually.

So, what role is greater Reno-Tahoe playing in the biodiesel revolution?

The Sparks-based Biodiesel Solutions is a recognized leader in community-scale biodiesel production equipment. The company manufactures the BiodieselMaster line of continuous-flow automated processors that allow communities to produce their own professional-grade biodiesel from local oil crops for use on farms, ranches and in local neighborhoods. Biodiesel Solutions “FuelMeister II” biodiesel kit, introduced two year ago, goes one step further in representing a new generation in “personal” biodiesel processor technology. The product allows for high-quality biodiesel production on a smaller scale, fitting easily into a personal garage or workshop space.

While Biodiesel Solutions provides the mechanism for individuals and communities to create their own biodiesel fuel sources, the Minden-based Bently Biofuels makes its product available to the public through on-site dispensing and bulk delivery.

Bently Biofuels produces its biodiesel from seed oils and recycled restaurant grease. In September, Bently will open a full-service, full-scale biofuel station in Minden, the only public facility of its type in the greater Reno-Tahoe area.

Is biofuel truly a viable alternative energy source for the future? According to the NBB, U.S. consumption of biodiesel fuel rose from 500,000 gallons in 1999 to 250 million gallons in 2006.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the DOE’s premier laboratory for renewable energy research and development, estimates that biodiesel could one day replace 10 percent of the petroleum diesel currently used.

In addition to being renewable, safer to handle and more environmentally sound than other alternative fuel sources, biodiesel can be made from waste products. It’s biodegradable, easily distributed, and perhaps of greatest importance to Americans right now, it improves our energy security and reduces our country’s reliance on foreign oil sources. In that light, greater Reno-Tahoe’s leadership in the biodiesel technology arena could very well have a positive, long-term impact on U.S. foreign oil dependence.

David Archer is the CEO of Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology, a statewide nonprofit organization that encourages people to start their own businesses and connects them with the resources they need to succeed. For more information, visit www.ncet.org