Talking biodiesel with a local cooperative

March 10, 2010

BY Ron Kotrba

Tomorrow I will be speaking about biodiesel at the annual meeting for a local farmer cooperative here in Northwest Minnesota. Some time ago my oilheat provider asked me to and I certainly agreed. I'm really looking forward to the discussion, even though I was warned that they were "going to drill me on the filter clogging issue," as it was put. I say bring it on.

The many improvements to the biodiesel fuel quality specification over the years have been impressive-thanks to many of the bright minds in this industry working toward the greater acceptance, and betterment, of biodiesel. But these are Minnesotans who likely remember the poor experience-and all of the negative media reports-from the winter of 2005-2006 when the mandate first went in effect.

First there was an issue with flashpoint. Then, cold weather struck and fuel filters were clogging across the state. Even though many of those issues with minor contaminants (sterol glucosides, monoglycerides, the advent of the cold soak filtration test, etc.) have been addressed, here we are again in Minnesota during a time when the now B5 mandate was temporarily lifted for No. 1 B5.

This past fall, spotty reports of storage tank filters clogging only with No. 1 B5 in Minnesota spurred the state to temporarily lift the mandate only for No. 1 B5, until March 15, just a five days from now. Some locals told me they believed the issues experienced at the Grand Forks, N.D., terminal, which services N.W. Minnesota markets, were due to "animal fat" biodiesel.

I will be sure to inform them that there is quite an extensive investigation occurring as a result of these rare but nevertheless serious instances, and the latest information I have indicates there could be a number of reasons for these issues, and not all of them point to biodiesel. All biodiesel, regardless of feedstock, must meet the same quality standards, and the only significant fuel quality that is not governed by the specification is the cloud point, much below which no fuel is expected to perform.

But the fact is that biodiesel is a relatively new fuel. There have been, and there will be, setbacks-a filter clogged here or there. But rather than complain and cast negative misinformation about the fuel through false media reports and word of mouth, be part of the solution. The Minnesota Dept. of Commerce, and the ag and weights and measures departments would all be very interested in hearing from those of you in Minnesota who believe they are having filter clogging issues as a result of biodiesel.

Save the filter and its contents in a Ziploc bag and call Ralph Groschen with the state Ag department , or someone else on the state biodiesel task force. They'd be more than interested in hearing from you. Send them your sample to create a greater understanding about some of these problems.

The broader picture here is that biodiesel is a vital part of a multifaceted solution to get off of this dangerous oil cycle we as a nation are on, being dependent on petroleum from Saudi Arabia and Venezuela to power our current way of life.

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