Largest renewable diesel demonstration gets revved up

Edmonton, AB – Canada’s largest cold-weather, on-road demonstration of renewable diesel officially launched today. The Alberta Renewable Diesel Demonstration, managed by Climate Change Central, comes after months of laboratory testing of various fuel feedstocks and production processes.

Over 60 trucks of various sizes have hit the road throughout Alberta, as its climate poses some of the most extreme challenges to renewable diesel use. The demonstration will provide hands-on, cold-weather experience for fuel blenders, distributors, long-haul trucking fleets and drivers.

“The demonstration consists of a diverse group of stakeholders working to broaden understanding of how best to maximize the benefits of renewable diesel in Canada,” says John Rilett, director with Climate Change Central. “The demonstration findings will provide valuable information towards the development of sound government policy in Canada.”

The federal government has announced plans to implement a Renewable Fuels Standard requiring 2% renewable content in the Canadian diesel supply by 2012. The standard is dependent upon the successful demonstration of renewable diesel use under a range of Canadian conditions.

“All partners in the demonstration recognize biofuels will play an important role in Canada’s long-term fuel supply and therefore welcome this opportunity to build knowledge about blending infrastructure and fuel delivery,” says Rilett.

The Canadian and Alberta governments are investing $2.6 million into this project. Shell Canada is the demonstration’s ultra low sulphur diesel supplier and the renewable diesel blender and distributor through the project’s temporary facility being operated by Shell Canada at its Sherwood Terminal.

Additional sponsors and supporters include the Canola Council of Canada, Canadian Petroleum Products Institute, Canadian Renewable Fuels Association, Canadian Bioenergy, Neste Oil and Milligan BioTech.

The demonstration included a lab testing phase and is now going beyond the laboratory to put renewable diesel through typical on-road use by trucking companies. Participating trucking companies include: Rosenau Transport Ltd., Hi-Way 9, First Bus Canada and Gibson Energy. Road testing began in late 2007 and will continue until October 2008.