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Florez backs biodiesel bills to help air quality
| Tuesday, Jan 9 2007 11:05 PM
Last Updated: Tuesday, Jan 9 2007 11:08 PM
Cottonseeds, soy beans and even the algae lining our canals could be fueling buses and trucks in California if Sen. Dean Florez gets his way.
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The Shafter Democrat is expected to announce a series of air quality bills today that would require school buses and government-owned vehicles to run on biodiesel, a fuel produced from a variety of organic sources, including vegetable oils, animal fats and even restaurant grease.
The bills also aim to bring more biodiesel production to California through tax credits.
"We have all the ingredients (in California) to make this a very viable market," Florez said, noting Central Valley farmers could play an important part in the plan. Even algae from water banks and canal liners could be a fuel source, he said.
Biodiesel is considered a renewable, clean-burning fuel. The legislation would mandate a minimum blend of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel in the state.
"This is stuff that can go into the tank, immediately," Florez said. "It's the most readily available and the most implementable given we don't have to have any retrofits of motors."
Big rigs and buses are one of the largest polluters in the Central Valley.
The biodiesel bills come in conjunction with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's announcement Tuesday of the first ever transportation fuel standards, which will require a 10 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in automobile by 2020.
The governor's plan requires gas and oil producers to cut the carbon content in fuel and encourages producers to pursue fuel alternatives like biofuels and ethanol. It is the first step toward implementing the Global Warming Solutions Act, adopted in September, which mandates the goal of reducing greenhouse gasses by 25 percent by 2020.
But not everyone is endorsing the use of biodiesel as alternative fuel.
While biodiesel reduces the amount of cancer-causing fumes and particulates put into the air by traditional diesel, it doesn't cut nitrogen oxides, a main contributor to ozone pollution, according to air quality experts.
Some studies suggest biodiesel produces more nitrogen oxides than diesel, while others show it's about the same, they said.
"I think we really need to wait and see any future studies coming out," said Scott Nester, planning director for the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution District.
The state Air Resources Board doesn't even consider biodiesel and alternative fuel at this time, according to spokeswoman Gennet Paauwe.
However, Paauwe said it could be just a matter of years until a way to reduce the nitrogen oxides produces by biodiesels is discovered.
"It's probably just a matter of time before the technology comes along," she said.
Also, she said, many engine manufacturers won't uphold warranties when biodiesel is used.
Paauwe said great strides have already been made using traditional diesel, including improved pollution controls on engines and a new low-sulfur form of the fuel.
Biodiesel has a downside. The city of Berkeley switched to fueling its garbage trucks and service vehicles with biodiesel about three years ago. About 18 months in, five diesel engines were ruined by a bad batch of pure biodiesel, according to Matt Nichols, the city's principal transportation planner.
The city switched to a biodiesel supplier that guarantees the quality of the fuel, he said. Berkeley now uses a 20 percent blend, since pure biodiesel is more expensive than blends.
According to Florez, the most recent studies on biodiesel suggest that the amount of nitrogen oxides it produces is the same as regular diesel.
"The air district and others want to wait for additional science in terms of this issue, but, to us, it's kind of foolish," he said.
Along with cleaner air, Florez said his initiative helps California become more energy self-sufficient.
"Becoming more self-dependent is ultimately the goal of this package as well," he said.