News about biodiesel plant plans in Sampson County

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BIODIESEL START-UPS


State funds 3 plants


By Claire Parker
Staff writer



AUTRYVILLE - A Sampson County company has received more than $165,000 in state money to start one of the first biodiesel production facilities in North Carolina.


Staff photo by Marc Hall
Charles Jackson holds a container full of biodiesel fuel in a soybean field near his offices in Sampson County. Soybeans are the primary ingredient in the fuel.
Filter Specialties, Inc. in Aurtryville, is one of three businesses to receive State Energy Office money for biodiesel equipment and start-up capital.

Charles Jackson, owner of Filter Specialties, said he will open the biodiesel refining facility in his oil and oil filter recycling business on Maxwell Road in western Sampson County by mid-2006.

The Cumberland County school system - with almost 500 diesel-burning buses - could provide a market for the fuel.

Jackson is surrounded by an abundance of ingredients that can be used to make biodiesel fuel - animal fats and soybeans.

Filter Specialties is in the state's largest hog-producing county and is just a few miles from Cargill's soybean processing plant on River Road in Cumberland County.

"We are strategically located," Jackson said. "This will plant the seed and show people that something besides petroleum will work."

Anne Tazewell, alternative fuels manager at the N.C. Solar Center, said North Carolina is a leader in the use of biofuels but there are no production facilities in the state.

"It's all the more reason to begin developing theses resources here," Tazewell said.

She is working with Jackson and engineers at N.C. State university to design the plant.

Tazewell said biodiesel is a more environmentally friendly fuel, but should not be confused with fuels that are purely vegetable oil. Jackson will be making a fuel that is a blend of petroleum and organic sources.

"You have to convert your vehicle to run on vegetable oil," she said. "Biodiesel is a seamless alternative fuel source."


Investment goals

Cynthia Moseley, program manager at the State Energy Office, said the investment into building biodiesel facilities in North Carolina is a way to increase the supply and lower costs.

Jackson is hoping that higher petroleum prices and increased tax credits will encourage people to switch to biofuels.

"The biggest drawback now is the price," Jackson said.

Tazewell said biodiesel is typically 20 cents higher per gallon than tradition diesel fuel. But, a tax credit to stations that stock biodiesel and the increasing costs of petroleum have made the costs almost equal.

"It changes daily, but the price now is about the same," Tazewell said.

That is good news for one potential biodiesel user.

Cumberland County Schools has a fleet of 485 buses that run on diesel fuel.

James E. Bush, transportation supervisor for the school system, said it looks like biodiesel is the best replacement for diesel.

"We are looking for grants to buy biodiesel for the whole fleet which could reduce emissions and dependency on diesel," Bush said.

The school system's annual budget for fuel is fixed, so Bush said it will take grants to afford biodiesel if the price stays above regular diesel fuel.

It's a project worth looking into, he said.

Staff writer Claire Parker can be reached at parkerc@fayettevillenc.com or 486-3582.


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Copyright 2004 The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer (http://www.fayettevillenc.com)