BioFuels Journal

Vancouver—FPInnovations, in partnership with Natural Resources Canada's National Renewable Diesel Demonstration Initiative, is conducting a $1.7 million field-study on the potential use of biodiesel for off-road machinery in highway construction and forest operations.

This study's purpose is to gain better understanding of the economical and technical issues related to renewable diesel, as well as identify the best means and methods required to overcome likely challenges to biodiesel implementation in Canadian operations.

The National Renewable Diesel Demonstration Initiative (NRDDI) provides an opportunity for real-world testing and performance evaluation in advance of regulatory action.

Through the NRDDI, Natural Resources Canada is funding this study in the amount of $810,000, the Forest Industry and FPInnovations are providing the balance.

"The Government of Canada is working closely with industry partners like FPInnovations to help ensure the seamless integration of renewable diesel in the Canadian fuel market," said the Honourable Jay Hill, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Member of Parliament for Prince George-Peace River.

"This is an important step forward in reducing Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions."

The study involves three project locations and industrial activities in British Columbia : highway construction in Coquitlam, sawmill yard operation in Prince George, and forest harvest operations in Meritt.

The Prince George location is ideal for this project as it highlights the main challenges facing biodiesel users.

These include challenging climate conditions for heavy equipment operations, cold temperatures and a remote location in which distribution and storage can be difficult.

The Coquitlam location is of interest for the construction sector because it will demonstrate the logistical challenges in delivering biodiesel blends to their jobsites.

The logging and sawmill operations consume an average of 60,000 litres of fuel each month, the equivalent of a tanker truck.

Therefore, several deliveries are anticipated this year.

Fuel is delivered from the bulk terminal in Vancouver and transferred into a stationary above ground storage tank at the mill as well as 2 or 3 above ground storage tanks at the logging site.

It is then transferred to portable tanks located in the back of pickup trucks (approx. capacity 500 litres), which in turn, deliver fuel to the machinery in the woods.

Each month the highway construction site consumes 110,000 litres of fuel on average.

Given a 60,000 litre tanker truck capacity, multiple deliveries will be needed over the 6-month long project.

The fuel at the construction site is pumped from the tanker truck directly into each machine.

Safety measures were implemented to ensure the safe and successful completion of this project for everyone involved, for example, spill kits are on-site at JJM Construction, as well as on-board the tanker trucks.

Peter Lister, Vice-President for FPInnovations stated that "The importance of this study lies in demonstrating the operational and economic practicalities of using various blends of biodiesels (up to 10%) by off-road heavy equipment, for both Canadian operations and for construction equipment since the Forest Industry builds more roads in Canada than all combined governments.

Employees involved in this project will make use of an electronic datalogger - the MultiDat-, developed specifically for use in off-road equipment by FPInnovations researchers, which will be used to collect information that can help improve the productivity of operations or the utilization of equipment.

FPInnovations activities are focused on R&D and technology implementation.

Therefore, this project also includes a vast technolology transfer campaign across the country for heavy equipment owners and operators.

A series of workshops will be implemented to inform potential users of challenges and best practices associated with biodiesel.

For more information, call 514-694-4631, ext. 314.

See Related Websites/Articles:

• FPInnovations

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