Cleaner boats: City of Seattle subsidizes biodiesel ferry fuel
Seattle City Light continues to launch efforts to reduce greenhouse gases in the Puget Sound region, part of the city's policy to meet the goals set out in the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.
The Seattle-run utility is funding pilot programs to help the city's fleet and garbage haulers burn cleaner fuels in their cars and trucks. Seattle City Light also is working with the King County Metro to burn a 5 percent blend of biodiesel in buses.
Now the utility has started funding a one-year pilot program for three Washington State Ferries boats to run on a cleaner-burning diesel and biodiesel blend. The program is a subsidy that covers the difference between the cost of regular diesel and biodiesel, which is more expensive.
The so called B-20 diesel is a blend of 80 percent petroleum diesel and 20 percent biodiesel, a fuel made from animal fats or vegetable oil. It burns significantly cleaner that regular diesel.
But the fuel's biggest drawback may be its price. Because there are fewer suppliers and a small market, the special fuel costs more than regular diesel. The funds for the ferry program are designed to make up the cost differences, which fluctuate with the market.
Proponents say the biodiesel subsidy could create enough demand to nurture and eventually sustain this fledgling industry, ultimately increasing production and bringing down biodiesel prices.
Continue reading this story from the Puget Sound Business Journal:
Cleaner boats: City subsidizes biodiesel ferry fuel
EDITOR'S NOTE - The first biodiesel tax incentive has just passed congress and is expected to be signed by the President, bringing the cost of biodiesel down considerably. Since this bill has not yet become law, expected cost savings are not reflected in the article above. More news on this next week.
