FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Evan Ashworth, evan@biofuels.coop, 609-915-7833
Clean, Domestic Biodiesel Available in Downtown Carrboro
Carrboro, NC, June 24, 2005 - Piedmont Biofuels today announced the opening of the first pump for pure, U.S.-made, environmentally-friendly biodiesel in Carrboro. Notably, the pump sells 99% biodiesel (B99) instead of the more common B20 blend. The price is $3.50 per gallon, and the availability is limited. Presently, aside from the Carrboro Public works fleet, only Co-op worker- members can access the fuel.
An official ribbon cutting and community celebration was held at the site of the pump, the Carrboro Public Works facility at the intersection of NC-54 and S. Greensboro. The festivities began at 10:00 with a short address by Carrboro Mayor Michael Nelson. In attendance were representatives from the Carrboro Board of Alderman, the State Energy Office, the Triangle Clean Cities Coalition, and the North Carolina Solar Center. George Seiz, Carrboro Director of Public Works, was instrumental in making this initiative, led by Piedmont Biofuels co-founders Leif Forer, Lyle Estill, and Rachel Burton, a reality.
Biofuels are grown, not extracted, so they have no long-term effect on concentrations of carbon dioxide, one of the most important greenshouse gasses, in the atmosphere. Biodiesel is made from plants that actually remove carbon dioxide from the air as they grow, so the fuel does not contribute to the environmental impacts of global climate change resulting from human activities.
Biodiesel is a very low-emissions diesel fuel made from vegetable oil, and is completely renewable. It is non-toxic, biodegradable, and can be made from used fryer grease from restaurants. It contains no sulfur, and therefore does not contribute to acid rain. It contains 55% less particulates (soot) than diesel fuel, an important detail for those concerned about students breathing the exhaust of idling school buses. Kids are generally more sensitive to air pollution than adults, and have shown much greater susceptibility to asthma, bronchitis, cancer, and other health effects of air pollution.
Millions of gallons of biodiesel are already used in North Carolina every year, much of it by large diesel fleets, such as those operated by the NC Department of Transportation, the City of Raleigh, RDU airport, Duke University, and several school systems.
The Carrboro pump is accessible to all members of the Piedmont Biofuels Cooperative. Individuals and businesses interested in using the pump are encouraged to join the Cooperative online at http://www.biofuels.coop.
Piedmont Biofuels is a worker and member owned cooperative. Its mission is to lead the grassroots sustainability movement in North Carolina by using, producing, distributing, and encouraging the use of clean, renewable biofuels.For NCPlenty's main page, click here.
For the current issue of the NCPlenty membership newsletter, click here.