news-record.com

GREENSBORO — As a famous frog once said, “It ain’t easy being green.”

That’s what Greensboro discovered with its use of biodiesel.

The city became a leader in the use of the alternative energy in 2001 to reduce its carbon footprint, but dropped it altogether last year after one too many bumps in the road.

Soon city garbage trucks and other vehicles will be back burning biodiesel again — but this time using soybean-based B5, diesel that is mixed with 5 percent biodiesel.

“For the period that they used it, they had technical issues. So now that they are getting ready to go back they sort of want to go in one step at a time,” said Stephen Randall , Greensboro’s energy and sustainability program manager.

Renewable energy proponents said some biodiesel is better than none at all. But they encouraged Greensboro to keep exploring its options with renewable fuels as industry standards improve.

“Greensboro has taken a step backward,” said Anne Tazewell, transportation program manager for the N.C. Solar Center.

Biodiesel can be made with many materials, including chicken fat and soybean oil. It is mixed with petroleum diesel, at varying degrees, and can be used in engines the same way as regular diesel.

Biodiesel burns cleaner than regular diesel, generating fewer emissions of contaminants such as carbon monoxide and sulfates.

The city started using B20 — a 20 percent biodiesel blend — in 2002 in an effort to reduce air pollution. Greensboro even won an award from the Department of Energy for the switch to biodiesel.

But the city ran into problems when its fleet suffered from plugged filters — typical when changing to this type of fuel.

“Our worst morning we had 17 trucks go down within three hours,” said Steve Simpson , Greensboro’s fleet manager. “It definitely made it more difficult.”

The city also had some engine damage to its Ford trucks that it attributed to biodiesel.

City staffers thought at one point they got a bad batch of biodiesel.

“You have to watch out,” said Gary Smith , the city’s former fleet manager, who pioneered its use of biodiesel.

Biodiesel also can gel or freeze at low temperatures, so the city does not use it during winter.

But biodiesel also has its benefits, aside from releasing fewer emissions, experts said. A little biodiesel in a mix of ultra-low-sulfur diesel can help lubricate engine parts.

And biodiesel is made locally, giving it an economic advantage over imported petroleum products, said Norman Smit, communications and education director at the Biofuels Center of North Carolina.

“If they are buying their fuel locally they are, in effect, supporting local jobs,” Smit said.

Soon Greensboro will accept the first shipment of a B5 blend manufactured with pure soybean oil. It comes from a Virginia-based company and currently costs 21/2 cents a gallon more than regular diesel, according to the city.

Experts said the B5 should have fewer problems, but it also offers fewer benefits.

Renewable energy supporters said they hope Greensboro will reconsider using B20, because standards for biodiesel have improved since it was introduced.

There is now an industry standard for how to create B20, said Tazewell.

“That will help ameliorate the fuel quality problems,” she said.

Meanwhile, the city is considering using other alternative energy sources, including compressed natural gas vehicles.

Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com