April 2, 2007
GUELPH - Cleaner engines, cleaner air and more uses for
local farm products were the focus of a just-completed study of biodiesel as an
alternative fuel source on selected Ontario farms. This province-wide initiative
is the only one of its kind in Canada. It involved six farms to evaluate the
effectiveness of using biodiesel in agriculture.
"This project was designed to accelerate the adoption of biodiesel use on
Ontario farms through a series of on-farm evaluations," said Deanna Deaville,
Special Project Coordinator with the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement
Association (OSCIA), which is administering the project. "Biodiesel has the
potential to reduce Canada's dependence on fossil fuels, provide great
environmental benefits and increase market opportunities for Canadian oilseed
producers."
"Our Government is committed to encouraging the development and use of
renewable fuels," said the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources.
"Initiatives such as these play an important role in helping us achieve the
government's objective of five percent renewable content in transportation fuels
by 2010. This is another example of how we can create new economic opportunities
for farmers and the agricultural sector while also taking care of our
environment."
Natural Resources Canada contributed $300,000 to the project, with other
partners Environment Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Ontario Soil
and Crop Improvement Association, UPI Energy, and the University of Guelph
providing in-kind support.
It is hoped that the success of this project will lead to an accelerated
adoption of biodiesel use in on-farm applications, not only in Ontario but
across Canada. This will bring both environmental and economic benefits to
Canadians, since biodiesel can be produced from local, renewable
resources.Biodiesel is a renewable fuel made from locally available sources,
including animal fats and plant oils such as soybean, sunflower and canola.
During normal farm field work, a research team from Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada tested both pure and blended biodiesel, in which the renewable fuel is
mixed with petroleum diesel. Evaluated blends had 5 percent and
20 percent biodiesel content, and were tested for engine horsepower and
fuel efficiency. Environment Canada monitored exhaust emissions from tractors at
the trial sites, including levels of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and
particulate matter.
Although commercially available, biodiesel has never been tested on
agricultural machinery in Canada and has not yet been widely used by farmers. It
is hoped the research results - expected in early May - will help increase
demand for biodiesel, which in turn will increase market opportunities for
recycled materials and oils and give farmers the chance to grow some of their
own fuel. Recent government announcements supporting renewable fuels will help
advance the demonstration and use of biodiesel on farms. Project results
will be available through the OSCIA Web site: http://www.ontariosoilcrop.org/.
The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association is a unique non-profit
farm organization dedicated to communicating and facilitating responsible and
economic management of soil, water, air and crops. OSCIA was founded in 1939 and
represents virtually all agricultural commodity groups across the province.
FOR BROADCAST USE:
A just-completed Natural Resources Canada study shows that farmers can grow
some of their own fuel. The study showed that environmentally friendly biodiesel
- made from plant oils, such as sunflower and canola, and from animal fats - is
an effective alternative fuel source for farm machinery. The full results of the
study are expected in May.
For more information, media may contact:
Ghyslain CharronMedia RelationsNatural Resources
CanadaOttawa613-992-4447
Kathleen OlsonActing Director of CommunicationsOffice of the
MinisterNatural Resources CanadaOttawa613-996-2007
Deanna DeavilleOntario Soil and Crop Improvement
Association1-800-265-9751deanna.deaville@ontariosoilcrop.org
And general public may contact:Mon-Fri, 8:30-4:30 EDTTelephone:
613-995-0947TTY: 613-996-4397(teletype for the hearing-impaired)
E-mail: questions@nrcan.gc.ca
The following media backgrounder is available at www.nrcan.gc.ca/media:
Biodiesel
- A Clean, Renewable Resource
NRCan's news releases and backgrounders are available at www.nrcan.gc.ca/media.
