By Greg Booth

If you live or work in the Twin Cities metro area, energy from soybeans may push some snow out of your way this winter.

In a real-world test, four new Hennepin County snowplow trucks are burning a blend of soy- and petroleum-based diesel. A fifth new truck, powered by the same Cummins diesel engine as the test trucks, is burning all petroleum-derived fuel as a control, according to project manager Kelly Strebig of the University of Minnesota Center for Diesel Research.

The Hennepin County trucks will be studied for a little over a year. The Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources provided $83,000 for the 18-month study. AURI, the U of M and the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council are also participating. In 1995, AURI was designated a quality biodiesel research lab by the National Biodiesel Board, which works to create markets for biodiesel.

Everyday conditions

The Hennepin County trucks are using a "B20" blend -- 20 percent methyl soyate and 80 percent petroleum diesel. As a biodiesel fuel, methyl soyate is biodegradable, nontoxic and sulfur-free.

Research has already shown that biodiesel blends reduce emissions and lubricate engines better. But the Hennepin County tests will show how well the fuel performs under day-to-day conditions, Strebig says. "We'll find out, will this work in a cold climate like Minnesota? Will it work at 25 below zero?"

The study will determine how fuel can be stored and handled in a cold climate. Water can contaminate diesel and make it difficult or impossible to handle in the winter. In addition, soy-based biodiesel gels at a higher temperature than petroleum diesel, so heated storage tanks are required.

The storage and delivery system for the study's blended fuel, handled by Williams Pipeline Co. from a terminal in Roseville, Minn., "is very close to what an actual fuel delivery system will be like," Strebig says.

The project is set to receive only two fuel shipments during the study, allowing researchers to examine how the fuel holds up in storage. Max Norris, AURI oils scientist in Marshall, Minn., will analyze fuel samples for any changes during the storage period.

The demonstration includes frequent sampling of the engines' crankcase oil, Strebig says, because "you can tell a lot by analyzing the oil." Rates of engine wear, for example, are flagged by the amount of metal in the oil. Truck drivers will also keep logs tracking the on-road fuel performance.

Clean burn or cost?

Commuters may be pleased with more than just snow removal this winter, Strebig says, as trucks won't belch as much of the black smoke commonly associated with diesel engines.

"Just putting in 20 percent (biodiesel) has a significant effect on exhaust, a big effect on visible smoke," Strebig says. "And we're moving towards decreased dependence on imported oil. It makes us good neighbors and good citizens."

The biodiesel study isn't the first time county trucks have been used to test alternative fuels. "Hennepin County did a study using ethanol," says Strebig, "but it was very expensive because they had special engines." The five trucks involved in the current study don't require any engine modifications.

"We've done a lot with ethanol," says Ralph Groschen, a senior marketing specialist with the Department of Agriculture, "and now we're trying to answer some questions (about biodiesel) since we're one of the coldest metro areas in the world."

Why not power the trucks with 100 percent biodiesel? A winter gelling problem is one factor, cost is another. Petroleum-based diesel sells for just over $1 a gallon; biodiesel runs $3 a gallon. The B20 blend adds about 50 cents a gallon to the cost of ordinary diesel. "As demand increases and production techniques improve, the cost should become competitive with diesel," Strebig says.

Fueling growers

"B20 holds a lot of potential for soybean growers," says Stan Rund, a Minnesota Soybean Growers Association board member.

The U.S. Department of Energy is considering B20 as an alternative fuel under the Environmental Policy Act, which is intended to reduce dependence on imported oil while providing economic benefits within the United States. "Acceptance of B20 could add 10 to 12 cents a bushel to the value of soybeans," Rund says.

Soybean growers have another product in the premium diesel market, Strebig says, which blends one-half to two percent biodiesel with petroleum diesel. "You've got the biodiesel industry selling the premium blend, then there's this 20 percent demonstration," says Strebig, who is also involved with a study testing 100 percent soy-based biodiesel fuel in a diesel Suburban. "So we've covered both ends and the middle."

The results of the Hennepin County demonstration could affect biodiesel's acceptance in other parts of the country. Markets that are potentially the biggest benefactors are heavy mass transit areas such as Chicago, New York or Los Angeles.

Other markets include underground mining, where clean fuels are a necessity, and sensitive marine environments such as the Chesapeake Bay, where environmental protection is more important than fuel cost.