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Hi-Line Busses Running on Montana-Made Bio Diesel

Hi-Line Busses Running on Montana-Made Bio Diesel

By KFBB News Team

Story Created: Jan 19, 2010 at 5:47 PM MST

Story Updated: Jan 19, 2010 at 5:47 PM MST

Scientists and students at MSU Northern are celebrating a major milestone for their Bio Energy Center. The Hi-Line transit service is now using bio diesel fuel produced at the university.

This is where bio diesel is born. Staff from the MSU Northern Bio Energy Center will press camolina seeds, turn the oil into bio diesel, and donate that fuel to NorthCentral Montana Transit, the free bus service for Hi-Line communities.

"We cover from the seed to what comes out of the tailpipe,” explained Jon Soriano, a research scientist with the Bio Energy Center. “All here at MSU Northern!”

The donated fuel-- a 5% bio diesel blend-- is paid for though school grants, in an effort to educate the community about the practical use of bio diesel, even during cold Montana winters.

The project was just a concept three short years ago with the ultimate goal of spurring economic development in North Central Montana.

"We can create an economy based on bio diesel. It will spur agricultural growth. It will spur off chutes from those businesses, so hopefully we'll see some economic revitalization here in our area," said Jessica Windyboy, director of the Bio Energy Center.

That's one of the reasons officials with NorthCentral Montana transit say they are so excited about the program, plus the reduction in fuel costs.

"When you get out on the road you hit different conditions,” noted performance technician Keith Richardson. “And eventually, hopefully, we can do some data logging and see what's actually happening dynamically as it's going down the road."

Now the staff will have even more data to study, as practical applications on Hi-line roadways pave the way for the future.

The scientists behind this program hope to expand their research to include bio diesel jet fuel and more bio diesel plants in Montana. In Havre, airport maintenance vehicles could be using the bio-diesel blend very soon.

Staff members with the Bio Energy Center say they plan to increase the amount of bio diesel in the fuel blend used in the buses to 20% this summer.

-Reported by Andrea Fisher and Chris Grogan in Havre

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