2008 Woodie Awards
Willie fond of biodiesel
Michael Clements
Staff Writer
Issue date: 4/4/06 Section: NEWS
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Willie Nelson wants to kick his addiction to oil and help farmers at the same time.
At a press conference Saturday, Nelson and Pacific Biodiesel announced plans to make diesel fuel from renewable sources grown by local farmers.
Construction has already started on the facility located just north of Hillsboro on Interstate Highway 35 behind Carl's Corner truck stop. The facility will process and store diesel fuel made from crops of cotton grown in the central Texas region.
"Several months ago the president told us we were addicted to oil," Nelson said. "I know I've been addicted to many things, but I didn't know oil was one them. I am trying get off of it."
Biodiesel, according to Pacific Biodiesel's Web site, is a natural and renewable processed from vegetable oil.
"We must reduce our dependence on oil, especially foreign oil," Nelson said. "We can do that by growing our own fuel. This facility will help us prove it can be done."
On March 29, 2005, Denton became one of the first municipalities in Texas to open a biodiesel facility, according to a March 2005 NT Daily report.
Pacific Biodiesel started on the island of Maui, as a way to divert 40 tons per month of used restaurant cooking oil from the island's landfill. The company plans to continue using local sources to make Biodiesel at Carl's Corner. The processing facility will accept used cooking oil from area restaurants and cottonseed oil pressed from locally grown cotton, according to Bob King, president of Pacific Biodiesel.
King said other benefits of burning Biodiesel include its impact on air quality.
Sulfur added to diesel fuel refined from petroleum helps diesel engines run smoothly and with greater fuel efficiency, according to trucker Dwayne Storey. Burning diesel that contains sulfur pollutes the air and makes diesel exhaust smell like rotten eggs.
"Using Biodiesel reduces emissions, carcinogenic compounds and aromatics pumped into the air," King said. "The exhaust from Biodiesel smells something like French fries."
Storey is excited about Biodiesel for another reason. The long-haul Canadian trucker drives a route between Laredo and Toronto each week delivering auto parts, beer and carpet made in Mexico to his fellow Canadians.
For the past year, Storey has used Biodiesel to fuel his truck. He figures using the fuel saves him $300 each month because of the increased fuel efficiency his truck's engine gets while burning Biodiesel.
"The engine runs quieter, and I can squeeze another mile per gallon using this diesel," Storey said.
When asked how consumers can help the movement to renewable forms of energy, Nelson said, "The main thing we can do is talk to our representatives in Washington. Talk to those who make the decisions."
