Date:
Friday, March 07, 2008
Contact:
Paul Brodeur, Director of Vessel Maintenance, Preservation and Engineering, 206-515-3863 Hadley Greene, Communications Manager, 206-515-3913
SEATTLE - Biodiesel testing on the 124-car ferry Issaquah will begin on Monday, March 10 as the Washington State Department of Transportation's (WSDOT) Ferries Division launches the testing phase of the Biodiesel Research and Demonstration Project. WSDOT is partnering with the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) and other regional stakeholders to test the use of biodiesel in the marine environment.
Biodiesel is a renewable fuel made from vegetable oils, recycled cooking greases or animal fats. It contains minimal sulfur and is compatible with diesel-powered vehicles like WSDOT's ferries. Using biodiesel instead of traditional petroleum-based fuels reduces emission of particulate matter and greenhouse gases, which impact air quality and the Earth's climate.
WSDOT Ferries Division Assistant Secretary David Moseley said, "We're committed to responsible stewardship of Puget Sound. This pilot project is an exciting chance to see how we can make changes to one part of the ferry system and contribute to preserving the environment for the citizens of Washington."
The decision to test biodiesel was based on Gov. Chris Gregoire's 2005 executive order for sustainability and 2006 legislation requiring state agencies to use a minimum of 20 percent biodiesel by 2009. Each year, the state ferry system burns approximately 17 million gallons of diesel fuel on its ferries, making the agency a significant fuel consumer in Puget Sound.
The Issaquah will be removed from the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth ("Triangle") route over the weekend of March 8-9 so crews can clean the vessel's fuel tanks and fill them with the five percent soy-based biodiesel fuel. It will return to service on the Triangle route on Monday morning, March 10. Because this leaves the route with two smaller 87-car vessels for the normal weekend two-boat service, a third 87-car vessel will provide extra service Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon.
Next month WSDOT plans to begin testing biodiesel on a second ferry. The 87-car Klahowya will be fueled with five percent canola-based biodiesel. The third state ferry to receive biodiesel fuel will be the 87-car Tillikum. The tests are scheduled to run until February 2009. The Biodiesel Research team will publish a report based on findings from this project that will guide organizations in marine- and land-based uses of biodiesel.
"We are taking a scientific approach to this demonstration. We have worked closely with our project partners to develop testing procedures and protocols for this phase of the project," says Paul Brodeur, Ferries Division Director of Vessel Maintenance, Preservation and Engineering.
In addition to PSCAA, partners in the Biodiesel Research and Demonstration Project include Seattle City Light, the U.S. Department of Energy, Washington State University, the University of Idaho, Imperium Renewables, Rainier Petroleum, and Sound Refining. For more information on the project, please visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/environment/biodiesel.
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No Ordinary Journey
Created on June 1, 1951, Washington State Ferries (WSF) is the largest ferry system in the United States and the largest ferry system in the world based on vehicles carried. More than 24 million people a year ride the ferries and over 30,000 vehicles a day use this critical link in the state highway system. WSF has a fleet of 28 vessels and operates 20 terminals throughout Puget Sound.
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