WINSTON-SALEM, NC – Forsyth County (N.C.) officials have started the trial use of biodiesel fuel in the county's truck fleet, according to the Winston-Salem Journal.

The first shipment of the alternative fuel is made from a blend of processed soybean oil and petroleum. County officials said they aren't yet sure how well the fuel will work out. Forsyth County received a $5,000 grant from N.C. State University for the experiment.

The move may seem small in a county that does not meet federal air-quality standards for ozone pollution, but county officials say they want to set a good example. More than 40 federal and state fleets are using biodiesel fuel in their diesel vehicles, according to figures from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

County environmental technicians will regularly test the emissions of trucks using biodiesel over the next several months, and of the county's 580-vehicle fleet, about 25 run on diesel fuel. The county also recently bought two Honda Civic gas/electric hybrid cars to replace two cars that have aged out and will be sold as surplus.