POCATELLO, IDAHO – The City of Pocatello, Idaho, is beginning their biodiesel pilot project. A total of five departments in the city are involved in the project and will begin to use biodiesel fuel, according to the Web site www.localnews8.com.

In a statement from Pocatello Mayor Roger Chase’s office, after several months of investigation and planning, the City of Pocatello has initiated a Biodiesel Pilot Project with a portion of the City’s diesel fleet. The current pilot project will be initially conducted with B-20, a mixture of 80-percent No. 2 diesel and 20-percent biodiesel.

Delivery of 7,000 gallons of biodiesel was accepted at the City’s 1st Avenue refueling facility on Aug. 15. Fuel was purchased from the Stinker Store chain in Boise, as the company offered the low bid. Selected vehicles from the Street, Fire, Sanitation, Transit, and Water Departments will be operated on biodiesel for a period of up to six months.

During cold weather, the biodiesel blend will be reduced to B-10 to avoid cold-flow problems. This evaluation process will aid the City in reaching a determination regarding the effectiveness of biodiesel in the City fleet, as well as the costs and benefits associated with using biodiesel for the remainder of City diesel vehicles.

Biodiesel is currently manufactured at only one facility in Idaho and is manufactured using soy products from various Midwestern locations. The State of Idaho and the University of Idaho are involved in plans to develop both an instate source of materials for biodiesel among Idaho agriculture and a market for the product within the State.