Gadsden, Alabama is getting into the swing of biodiesel… and it’s depending on the community to help fuel the green move.
This story in the Gadsden Times says the city is handing out jugs to residents to get them to collect their used cooking grease so it can be turned into biodiesel:
The city is a partner in the program with the Gadsden Water Works and Sewer Board, which purchased collection jugs and labels, and Auburn University, which bought the equipment used to turn the cooking oil into biodiesel fuel.
Auburn President Jack Gogue will be at the fleet management facility in Gadsden at 11 a.m. March 7 to talk about the biodiesel program here and in the state. The university bought the equipment, which cost about $14,000, to promote the use of biodiesel fuels.
The city will spend about 70 cents a gallon to produce the diesel fuel from cooking oil and grease. The fuel then can be used in the city’s diesel vehicles.
Officials hope to get the local restaurants involved as well so they can collect enough used grease to fuel the $14,000-bill Gadsden spends on diesel each year. In addition, they hope they’ll keep the grease out of the city’s sewer system, which has been a big problem clogging the pipes.