Canadian forest products company FPInnovations has partnered with Natural Resources, Canada’s National Renewable Diesel Demonstration Initiative, to launch a $1.625 million field study to study the potential of biodiesel in off-road machinery in highway construction and forest operations.
The Journal of Commerce reports that FPInnovations and Natural Resources are splitting the costs to find the best way to overcome some of the economical and technical challenges Canada’s environment could pose for biodiesel:
The study involves three project locations and industrial activities in British Columbia: highway construction in Coquitlam, sawmill yard operation in Prince George, and forest harvest operations in Merritt.
The Prince George location is ideal for this project as it highlights the difficulties facing biodiesel users, including challenging climate conditions, and a remote location in which distribution and storage can be difficult.
The Coquitlam location is of interest for the construction sector because it will demonstrate the logistical challenges in delivering biodiesel blends to their jobsites.
The logging and sawmill operations use about 15,000 gallons of fuel each month.
Just last week, we told you how ethanol and biodiesel add $2 billion to Canada’s economy.