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A CLOSED-LOOP BIODIESEL PRODUCTION AND RESEARCH FACILITY IN KEENE, NH
Impact/Purpose:
A number of U.S. organizations interested in a renewable and domestic source of energy have switched from petroleum diesel to biodiesel blends for transportation and heavy-duty equipment use. Biodiesel is a fuel made from either vegetable oils or waste grease; as a renewable fuel biodiesel offers promise as a sustainable energy source. However, key technical challenges remain: these include a lack of availability in many areas of the country, high cost, concerns about NOx emissions and consumer apprehension about product quality. While biodiesel use is increasing, there are very few places in the U.S. that are both manufacturing and using biodiesel fuel within the local community on a sustainable scale. There are no known public/private/college partnerships that manufacture biodiesel from waste grease for energy use within the local community and connect this to existing research on “real world” biodiesel exhaust exposures in the workplace and local environment. Realizing biodiesel’s full potential – to integrate resource conservation, closed-loop sustainable economy, and health risk reduction – has been elusive to achieve at the community level. This project will demonstrate innovation by closing this loop at the community scale in Keene, NH – by making biodiesel from waste grease generated within the community, using biodiesel in local public fleets, and extending Keene State College’s (KSC) existing research programs evaluating biodiesel on “real world” occupational and environmental exposures. This project benefits people due to the anticipated reduction in PM, CO2, and CO emissions which results from use of biodiesel fuel.
Description:
The main objectives during Phase I were to continue a Biodiesel Working Group, formalize the organizational structure of the Monadnock Biodiesel Collaborative, identify a possible facility location, secure funding, provide novel curriculum for Keene State College students, and conduct a number of community outreach and educational presentations. These objectives were met, as well as the design and development of a 10,000 square foot safe and sustainable building design meeting L.E.E.D criteria, which was a novel interdisciplinary curricular program between Architecture and Safety Studies students at Keene State College. Research into regulatory compliance requirements, fire safety, and sustainable, modular design were incorporated into the final facility model. A model for organizational and facility replication (including start-up costs) is also presented as an output. The partnerships developed during the collaboration identified and overcame barriers to a community based biodiesel facility, as outlined in the Phase I narrative. The development of partnerships in key areas of production expertise and waste grease feedstock supply, as well as community support, were key criteria to the ongoing success of this project.