Biodiesel at the pumps in BC

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Biodiesel at the pumps in BC

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How does one go about being environmentally conscious with a 1983 Series III Land Rover Santana with a diesel engine? The answer to that is Biodiesel! We have the answer, now what? How does one go about finding Biodiesel in the Lower Mainland?

Many people do not know that Biodiesel has already been available at the pumps for a number of years. The challenge was locating those mysterious pumps. The first retail biodiesel pump in British Columbia was officially opened in Burnaby in 2005 at United Petroleum Products' retail location located at 3267 Norland Ave.

In 2005 the biodiesel blends found were mostly a low 5% biodiesel component mixed with 95% Petrodiesel to make a B5 blend. Four years later, the blends are up to a 50 percent blend (B50) which lessens the emissions and environmental impact from diesel engines. Higher blends are affected by colder weather, but luckily here on the west coast we can get away with a B20 blend year round.

I have been running a B40 blend for two years and noticed that my Land Rover runs smoother and is not creating obnoxious clouds of exhaust like it did with Petrodiesel. I am sure that my fellow motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists appreciate my contribution in doing what I can to lessen my impact on air quality.

A Land Rover, especially a Series III is a rare sight, but one that generates a lot of awe and intrigue.People ask to take photographs, and then tell me their memories of Land Rovers. People begin to question me on my Land Rover, and when they hear Biodiesel there is a flurry of excitement. My explanation to them is that I just choose the Biodiesel pump when I am fueling up. I am immediately asked as to where to get Biodiesel, and I explain how readily available it already is in the Lower Mainland.

United Petroleum Products has two other locations for Biodiesel on their Biodiesel locations page including Whistler, BC. Another company that has been offering Biodiesel at the pumps is Cascadia Biofuels Inc. which also has a retail list of where consumers or businesses may purchase Biodiesel at the pump in the Lower Mainland.

Biodiesel is here, and we need to educate people on smarter choices and decisions about where and whom they purchase their fuel from. The government of BC is already using Biodiesel in many of their fleets to reduce emissions to slow climate change. With the smaller companies already having adopted cleaner fuels, why have the larger companies been slow to adopt greener choices?