New Mexico Utility Switches Diesel Fleet to B20 Biodiesel
31 October 2005
PNM, a New Mexico utility, has begun using B20 biodiesel in its diesel fleets in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. The utility began phasing in the B20 for 240 diesel-powered vehicles—including medium-duty trucks, large trucks, backhoes, compressors and welding units—in July.
Those 240 vehicles represent about 57% of the PNM diesel fleet. Other diesel equipment is located in more remote areas of the state that do not yet have access to the biodiesel fuel.
PNM is committed to promoting renewable energy, and our hope is that other large diesel fleets will consider using this fuel as well. In addition to the environmental benefits, biodiesel may offer a way for our nation to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, and we want to do our part to help increase the market for this fuel.
—Eddie Padilla, PNM vice president of operations
The biodiesel is supplied by Blue Sun, a Colorado-based company that markets various biodiesel fuels through distribution network that includes Amigo Petroleum in New Mexico. The fuel is produced from rapeseed and canola grown in several western states and could potentially be grown in New Mexico.
So far this year, PNM has purchased 53,000 gallons of B20 and expects to purchase as much as 100,000 gallons by the end of the year. The company projects using about 240,000 gallons annually beginning in 2006.
PNM provides electric utility service to 413,000 customers and natural gas service to 471,000 customers in New Mexico.
To Whom It May Concern at the Green Car Congress,
I am writing in regards to a biofuel awareness festival and benefit
concert that will take place at the end of April, 2006 at the College
of
Santa Fe Quad in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The goal of the festival is to
educate the community about biofuel as a pragmatic and cost-effective
energy alterative. To highlight this awareness celebration, we are
trying to secure Willie Nelson as a headlining act; because Mr. Nelson
has invested significantly to the cause through the creation and
marketing of his own brand of biofuel, we feel he is the perfect choice
for the festival. All proceeds from the benefit concert will go
directly into the development and expansion of the biodiesel market --
and we are working directly with Renewable Energy Partners, the
organization responsible for Santa Fe's current biodiesel pumps, to
insure that such money will be used wisely.
In addition to music, the festival will feature speakers from various
areas of the biofuel industry, as well as demonstrations of sustainable
models of energy consumption and the options available to consumers.
It
is our intention to have vendors from the biofuel trades set up booths
to educate and inform the public on biofuel sustainability and its
realistic uses in the local or contemporary marketplace. Free space
will be given to any environmental groups that wish to advertise their
products or ideas to consumers.
We are currently creating a list of participants, endorsers, and
sponsors with which to convince Mr. Nelson and other organizations to
attend. Would your organization consider being one of the above? In
addition we are looking for resources and networks within the biofuel
community to publish our need for experts and practitioners within the
various fields who could either speak at our event or set up hands-on
educational activities, demonstrations, and markets. If your group
would be willing to assist in any of these ways, please send us a
letter
or email stating so and we will keep you updated on our progress. The
College of Santa Fe looks forward to working with you in the future
towards the mutual goal of energy sustainability.
Thank you very much for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Gabriel Greenstein
Student Program Assistant
Office of Academic Events
College of Santa Fe
P.S. Respond via e-mail to [email protected], FAX
505-473-6024,
or phone 315-269-4304 or 505-473-6282.
Posted by: gabriel greenstein | 11 November 2005 at 01:00 PM