Suncor Energy to Fuel Toronto Bus Fleet with Biodiesel Blend; Oil Sands Provide the Base
16 May 2006
Canadian energy company Suncor will supply the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) with a biodiesel blend to fuel the TTC’s fleet of 1,491 buses. The sales agreement extends to December 2007.
Over the next 20 months, Suncor will supply the TTC with more than 120 million liters of the blend, currently B20, but shifting to B5 in June at TTC’s request. The petroleum component of the biodiesel is derived from Suncor’s oil sands production, and the biodiesel is supplied by a variety of BQ9000-certified producers in the US.
Suncor uses an in-line blending process with electronically controlled micro-injectors that feed the biodiesel into the petroleum diesel as it is being loaded into the truck at the terminal facilities.
In contrast to less reliable splash-blending, this type of process ensures thorough blending at exact percentages. Suncor tests show that the in-line blending process greatly reduces the risks of shock formation of particulates that can lead to filter plugging and reduced engine performance, according to the company.
Suncor’s unique in-line blending process will deliver a higher quality and cleaner-burning fuel to the TTC.
—Don Smith, director of distribution operations and national sales for Suncor
This summer, Suncor will be opening Canada’s largest ethanol production facility in St. Clair Township, near Sarnia. Pending regulatory approval, Suncor expects to begin construction later this year on a 76 MW wind power project in Ripley, near Kincardine, producing enough zero-emission electricity to power 22,000 homes.
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