Off-Road Biodiesel Demonstration: Agricultural Sector As part of the National Renewable Diesel Demonstration Initiative funded by Natural Resources Canada, the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) and New Energy Consulting Inc. undertook an off-road demonstration project to provide the Canadian agricultural sector with a real-world, closely monitored biodiesel experience. The goal was to analyze important aspects of biodiesel blend use, such as performance characteristics, blending, distribution, storage requirements, fuel stability and quality. During the 16-month demonstration period from August 2009 to November 2010, eight agriculture producers operated their equipment using canola-based biodiesel blended with diesel to determine whether the blended fuel affected engine performance. In total, over 30,000 litres of neat biodiesel were used to produce the B2 to B10 biodiesel blends that were consumed during 18,000 hours of use. The agricultural producers in the study did not experience any equipment performance or maintenance issues from the use of biodiesel-blended fuels. The biodiesel fuel was closely monitored and tested at SRC’s Biofuels Test Centre™ in Regina, Saskatchewan, to ensure it maintained adequate and consistent quality throughout the year-round farming cycle. The study indicates that using biodiesel, up to a B10 level in warmer months and B5 in colder months, has little impact on normal operation of agricultural equipment and does not necessarily require any changes for long-term fuel storage as long as it is blended to meet the CGSB recommended temperature specifications. |
