Manitoba Hydro, in partnership with Natural Resources Canada’s National Renewable Diesel Demonstration Initiative (NRDDI), is supporting a $340,000 project that will demonstrate the use of biodiesel blends (5%) and long term storage under extreme cold weather conditions in electric generators in a remote northern Manitoba community.
This study on the quality and reliability of biodiesel will contribute to a better understanding of the technical issues related to the use of the fuel. This research will also identify the best solutions to overcome any potential challenges to biodiesel implementation in Canadian operations.
The NRDDI, as part of the Government of Canada’s renewable fuel strategy, supports ground-breaking projects that demonstrate how renewable diesel fuel will perform under typical Canadian conditions. Through the NRDDI, the Government of Canada will support this research, which will help to ensure Canada’s stability in the global market and strengthen key agricultural and technological investments. Manitoba Hydro and the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association will also provide funding support and technical expertise is being provided by the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association.
“The Government of Canada is working closely with industry partners like Manitoba Hydro to help ensure the seamless integration of renewable diesel in the Canadian fuel market,” said James Bezan, Member of Parliament for Selkirk – Interlake. “This research is an important step in moving forward with renewable fuel regulations and in reducing Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions.”
“Manitoba Hydro is interested in exploring all means to reduce the impact of its operations on the environment. Biodiesel is a way to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions caused by diesel generators and we are pleased to cooperate with Natural Resources Canada with the help of the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association to confirm the positive results of earlier trials,” said Bob Brennan, Manitoba Hydro President and CEO.
“Biodiesel is rapidly growing as part of Canada’s new supply of sustainable clean energy. We are confident this demonstration will further validate the viability and reliability of biodiesel in all aspects of transportation and stationary use in the most demanding of Canada’s weather conditions,” said Gordon Quaiattini, President, Canadian Renewable Fuels Association.
The project is a follow up to an initial test conducted by Manitoba Hydro in which 173,000 litres of 5% biodiesel were shipped to Brochet, Manitoba, in January 2008, stored for over a year and then burned successfully in the winter of 2008/2009.
This project includes an additional 170,000 litres of 5% biodiesel, which was blended and stored in late 2009 and shipped to Brochet on winter roads in January 2010. Testing of the original diesel fuel, the straight biodiesel and the blend will continue over several months and will be conducted by the Manitoba Hydro laboratory at Selkirk, the BIOX laboratory in Hamilton and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. The project will study the ability of biodiesel blends to be stored and used in northern diesel sites.
As well, some vehicles in the Manitoba Hydro fleet in Winnipeg have been using biodiesel blends since October 2006. The project includes analysis of various effects of the long-term use on the vehicles’ fuel tanks including the impact of long term storage on dispenser filters.
About the National Renewable Diesel Demonstration Initiative:
The NRDDI supports projects that demonstrate how renewable diesel fuel will perform under Canadian conditions. This research is in support of the Government’s intention to regulate renewable fuel content, specifically the proposed requirement for an average of two percent renewable fuel content in diesel fuel and heating oil by 2011 or earlier. This requirement is conditional upon the technical feasibility of biodiesel use being demonstrated under a range of Canadian conditions. This is a part of the Government of Canada’s Renewable Fuels Strategy.
