01-11-04

Maritime provincial governments should follow the lead of Ontario, which offers consumers a tax incentive for using "greener" fuel
Jimmy Strachan fills up a car with biodiesel at a Moncton Esso station that now features the alternative product. Their cars might not smell like the sea, but Moncton motorists can now fill up and help the environment at the same time. An Esso station in the city's north end is now offering customers a biodiesel alternative fuel that features fish oil combined with regular diesel.
"It leads to a reduction in carbon dioxide and sulphur emissions and greenhouse gases," said Ian Wilson, president of Halifax-based Wilson Fuels, which owns the Moncton gas station.

The fish oil is provided by Ocean Nutrition Canada, a division of Nova Scotia-based Clearwater Seafoods. The company's main line of business involves extracting Omega 3 fish oil and selling it. Biodiesel is a remnant of the process.
"For diesel vehicles, it is typically used as a component to fuel that is similar to ethanol," Mr Wilson said. "It is used as a blend that helps with the combustion of the product. It cleans out fuel systems."

Mr Wilson said he would like to see the Maritime provincial governments follow the lead of places like Ontario, which offers consumers a tax incentive at the pumps when they use a "greener" fuel.
"We would like to expand biodiesel use, but like most projects it is driven by public policy," he said.
Drivers at the Moncton station save about three cents a litre when buying biodiesel.
"It's very popular," station manager Mike Saucier said. "The environment benefits because it is cleaner burning. People want to do the right thing."

Aside from the Moncton gas station, Wilson Fuels sells its biofuel to home-heating customers in Nova Scotia. The fuel is also being used by the Halifax Regional Municipality to power its buses.
"We did a trial this past year where they ran 20 buses with it," Mr Wilson said. "They were very pleased with the results of that test. They've been using it exclusively for two weeks on their entire fleet."

Source: Telegraph-Journal