Consider the alternative (fuel)

Seminar offers small producers up-close look at biodiesel

MOSES LAKE — About 30 people stood out in the Big Bend Community College ATEC Building parking lot, watching John Ousterhout make his experimental fuel.

Ousterhout was one of the presenters at the Friday morning biodiesel seminar hosted by the Big Bend Economic Development Council and the college's Small Business Development Center, speaking about his experiences as producer and user of his own "home brewed" biodiesel, using used oils from several area restaurants, which Ousterhout has used to fuel his diesel vehicle for six years.

Designed to provide hands-on biodiesel experience to small producers, other speakers on the seminar agenda included Chad Kruger with Washington State University, canola grower Ted Durfey, biodiesel producer Mike Pelly and biodiesel distributor Mason Utter.

BBEDC executive director Bill Riley said he would have been happy if 30 people attended the free seminar, but there was even more interest generated than that.

"(I said), 'If 50 people show up, it will be a blow out,' and here 73 people show up," Riley said. "This is a hands-on process, and that's what these people need to see. We're fortunate in that we have people who actually produce biodiesel. That's what can enhance an individual's belief that he can do it. He sees the machinery, he's talking to people that have done it, they see how easy it is and it makes them confident that they can give this a try. They now know who they can contact for help."

Riley and BBCC small business development counselor and Center For Business and Industry Services director Allan Peterson said they received several requests from people across the country who were not in attendance, but asked for DVDs of the seminar.

"I'm interested in biofuels, renewable energy and maybe the opportunity to produce my own," Tri-Cities resident Joel Rogers explained of the reasons for his attendance. "There's a lot of information out there to be investigated and learn about. That's the premise for being here today, is to learn all I can. I was interested to learn there is a lot of government agencies out here working on this, that there's a lot of information available."

Moses Lake resident Derryck Wagner said he was interested in biodiesel.

"It's very interesting how he's usually used oil to power his pickup with," Wagner said of Ousterhout. While not exactly certain how he wants to approach biodiesel himself, Wagner said the seminar would be a good place to generate ideas and provide useful information.

"I would like to get into this biodiesel thing some day," he said. "I would like to build a little plant or something, possibly."

Bob Rolfness said the general technology and potential improvement involved in the biodiesel process drew him to the seminar.

"It's very fascinating to see the actual hands-on equipment," he said.

Ephrata resident and BBCC instructor Bill Autry has a diesel vehicle, and has been interested in biodiesel, performing "a pretty fair" amount of research in the last year.

"A person has to decide where they want to go after a project like this, because it's going to be extremely time-consuming," he said. "It's definitely economical to do, provided you can find the oil sources, but at the same time, it's an enormous time consumer, and you have to decide in your own mind if it's worthwhile to do."

Autry doesn't see interest in biofuels going anywhere but up.

"Particularly as the price of petroleum starts to become more and more volatile, biodiesel is going to become a very viable alternative very quickly," he said. "The reality of it is, we as an American society are going to have to think of alternatives besides petroleum. We have no choices, because sooner or later it's a finite resource. It will run out. There's tons of alternatives, but this is something that is today, that can be done today, whereas hydrogen fuels and things like that are future. They have technical problems that haven't been dealt with."

Riley reiterated that additional seminars will be held later in the fall. DVDs of the seminar can be purchased for $15.

"If they need information, they can contact us," he said of other people intrigued with the possibility of alternative fuel sources. "We may not know all the answers, but we know who does."