The College Converts to "Green" Fuel and Fluid

It takes about 20,000 gallons of fuel annually to run the 200 trucks, tractors, and pieces of agricultural equipment that make the 3,000 or so picturesque acres of Centre County farmland owned by Penn State productive. And all of that fuel now is biodiesel—20 percent soybean oil.

The college’s farm operations and facilities unit is now running all equipment on biodiesel—composed of 20 percent soybean oil and 80 percent diesel fuel. Burning the so-called green mixture cuts down on air pollution and the need for imported oil.

Because biodiesel is made in the United States, it keeps fuel-buying dollars at home, and it is environmentally friendly. When burned in engines, biodiesel produces fewer emissions, causes less irritation to the eyes and noses of operators, and smells like French fries. Studies indicate that adding vegetable oil–based biodiesel to a fuel mixture increases the lubricity in the fuel system, thereby reducing wear.

“If more businesses and institutions used biodiesel, it would give Pennsylvania’s soybean growers more outlets to sell their product,” Cauffman says. “We think all university equipment will eventually use biodiesel, and we expect other businesses in Pennsylvania to make the conversion after Penn State demonstrates the viability.”

Even though biodiesel is more expensive than all-petroleum-based diesel fuel, Cauffman regards its use in college equipment as an investment in the state’s future. “We hope the price will come down as more biodiesel is used in Pennsylvania and the East and more distribution points are established,” he says. “The B-20 (20 percent biodiesel) fuel mixture we are burning in our equipment results in an 18 percent reduction in particulate emissions and a 13 percent reduction in carbon monoxide compared to regular diesel. The reductions in air pollution coming from the use of biodiesel are substantial.”

Greg Roth, professor of agronomy and grain crop specialist, applauds the use of green fuel. “I’m really pleased with the efforts of our farm operations team to use biodiesel,” he says. “It sends a clear message to soybean growers in our state that we are serious about helping them to develop alternative markets for their crops and to develop an experience base for on-farm applications of biodiesel. It also reinforces the concept many policymakers are advocating of using renewable fuels for at least a portion of our energy consumption and developing a more diversified energy policy in the future.”

In a related move, the college has converted all of its farm equipment to biodegradable, vegetable oil–based hydraulic fluid in an effort to reduce environmental damage from spills and leaks and cut cleanup costs. “Eventually, all Penn State hydraulic machinery—and even the elevators across campus—will use biodegradable hydraulic fluid,” says Cauffman.

Cauffman ticks off the advantages of biodegradable hydraulic fluid: it provides an expanded market for Pennsylvania soybeans; increases use of a renewable resource; reduces dependence on foreign oil; and its enhanced lubricating properties result in lower operating temperatures.

But the most important factor, explains Lysa Holland, environmental compliance engineer in the university’s Environmental Health and Safety Office, is that the conversion will prevent pollutants from getting into soil and groundwater. “Hydraulic-line breaks are the most common oil releases at Penn State and across Pennsylvania,” she says. “If not attended to, these releases can cause contamination of soil, groundwater, and surface water. Although Penn State always cleans up oil spills, many other equipment operators do not, leading to the introduction of pollutants into the environment. Materials collected in the clean-up of a spill of biodegradable hydraulic fluid won’t have to be sent to a hazardous-waste landfill, greatly reducing costs.”

Conversion to the soy-based hydraulic fluid is a joint demonstration project of the College of Agricultural Sciences, the College of Engineering, the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, Environmental Health and Safety, and the university’s Office of Physical Plant, along with study partner Cargill Inc., which provided a significant portion of the 6,000 gallons of fluid needed for the changeover.