Prince George, B.C.- Lakeland Mills in Prince George is taking part in a special study on the potential use of bio diesel in off road machinery.

 

The $1.7 million dollar study is funded by Forests Products Innovations in partnership with Natural Resources Canada’s National Renewable Diesel Demonstration Initiative. This study’s purpose is to gain better understanding of the economical and technical issues related to renewable diesel, as well as identify the best way  to overcome likely challenges to biodiesel implementation in Canadian operations

 

Lakeland Mills is one of three sites to be part of the study. The others are highway construction in Coquitlam and forest harvest operations in Merritt.

 

The researchers say the Prince George location is ideal for this project as it highlights the main challenges facing biodiesel users. These include challenging climate conditions for heavy equipment operations, cold temperatures and a remote location in which distribution and storage can be difficult.

 

The Coquitlam location is of interest for the construction sector because it will demonstrate the logistical challenges in delivering biodiesel blends to their jobsites.

 

The logging and sawmill operations consume an average of 60,000 litres of fuel each month, the equivalent of a tanker truck. Therefore, several deliveries are anticipated this year. Fuel is delivered from the bulk terminal in Vancouver and transferred into a stationary above ground storage tank at the mill as well as 2 or 3 above ground storage tanks at the logging site. It is then transferred to Tidy tanks  in the back of pickup trucks (approx. capacity 500 litres), for delivery to the machinery in the woods.

 

Each month the highway construction site consumes 110,000 litres of fuel on average. Given a 60,000 litre tanker truck capacity, multiple deliveries will be needed over the 6‐month long project. The fuel at the construction site is pumped from the tanker truck directly into each machine.