Biodiesel processed from Colorado-grown soy and canola beans by American Agri-Diesel in Burlington is now available at more gas stations throughout Colorado.In March, Chief Petroleum opened two new biodiesel pumps in Colorado Springs that pump a blend of American Agri-Dieselís biodiesel and petroleum-based diesel. Acorn Petroleum of Fountain also has a biodiesel pump. There are now at least 22 biodiesel pumps in the state.Alicia Archibald, American Agri-Diesel spokesperson, said the company has been producing biodiesel since August 2006. ìIt is a 100-percent replacement for diesel No. 1 and No. 2. We looked at making biodiesel from animal fat, but animal fat does not produce a consistent product,î Archibald said.There are no crushers in Colorado, so they currently ship beans out of state for crushing, said Kerry Rothgeb, salesman. The crushed beans return to Burlington, where the workers use a proprietary process to turn the beans into diesel. The company has a crusher on order and expects to do its own crushing this fall, making production an ìall Coloradoî effort, he said.American Agri-Diesel has had a big impact on Burlingtonís economy. Rothgeb said farmers who used to grow wheat and corn are now growing soybeans to meet the demand for biodiesel.The company has five employees in Burlington: plant manager, production manager and three processors. Three additional employees in Colorado Springs handle marketing and sales.American Agri-Dieselís biodiesel can be used ìstraightî (referred to as A100) or blended with petroleum-based diesel, Rothgeb said. A5 is 5 percent biodiesel, and A20 is 20 percent biodiesel. ìThe distributors blend it themselves,î he said. ìChief Petroleum sells a winter blend of A20 and makes deliveries in Pueblo, Monument and Woodland Park.îThe Poudre Valley Co-op Association in Ft. Collins held a grand opening for their biodiesel pump on April 18, Rothgeb said. ìWe also sell our biodiesel through Cliff Brice Petroleum in Pueblo and Trinidad,î he added. ìIn Pueblo, there are going to be biodiesel pumps along I-25. We also sell biodiesel in Kansas and are working on an agreement with a company in Wyoming.îAmerican Agri-Dieselís end-user customers include Wholesome Cement, Dwire Earthmoving and Excavation and Don Witze Construction.The company has already sold this yearís biodiesel production of 100 million gallons, Archibald said. And they plan to build another processing plant in Colorado, as well as Kansas.In late March, Lionel Rivera, Colorado Springs mayor, participated in the dedication of the new Chief Petroleum biodiesel pump on Nevada Avenue. ìColorado Springs and Colorado Springs Utilities vehicles have been using biodiesel the past four years,î Rivera said. ìThis year, we will have used over 1 million gallons.îìOur goal is to get exposure for biodiesel and get the public educated about it,î said Eric Liebold, spokesperson for Chief Petroleum. ìWe are pricing it the same as regular diesel. (At the time, the price was $2.79 per gallon.) We sell several hundred gallons a day.îìBiodiesel improves the lubricity of the new low sulfur petroleum-based diesel fuels,î Archibald said. ìOur fuel also meets or exceeds all ASTM standards and burns much cleaner than 100 percent diesel fuel. Studies show that a blend of 20 percent biodiesel cuts down carbon monoxide emissions by 13 percent, sulfur dioxide emissions by 20 percent and volatile organic compound emissions by 18 percent, she said.ìDuring the December storms, we kept operating at 5 degrees below zero and had no problems with gelling (the appearance at low temperatures of waxy solids that clog fuel filters),î Archibald said.ìColorado Springs Utilities is looking at developing a new industry growing canola in areas where nothing is being grown right now,î Rivera said. ìWe could produce 100 million gallons of biodiesel a year without displacing any other agriculture, but the community has to support biodiesel to make it happen.î
