It may be a small step, but it is a significant one.
Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert’s “Dialogue with Saskatchewan” bus will operate on a biodiesel blend during the annual tour of Saskatchewan, thanks to Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, Milligan Biotech, and Fleet Challenge Saskatchewan.
Fleet Challenge Saskatchewan is an offspring of Fleet Challenge Canada, a national program that encourages continuous improvement in energy efficiency and emissions reduction, through partnerships with organizations committed to reducing greenhouse gases from on-road transportation fleets.
Dave Kutcher is Manager of Fleet Challenge Saskatchewan.
“The program receives core funding from Natural Resources Canada, and encourages fleets – such as the Crown fleets of SaskPower, SaskTel, SaskEnergy, Saskatchewan Transportation Company, the cities of Regina, Moose Jaw and Saskatoon and, provincial government departments such as Saskatchewan Property Management Corporation, Environment and, Highways and Transportation to make changes and reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
“Biodiesel is an easy means to reduce GHG emissions, with additional benefits such as better lubricity, high cetane and virtually no sulphur.”
Initiatives are also being targeted at the school bus fleets and forestry hauling operations in the Province.
John Buchan is Bio Products Co-ordinator at Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food.
“The recently created Biodiesel Development Task Force is mandated to develop and provide recommendations to the Government of Saskatchewan for the development of the biodiesel industry, and to determine the current status of the biodiesel industry and its potential for the province.
“The Task Force wants to engage in initiatives that would further the industry, and one way we identified to do that is to demonstrate the use of biodiesel fuel within the province. So, SAF provided a grant to Fleet Challenge Saskatchewan to demonstrate biodiesel in the Premier’s bus.”
Biodiesel can be made from canola oil, although it could also be made from mustard oil or any vegetable oil, or even animal fat. Milligan Biotech of Foam Lake and Saskatoon Diesel Services are two Saskatchewan companies currently looking to develop biodiesel production, according to Buchan.
Research funded by Western Economic Diversification, the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission and the Saskatchewan Canola Growers Association at the University of Saskatchewan measured fuel economy, engine wear and performance with biodiesel, and provided encouraging results.
Tests conducted with City of Saskatoon transit vehicles have shown a definite improvement in fuel efficiency, largely because biodiesel increases lubricity, resulting in lower friction within the engine. We can expect to see more biodiesel in the future, thanks to this initiative.
Fleet Challenge Canada, primarily funded by Natural Resources Canada, is a two-and-a-half year program spearheaded by the Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance – Transport, with five participating provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec.
Fleet Challenge Saskatchewan is delivered by the Saskatchewan Office of Energy Conservation.
For more information, contact:
Dave Kutcher
Fleet Challenge Saskatchewan
(306) 545-1434
John Buchan
Bio Products Co-ordinator
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 787-5687
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