As a new soy-diesel plant prepares to begin production next month In Vernon County, a UMR researcher is developing a set of recommendations the Missouri Department of Transportation can follow to improve its biodiesel consumption.
A state mandate, revised last August, requires the Missouri Department of Transportation to fuel at least 75 percent of its diesel fleet with biodiesel. Last year, biodiesel accounted for 51 percent of the department’s consumption. Scott Grasman, associate professor of engineering management and systems engineering at UMR, says one of the easiest ways the department can meet the mandate is by buying biodiesel that meets ASTM standards.
As part of the research, Grasman, and Sundaresan Sadashivam of India, a graduate student in engineering management, contacted other states that have a state biodiesel program to determine any issues they faced with year-round use. According to the responses to the survey, quality was the issue that respondents felt was most important. Nearly all of the states that responded said that all the biodiesel they use should meet the American Society for Testing and Materials’ biodiesel standards.
Let's hope the new Missouri plant, which reportedly will convert 21 million bushels of beans each year into 30 million gallons of biodiesel fuel, can meet the ASTM standard.
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