HD18 - Biodiesel Fuel Usage


Executive Summary:
During the 2006 General Assembly Session, the House and Senate agreed to House Joint Resolution Number 148 (HJR 148). HJR 148 requested that state agencies implement the use of biodiesel fuels, where feasible, in fleet vehicles and equipment and that the Secretary of Administration report to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems on the progress of meeting the request of HJR 148, This report contains the information requested by HJR 148.

Because the Commonwealth does not have a single repository of data to perform an accurate assessment of the usage of biodiesel fuel or other fuels used by state agencies, the data collected to report information requested by HJR 148 was collected via a manual survey process. The Department of General Services, Office of Fleet Management Services (OFMS) conducted a survey via e-mail. The collected data reveals very little use of biodiesel fuels by state agencies.

The survey data identifies two agencies, of the one hundred eleven agencies that responded to the OFMS survey, that have used biodiesel fuel in their vehicles and equipment. These agencies are James Madison University (JMU) and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). Both agencies used B-5 biodiesel fuel which is a fuel blended with 5% biodiesel and 95% petroleum diesel fuel.

JMU and VDOT had mixed results from the use of biodiesel. JMU stated satisfactory use of B-5 and intends continued use of the fuel. VDOT uses B-5 in some of its vehicles and equipment in its Hampton Roads district. VDOT has not committed to expanding the use of biodiesel because of the possibility the fuel will damage fuel system components of older vehicles, insufficient infrastructure to install biodiesel fuel dispensers, engine manufacturer warranty concerns and other concerns.

The other agencies responding to the survey that operate diesel vehicles and equipment but have not used biodiesel fuel, responded that they are interested in additional information and training on the use of biodiesel. The Energy Division of the Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy (DMME) is prepared to provide training and other assistance to state agencies for implementing biodiesel fuels into agency fleets. DMME and OFMS will be scheduling training events during calendar year 2007, to satisfy the requests for training.