A Homegrown Fuel For the Nation and the Spokane Region

The SCCD's "BioBug" runs on 100% biodiesel. The BioBug is shown here with a field of mustard, one of the crops that can be utilized to manufacture biodiesel.

Biodiesel is a replacement for petroleum diesel that can be used in virtually any diesel engine without modification.  Biodiesel is produced from a variety of domestically available, renewable sources including vegetable oil, recycled cooking oil and animal fats.  It acts like diesel fuel, but produces fewer harmful emissions, is biodegradable and nontoxic, and is safer to use the diesel fuel.  More

The Spokane County Conservation District is coordinating the efforts of several public agencies, private industry and agricultural producers to develop the biodiesel industry in Eastern Washington.  These efforts include the production of agricultural feedstocks, building oilseed processing facilities, developing biodiesel processing plants, and increasing demand for the fuel.

In the Spokane region, biodiesel would be refined using waste cooking oil and locally grown canola or yellow mustard.  These crops are particularly well-suited for the Spokane region, providing high yields without irrigation.  In addition, the crops can be direct seeded, minimizing tillage, erosion, contamination of streams and fuel use.  In the 3-county region surrounding Spokane, 500,000 acres a year could be put into oil seed production as part of the 4 year crop rotation system.  This 500,000 acres would produce enough oil to produce 25 million gallons of biodiesel.  Statewide, at least 2 million acres could be put into oilseed production.

The Conservation District has also worked to implement incentives in the State of Washington to encourage the growth of the biodiesel and related industries.  Learn more about the District's legislative efforts and the existing incentives for biofuels in Washington State.

A key step in building the biodiesel industry is to establish an oilseed industry which includes oil seed crushing facilities and markets for the meal after the oil has been extracted.  Local oil seed crushing is necessary to avoid the costs of shipping the product to and from a distant processing facility.  In addition, the local economy benefits from the industry and the jobs created.  The mustard and canola meal generated by the crushing facility can be used as soil amendments, soil fumigants, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and food additives for human and animal consumption.  The value of the meal for many of these applications is very high, but many steps remain in order to realize this value.  For example, use of mustard meal as an herbicide requires testing and labeling by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Establishing high-value markets for the mustard and canola meal are vital to the biodiesel industry, as the income generated helps to offset the cost of the oil, making biodiesel production economically feasible.

It is through the combined efforts of the Conservation District, local farmers and farmer cooperatives, public agencies and private industry that the oil seed and biodiesel industries will become a reality for the Spokane region.  These industries will bring jobs and economic growth to the region, provide energy security through the use of domestically produced fuel, and provide cleaner air due to reduced emissions from diesel vehicles.  In addition, the development of the biodiesel oil seed industry and on-farm energy production can ultimately mean the difference between having a viable farm operation or having to sell the family farm.

For more information on biodiesel and the work of the District, contact Jim Armstrong or Linda J. Graham at (509)-535-7274 or e-mail: Jim-Armstrong@sccd.org