A new biodiesel service station will be built in Woodstock, New Brunswick, and the provincial government believes the project will help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.
The Vehicle Management Agency (VMA) of the Department of Transportation received, recently, $215,000 from Shawn Graham's government to build and operate a biodiesel dispensing facility.
Two New Brunswick companies, Clark Oil, from Woodstock, and Eastern Greenway Fuels, from Waterville, will be providing the fuel for the project.
According to Environment Minister Roland Haché, this project reflects Fredericton's commitment to follow its Climate Change Action Plan.
"We made the commitment to research biodiesel with a view to requiring a minimum average of five per cent ethanol in gasoline and five per cent biodiesel in diesel fuel sold for vehicle or heating fuel use in New Brunswick," he explained.
Minister Haché believes this kind of investment will allow the province to encourage environmental sustainability, an important part of government's plan to be self-sufficient by 2026.
Practical uses
The Department of Transportation is also taken with the new dispensing facility and will be starting a project of its own to use biodiesel in 12 vehicles such as school buses, snow ploughs and other government vehicles.
A study will also help determine the effectiveness of mixing five per cent biodiesel with fuel in New Brunswick's climate.
With Woodstock's new facility, the VMA calculates that if biodiesel is used in all its diesel vehicles, greenhouse-gas emissions could be reduced by 2000 tons every year.
Transportation Minister Denis Landry hopes to lead by example.
"We have a responsibility to future generations to be protecting our environment, including the air that we all share," he said. "Proactive policies and investments such as these demonstrate that government is helping people and communities."
Promoting renewable energy
New Brunswick's Energy Minister, Jack Keir, believes the new installation in Woodstock will not only help develop rural economy, but will also help promote renewable forms of energy.
"This trial will help build capacity in the province for biodiesel production and also promote the development of renewable fuels in the province," explained Keir.
The money invested by the Graham administration comes from the $34-million Climate Action Fund. The goal of the three-year fund is to encourage private, public and not-for-profit initiatives that fit with the New Brunswick Climate Change Action Plan's objectives. That five-year plan was launched in 2007 and government hopes to reduce atmospheric pollution and greenhouse-gas emissions by 5.5 megatons every year until 2012.
"The climate action fund is a financial resource that serves to promote the sustainability of the environment in our province," recalled Minister Roland Haché. "I commend all those in the public and private sectors who have come forward to work with government by proposing projects to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in New Brunswick."
photo:Communications New-Brunswick
The Vehicle Management Agency (VMA) of the Department of Transportation received, recently, $215,000 from Shawn Graham's government to build and operate a biodiesel dispensing facility.
Two New Brunswick companies, Clark Oil, from Woodstock, and Eastern Greenway Fuels, from Waterville, will be providing the fuel for the project.
According to Environment Minister Roland Haché, this project reflects Fredericton's commitment to follow its Climate Change Action Plan.
"We made the commitment to research biodiesel with a view to requiring a minimum average of five per cent ethanol in gasoline and five per cent biodiesel in diesel fuel sold for vehicle or heating fuel use in New Brunswick," he explained.
Minister Haché believes this kind of investment will allow the province to encourage environmental sustainability, an important part of government's plan to be self-sufficient by 2026.
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| Transportation Minister Denis Landry, Energy Minister Jack Keir and Environment Minister Roland Haché hope the new biodiesel facility will help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in New Brunswick. |
Practical uses
The Department of Transportation is also taken with the new dispensing facility and will be starting a project of its own to use biodiesel in 12 vehicles such as school buses, snow ploughs and other government vehicles.
A study will also help determine the effectiveness of mixing five per cent biodiesel with fuel in New Brunswick's climate.
With Woodstock's new facility, the VMA calculates that if biodiesel is used in all its diesel vehicles, greenhouse-gas emissions could be reduced by 2000 tons every year.
Transportation Minister Denis Landry hopes to lead by example.
"We have a responsibility to future generations to be protecting our environment, including the air that we all share," he said. "Proactive policies and investments such as these demonstrate that government is helping people and communities."
Promoting renewable energy
New Brunswick's Energy Minister, Jack Keir, believes the new installation in Woodstock will not only help develop rural economy, but will also help promote renewable forms of energy.
"This trial will help build capacity in the province for biodiesel production and also promote the development of renewable fuels in the province," explained Keir.
The money invested by the Graham administration comes from the $34-million Climate Action Fund. The goal of the three-year fund is to encourage private, public and not-for-profit initiatives that fit with the New Brunswick Climate Change Action Plan's objectives. That five-year plan was launched in 2007 and government hopes to reduce atmospheric pollution and greenhouse-gas emissions by 5.5 megatons every year until 2012.
"The climate action fund is a financial resource that serves to promote the sustainability of the environment in our province," recalled Minister Roland Haché. "I commend all those in the public and private sectors who have come forward to work with government by proposing projects to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in New Brunswick."
photo:Communications New-Brunswick