State players in the emerging alternative-fuels industry say Tennessee has the potential to lead the country in biodiesel production. That’s because of the state’s ability to grow massive amounts of soybeans and its ideal location in a well-traveled shipping corridor.
Senator Lamar Alexander, who chairs the Senate Energy Committee, talked with state biodiesel experts (today/yesterday) at the Nashville Auto Diesel College to monitor the progress of alternative fuels in the state.
“I care a lot about the environment, but I’ve noticed that sometimes the environment, when it’s all by itself, it doesn’t come up very high on the list of public concern…I think when you get those who care about the environment hooked up with the Tennessee Farm Bureau and the Soybean Council, and those who train the men and women who work on our cars and trucks as well as Tennessee Business men, you’ve got a pretty powerful coalition.”
Currently there are 50 biodiesel retail stations in Tennessee. The Governor has included 4-million dollars in his proposed budget to increase the number of alternative fuel pumps within the state. The Auto Diesel College has even added new curriculum that trains technicians on the maintenance and conversion of alternative-fuel engines.
Farming representatives say the state still needs its own “crushing” facility that processes the soybeans. Economists estimate that biodiesel production will raise the cost of soybeans by 19-cents per bushel every year and reduce the country’s petroleum consumption by 3-percent.
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