BIODIESEL FARM EQUIPMENT STUDY
Biodiesel blends performed well through all seasons, on new and old equipment
Monday, April 4, 2011, Ottawa—In the Off-Road Biodiesel Demonstration - Agriculture Sector, conducted by the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) from August 2009 to November 2010, farmers using biodiesel blends in agricultural equipment ranging in age from 1965 to 2009 had no biodiesel-related equipment problems. The study found that canola-based biodiesel blends perform well through all seasons, even when left in tanks over winter. During the study period, temperatures ranged from -36°C to 31°C.
Researchers conducted the study in consultation with agriculture and transportation industry groups, through the federal government’s National Renewable Diesel Demonstration Initiative.
The study was conducted at Foam Lake, Saskatchewan, and included eight farmers using over 50 pieces of farm equipment ranging from sub-100-horsepower yard tractors to +500-horsepower, 4-wheel drive tractors. A wide range of combines and swathers and several engine brands and types were represented. Blends containing from 2% to 10% biodiesel were incorporated into the participants' existing farm operations with no modifications to equipment, fuel storage facilities, or fuel handling practices.
“The study included an entire cycle of farm equipment use, including a lengthy off-season storage period,” said Grant McVicar, Director of Energy Conservation at SRC, an independent, third-party research organization. McVicar was and one of the investigators for the study. “Throughout the study, fuel quality was closely monitored in tractors, combines, swathers and on-farm bulk fuel storage facilities.”
The Renewable Fuels Regulations, published in the Canada Gazette on September 1, 2010, require an average of 2% renewable content in diesel fuel and heating oil. The Government of Canada has proposed a coming into force date of July 1, 2011 for this requirement.
The Government is making the use of biodiesel mandatory to help reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. The requirement for 2% renewable fuel in diesel and heating oil in Canada, combined with provincial regulations, will reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by up to four megatonnes—the equivalent of taking one million vehicles off the road. Biodiesel is produced from renewable resources, helping to conserve Canada’s non-renewable resources.
Information for farmers available
To help inform farmers about the findings of the Off-Road Biodiesel Demonstration - Agriculture Sector study, and to answer questions about the coming biodiesel regulations, a wide range of groups representing farmers and the agricultural and energy industries have worked together to develop a poster, Fact Sheet and Frequently Asked Questions booklet. These are available at www.biodiesel-info.ca.
FACT SHEET
Off-Road Biodiesel Demonstration – Agriculture Sector
The study found no problems. In a Saskatchewan Research Council study conducted from August 2009 to November 2010, farmers used various types of equipment fueled with blends containing from 2% to 10% canola-based biodiesel. The farmers had no biodiesel-related equipment problems. Researchers conducted the study in consultation with agriculture and transportation industry groups through the federal government’s National Renewable Diesel Demonstration Initiative.
The study was conducted at Foam Lake, Saskatchewan, and included eight agricultural producers using over 50 pieces of farm equipment ranging from sub-100-horsepower yard tractors to +500-horsepower, 4-wheel drive tractors. A wide range of combines and swathers and several engine brands and types were represented. Biodiesel-blended fuel was incorporated into the participants' existing farm operations with no modifications to equipment, fuel storage facilities, or fuel handling practices.
Biodiesel works through all seasons, on new and old equipment. The study found that biodiesel blends perform well through all seasons, even when left in tanks from harvest end to harvest beginning the following year. During the study period, temperatures ranged from -36°C to 31°C. The study tested equipment ranging in age from 1965 to 2009 without any performance problems.
Biodiesel reduces Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. The requirement for an average of 2% renewable fuel in diesel and heating oil in Canada, combined with provincial regulations, will reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by up to four megatonnes—the equivalent of taking one million vehicles off the road. Biodiesel is produced from renewable resources, helping to conserve Canada’s non-renewable resources.
Biodiesel blends will soon be mandatory. The Renewable Fuels Regulations, published in the Canada Gazette on September 1, 2010, require an average of 2% renewable content in diesel fuel and heating oil. The Government of Canada has proposed a coming into force date of July 1, 2011 for the regulations, which are part of Canada’s Renewable Fuels Strategy.
For more information about using a biodiesel blend in agricultural equipment, visit the Canadian Federation of Agriculture website at www.biodiesel-info.ca.
Biodiesel Farm Study and Regulations:
Farm Producers’ Frequently Asked Questions
This pageoffers answers to questions about the Off-Road Biodiesel Demonstration - Agriculture Sector study and about the coming biodiesel regulations.
Who conducted the Off-Road Biodiesel Demonstration Agriculture Sector Study?
The study was conducted by the Saskatchewan Research Council in consultation with agriculture and transportation industry groups. The study was part of the federal government’s National Renewable Diesel Demonstration Initiative.
Where was the study conducted, and what equipment were the operators using?
The study was conducted at Foam Lake, Saskatchewan from August 2009 to November 2010. It included eight farmers using over 50 pieces of farm equipment, ranging from sub-100-horsepower yard tractors to +500-horsepower, 4-wheel drive tractors, fueled with blends containing from 2% to 10% canola-based biodiesel. A wide range of combines and swathers and several engine brands and types were represented.
Is there a risk of a biodiesel blend damaging my equipment?
In the study, none of the farmers had biodiesel-related equipment problems.
Does biodiesel perform well in cold weather?
The study found that canola-based biodiesel blends perform well through all seasons. During the study period, temperatures ranged from -36°C to 31°C.
Does a biodiesel blend require more equipment maintenance than regular diesel?
Biodiesel-blended fuel was incorporated into the participants' existing farm operations with no modifications to equipment, fuel storage facilities, or fuel handling practices.
Will biodiesel perform well in older equipment?
In the study, farmers using equipment more than 40 years old had no biodiesel-related equipment problems.
What about newer equipment with electronic fuel injection and emission systems?
Biodiesel specifications were developed with input from farming equipment manufacturers to ensure that biodiesel does not cause issues with electronic fuel injection and emission systems. For this reason, using up to 5% biodiesel blends will not compromise equipment warranties.
Can I leave a biodiesel blend in my tanks over the winter?
The study found that canola-based biodiesel blends perform well even when left in tanks from harvest end to harvest beginning the following year.
Was water in storage tanks an issue in the study?
The tractors, combines, swathers and storage tanks were tested regularly and none had an excessive build-up of water or sediments.
Were the on-farm storage tanks used in the study new or modified in any way?
Most of the tanks were older, with many more than 20 years old, and none were modified. Study participants indicated that they practiced no tank maintenance beyond a change of filter if the tank used filters.
Will there always be 2% biodiesel in the fuel I buy, or will the percentage vary?
The current regulations require an average blend of 2%. Actual percentages may therefore vary across regions of the country and by season (the percentage will likely be higher in the summer than in the winter). The equipment in the Off-Road Biodiesel Demonstration - Agriculture Sector study was fueled with blends containing up to 10% biodiesel. If farmers have questions about biodiesel levels in the fuel they are buying, they should talk to their fuel suppliers.
Why is the government requiring that I use a biodiesel blend?
The requirement for 2% renewable fuel in diesel and heating oil in Canada, combined with provincial regulations, will reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by up to four megatonnes—the equivalent of taking one million vehicles off the road. Biodiesel is produced from renewable resources, helping to conserve Canada’s non-renewable resources.
When are suppliers required to include biodiesel in the diesel they sell?
The Renewable Fuels Regulations, published in the Canada Gazette on September 1, 2010, require an average of 2% renewable content in diesel fuel and heating oil. The Government of Canada has proposed a coming into force date of July 1, 2011 for the regulations, which are part of Canada’s Renewable Fuels Strategy.
Can I get a copy of the study?
The study can be downloaded from the Saskatchewan Research Council web site (www.src.sk.ca/biodieseldemo).
Produced in consultation with:
Saskatchewan Research Council
Milligan Biotech Inc.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Canadian Renewable Fuels Association
Environment Canada
Natural Resources Canada
New Energy Consulting
Canadian Federation of Agriculture
Enterprise Saskatchewan
Canadian Canola Growers Association
Grain Growers of Canada
Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture
Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture
Prince Edward Island Federation of Agriculture
Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick
Union des producteurs agricoles (Québec)
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Ontario-Quebec Grain Farmers Coalition
Keystone Agricultural Producers (Manitoba)
Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan
Wild Rose Agricultural Producers (Alberta)
British Columbia Agriculture Council
Dairy Farmers of Canada
Chicken Farmers of Canada
Egg Farmers of Canada
Turkey Farmers of Canada
Canadian Hatching Egg Producers
Canadian Pork Council
Canadian Sugar Beet Producers' Association
Canadian Wheat Board
Canadian Young Farmers Forum
Canadian Horticultural Council
Farmers of North America (Strategic Agriculture Institute)
Produced with funding from Natural Resources Canada