North Carolina Gets Biodiesel Hub

A fuel tank in Greensboro, North Carolina is getting an overhaul so that it can be used to store and distribute biodiesel across the state.

World Energy has partnered with Petroleum Fuel Terminal Company (PFTC) to update the 172,000 gallon tank, which will be the state’s first biodiesel bulk storage and blending facility. The majority of the upgrade cost (60 percent) will come from the University of North Carolina's Solar Center, a misnomer since the school has an extensive alternative fuels research group.

John Kellogg, the director of communications for World Energy, told me that the tank should be ready to store 100 percent biodiesel in about 90 days. The fuel will be mixed with petroleum in varying amounts, from as little as 1 percent to B10 or B20. The terminal will continue to be a distribution center for petroleum and gives regional companies the advantage of simultaneously filling up with biofuels, he said.

The biodiesel will come from a variety of locations, Kellogg said. World Energy sells biodiesel to domestic and international markets, taking advantage of generous tax incentives that allows companies to sell biodiesel overseas. Kellogg said the split between these markets "varies from day to day."