MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Monty Bergquist built his business on the bird seed market, but the sunflower processor from Langham, Sask., told growers at a recent meeting in Moose Jaw that they should look at other uses for their crop, including biodiesel.
About 18 months ago he took 1,500 pounds of black oil sunflower seeds to a cold-press plant. When crushed, the seeds yielded about 30 percent oil that could be refined and blended with diesel. Bergquist said two lb. of oil is about one litre.
He said newer varieties will yield 50 percent oil.
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“We just see nothing but positives for this industry as (the price of) diesel keeps coming up.”
Bergquist said presses mounted on flat-decks travel to farms in Germany making unrefined fuel on-site.
Wouldn’t it be great, he suggested, if growers could travel to farm meetings on fuel they grew themselves?
Jim Thorson, president of the Saskatchewan Sunflower Committee, said it’s amazing how clean a diesel engine is when burning just a one-percent blend of biodiesel.
He sits on the provincial government’s biodiesel task force and said governments are interested in increasing biofuel production. He urged growers to show their interest and lobby for a stronger industry.
“This is something we have to go with,” he said.
MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Monty Bergquist built his business on the bird seed market, but the sunflower processor from Langham, Sask., told growers at a recent meeting in Moose Jaw that they should look at other uses for their crop, including biodiesel.
About 18 months ago he took 1,500 pounds of black oil sunflower seeds to a cold-press plant. When crushed, the seeds yielded about 30 percent oil that could be refined and blended with diesel. Bergquist said two lb. of oil is about one litre.
He said newer varieties will yield 50 percent oil.
“We just see nothing but positives for this industry as (the price of) diesel keeps coming up.”
Bergquist said presses mounted on flat-decks travel to farms in Germany making unrefined fuel on-site.
Wouldn’t it be great, he suggested, if growers could travel to farm meetings on fuel they grew themselves?
Jim Thorson, president of the Saskatchewan Sunflower Committee, said it’s amazing how clean a diesel engine is when burning just a one-percent blend of biodiesel.
He sits on the provincial government’s biodiesel task force and said governments are interested in increasing biofuel production. He urged growers to show their interest and lobby for a stronger industry.
“This is something we have to go with,” he said.
