Most biodiesel proponents are waiting to see whether the federal government makes it worth their while to invest in fuel production using canola.
But not Arborg, Man., farmer Paul Bobbee.
He’s steaming ahead with a 10 million litre plant.
“We’ve got land. We’ve got everything ready to go now,” said Bobbee, who ran a small biodiesel plant last year on his farm.
“We’re just getting all of our equipment orders finalized.”
While no construction has begun, Bobbee said the planned $1.5 million plant might be in full production by the end of September.
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His first plant was not intended to be a permanent facility, but allowed him to learn the tricks of biodiesel production.
He found a ready partner in Manitoba Hydro, the provincial power utility that has placed an emphasis on what it considers sustainable energy.
The utility bought much of the 20,000 litres of canola biodiesel his plant produced last year. But Bobbee used some in his farm machinery, and especially in the Volkswagen Golf that he drives as a guinea pig.
“It’s got over 25,000 kilometres on 100 percent biodiesel,” said Bobbee.
The bigger plant he is about to construct will have a number of shareholders who are already on board, Bobbee said.
The plant will be built on a commercial industrial lot in the town of Arborg so that it can comply with environmental regulations, he said. Building a large plant on-farm isn’t possible.
“It’s got to be done where (environmental regulators) will pass it,” said Bobbee.
