Bower Goes Biodiesel

With generous support through the NRMA Insurance CommunityHelp grants program, the

Bower will be embarking on a one year trial of running biodiesel in our delivery and

collection truck.

We'll be posting more information about the project, and biodiesel in general, right here in

months to come. Stay tuned.

Update as of 29 January 2007.

- Although we did experience some delay in finding a robust supply of biodiesel for our

truck we found four (4) possible options. These were:

1. Morris Lyda, originally known for the short lived Biodiesel service station corner of

Marrickville Road and Sydney Road in Marrickville. We understand that there was some

disagreement between the owner of the property and the renter. Morris was a sub-renter

and got tangled up in the row and the biodiesel service station closed down. However

Morris is still able to provide bulk supplies to interested parties such as businesses and

councils. Phone Morris directly for more information on the services he can offer: Mobile

0404 149 453.

2. We then discovered that certain Volume Plus service stations can provide biodiesel. We

used the one at: 764 Parramatta Rd, Lewisham, Phone (02) 9569 3311. Although they

informed us it was 100% biodiesel, not a blend, they would not provide any documentation

to confirm this and supply was not constant. We fall back to this option when others not

available.

3. Our enquiries also unearthed a person who can make 100% biodiesel from SVO (straight

vegetable oil). However he operates an under-the-counter business because his operation is

too small to justify the thousands of dollars involved in having his mixing procedures

officially tested for commercial resale. While we understand the product to be high grade -

he also works helping the pacific nations convert coconut oil into engine fuel - we opted not

to pursue this route.

4. We have since found another NGO (non-government organisation) with a compatible ethos

to The Bower who buy bulk biodiesel (B100 or 100% biodiesel) and store it in a large capacity

tank to service their fleet of vehicles. They have generously offered to sell us a potion of

their supply, for use in the Bower truck. But alas they do not have a flow meter to measure

the quantity extracted from their tank. So we have to fill up 20 litre jerry cans and decant

these into the truck's tanks. We very appreciate this NGO's co-operation in supporting the

Bower and allowing us to work with them. Selling fuel is a long way from their core business

and value the extra effort they go to help us out.

It seems surreal that in a country so well renown for the tyranny of distance that a

renewable fuel which reduces our dependence on finite fossil fuels should be so hard to

locate in our most populated city.