Document Actions
Biodiesel Pilot Project for Metro Transit Buses
King County, Washington
Location: King County, Washington
Start-up: October 2004
Developer: King County and Seattle City Light
Over the past several years, King County Metro Transit in Washington State has switched all of its diesel buses to Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD). The fuel switch reduced particulate emissions by 90%. In 2004, biodiesel was added to the fuel mix to help reduce CO2 emission.
Metro first committed to pilot the use of a blend of 5% biodiesel and 95% ULSD, and is currently using the mix at two Metro bases serving 369 buses in total. Expansion of the pilot project to the entire fleet of more than 1,200 diesel buses is planned to be complete by the end of 2008.
The cost for the pilot project is shared between King County and Seattle City Light through its Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Program. King County covers two-thirds and City Light one-third of the incremental cost of the 5% blend biodiesel, which is about 6 cents more per gallon than ULSD. The wholesale distributor of the biodiesel used in Metro buses is Associated Petroleum Products, Inc. in Tacoma, which purchases biodiesel both from in-state and out-of-state producers.
Although King County's primary concern is cleaner emissions, the project is also expected to lower the price of biodiesel, and create new markets for Washington farmers. Because Metro buys more than 10 million gallons of fuel a year, even a 5% addition of biodiesel results in a big increase in demand for fuel distributors. It expects to purchase approximately 500,000 gallons per year to operate the entire fleet on the biodiesel blend. Although there is currently only one producer of biodiesel in the state, there are many farmers and developers who are actively pursuing their business plans to bring this new industry to the state.
In March 2006, King County Executive Ron Sims signed an executive order committing the County to increasing its use of biodiesel from the 5% blend to a 20% blend. This will result in an annual use of 2.5 million gallons of biofuels in county vehicles and make King County the state’s largest purchaser of biodiesel.
References and Additional Information:
King County Department of Transportation’s website. News. March 03, 2006.
King County Executive’s website. News releases. October 26, 2004.
King County Biodiesel Pilot Program website
