Ben Franklin Transit (BFT) in Richland, Washington is the first transit agency in the United States, and quite possibly the world, to use a blend of two clean and renewable fuels – Biodiesel and Ethanol. Both fuels can be developed from crops grown domestically for energy or “bioenergy” which is energy derived from biological and renewable sources.

Until now biodiesel and ethanol were used only as separate fuel supplements, but because of an emulsion made by O²Diesel of Newark, Delaware BFT can now cross blend these two fuels with the federally mandated Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD).

This composite fuel enables Ben Franklin Transit to address the short comings of ULSD by creating a fuel that provides the needed lubrication qualities of previously available diesel and a fuel that will flow at minus 20 degrees without additional additives. The fuel is being blended for Ben Franklin Transit by Connell Oil and consists of 71% ULSD, 20% Bio, 7.7% Ethanol and the remainder O²Diesel. This equates to a 28% reduction in fossil fuel. The new blend also promises to reduce C0² and other emissions.

Under a grant from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory starting in January 2007 Ben Franklin Transit is conducting a 210-day operational assessment of the fuel blend. The test uses 20 vehicles that represent four different chassis manufacturers, running six different diesel engines ranging in age from 1988 to 2006. BFT will then gather operational data during the winter months where temperatures can drop well below freezing, and into the summer months when temperatures can rise to triple digits.

Preliminary results were made public at a news conference on March 7, 2007. The speakers were Tim Fredrickson – Ben Franklin Transit General Manager, Richard Ciccone, Ben Franklin Transit Special Projects Manager, Kristin Eby - Representative for Senator Maria Cantwell, Dr. David Lauer – Benton County Clean Air Authority, Dr. Ashok Alva – U.S. Department of Agriculture and Rick Roger – President of 0²Diesel.