It’s time to jump on the biodiesel bandwagon.
The alternative fuel is now available at the Mukilteo Farmers Market – sold out of the back of a truck. People want access to the stuff, but it’s hard to come by in Snohomish County, hence the sales from the pickup truck.
Any step toward reducing our addiction to foreign oil needs to be encouraged. A first step for Snohomish County is to open some fueling stations, since the pickup truck sales will end when the market closes in October.
Biodiesel is a proven alternative and people here have embraced its use, making Washington one of the top five states in consumption of the fuel. Naval Station Everett was an early convert, putting its buses and heavy equipment on a blend of biodiesel four years ago. Now it is time for state government to embrace the production of biodiesel.
The only downside of the soy-oil based fuel is the cost, which is more than $3 a gallon. However, in the Midwest, where biodiesel is manufactured, the cost is around $2 a gallon. Washington has plenty of agricultural areas, but soy is not one of the state’s crops. It’s time to either start growing soy, or using crops such as canola, to create the clean-burning fuel. Farmers, who may or may not become biodiesel manufacturers, need incentives to invest in this new growth industry.
In 2004, the Legislature passed a package of four bills to encourage the use of biodiesel, including a sales tax exemption for biodiesel manufacturers.
Most of the $14.5 billion in tax breaks included in Congress’ energy bill go to the usual suspects – producers and users of oil, natural gas and coal. However, the bill does create a new category of tax credits known as clean renewable energy bonds that have an estimated value of $400 million. The tax-exempt bonds can be issued by local governments or electricity cooperatives to help pay for wind and solar energy or other projects. An additional $194 million will fund a two-year extension of excise and income-tax credits for manufacturers of biodiesel.
Washington has already shown a demand for biodiesel. The state needs new growth industries. It has the farmers and it has the technology. Financial incentives are in place to manufacture, sell and use biodiesel.
What’s not to like? You gotta love a soy-based fuel that smells like fast food.
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