Black Hawk, biodiesel and buses

Lynn Volkens

01/18/2007 - The City of Black Hawk is about to take another step forward in its collaboration with the gaming industry. If successful, the City will soon be one of a select few municipalities to fuel its city buses with biodiesel fuel produced in its own on-site plant. Philo Shelton, Black Hawk’s Public Works Director, told the City Council on Wednesday night that he thinks it can happen in 2007. As usual, the City’s timing seems right on the mark.

  Biodiesel is composed of 20% methyl esters of fatty acids—that’s vegetable oil to the layman—and 80% traditional diesel fuel. It’s one of several fuels developed as alternatives to petroleum derived fuels. It’s often less expensive than diesel and performs as well or better than diesel in some engines, such as those used in Black Hawk’s shuttle buses and other diesel-powered vehicles. The City’s casinos enter the partnership by providing the vegetable oil needed for the fuel. Collectively, they produce 3,200 gallons per month of the waste cooking oil (normally paying 50 cents per gallon to dispose of it) and are willing to give it to Black Hawk free.

  The Black Hawk Transportation Authority hired Paradigm Biogas LLC to prepare a feasibility study on how they and the City could produce biodiesel for their own consumption and possibly that of other local entities. The report explains how BHTA, Black Hawk and the casinos could work together to create fuel for use first in the Black Hawk/Central City Tramway buses. As the kinks are worked out, the program could be expanded to fuel the entire Black Hawk vehicle fleet, Central City’s fleet, Gilpin County’s fleet, even Colorado Department of Transportation vehicles—whoever’s receptive to participation. What’s more, any excess fuel can be used to heat the bus barn facility, as can glycerol, a byproduct of the production process.

  There’s still much to be done for the biodiesel fuel plant to become reality. The plant will need to be built, preferably on Miners Mesa with the new bus barn. Space needed for it varies from 400-1,000 square feet, depending on the type of processing equipment chosen. The recommended system, building and several pieces of auxiliary equipment will cost approximately $125,600 (with a seven-year payback period). That system will produce biodiesel at the rate of $2.22 per gallon. Over the last year, BHTA’s average cost per gallon of diesel has been $2.33 per gallon. The Tramway vehicles would use 8,640 gallons of biodiesel. Add Black Hawk’s fleet (2,880), Central City’s fleet (3,240), Gilpin County’s fleet (7,920), CDOT (1,560) and the potential annual biodiesel need could be as high as 34,380 gallons, the majority of it (31,104 gallons) produced by the local plant. As diesel prices rise, the return on the investment in the on-site fuel production plant will only increase, said Paradigm. The casinos benefit by not having to pay to dispose of their used cooking oil. Currently, those disposal costs are running $1,645 per month. Additionally, local residents and visitors can expect a healthier environment; biodiesel emissions are much lower than traditional diesel. Publicity pundits are already playing with potential slogans (“Eat More French Fries—Salads Don’t Give Us Gas”) to advertise the program.

  There are still many details and decisions to be worked out, but the process has started and the project seems to be one that could benefit the entire Gilpin community.