Newspaper Page Text
NEWS
The Red & Black | Thursday, July 13, 2006 | 3
Biodiesel competes as viable option for drivers
LEIGH AUERBACH | The Red & Black
A Travis Teague, a truck driver from Snellville, fills his
truck with biodiesel and said he can’t tell a difference in
his truck’s performance. Teague uses biodiesel to support
the American economy, farmers and help the environment.
By DAVID PITTMAN
dpittman@randb.com
There’s a product on sale
at the Chevron gas station on
Hawthorne Avenue that one
can buy only nine other
places in Georgia.
The special green and
white pump dispenses a
blend of biodiesel — a renew
able, alternative fuel made
from plant oils and animal
fats mixed with traditional
petroleum diesel.
From those customers who
use it, there are very few com
plaints, said manager Fateh
Mitha, who sells the 20 per
cent biodiesel, 80 percent
petroleum diesel blend for the
same price as his regular
diesel fuel.
But unlike regular fuel,
Mitha said the biodiesel blend
improves a car’s performance,
is better for the environment
and reduces the U.S.’s
dependence on foreign-pro-
duced oil.
“For all the reasons to use
biodiesel, price is still the pri
mary reason in the market
place,” said Jim Kennedy, vice
president of Boswell Oil, the
producer of the biodiesel at
the Hawthorne Chevron.
As worldwide demand for
crude oil steadily increases
and the cost of a gallon of
gasoline nears $3, drivers,
governments and researchers
look for other means to power
cars.
Enter biodiesel.
In 2004, 25 million gallons
of biodiesel were produced in
the U.S., said Amber Pearson,
a spokeswoman for the
National Biodiesel Board. In
2005, that jumped to 75 mil
lion. And in 2006, the U.S. is
set to produce 150 million gal
lons of biodiesel.
At the University,
researchers are looking for
different products, such as
chicken fat, that can be
turned into the alternative
fuel.
While Daniel Geller, a fac
ulty of engineering public
service representative, called
poultry fat the “low-hanging
Old law sparks new ticket violations
By JESSICA LUTON
ljluton@randb.com
When University senior
Amy Summers was ticketed
for Georgia’s Move Over Law,
she was shocked to receive a
$500 fine for violating a traffic
ordinance she didn’t even
know about.
“I’d never heard of it. And
no one I knew had ever heard
of it,” Summers, from Albany,
said.
Georgia’s Move Over Law,
which came into effect July 1,
2003, requires drivers to move
over one lane in the event
that a stationary emergency
vehicle displaying flashing
lights — such as a police car,
ambulance, tow truck or
Department of
Transportation maintenance
vehicle — is stopped on the
side of the highway.
If a lane change is not pos
sible, Georgia drivers are
required to slow down below
the posted speed limit and be
prepared to stop.
The maximum fine for vio
lating the Move Over Law is
$500.
Don Eskert, traffic ser
geant for the Athens-Clarke
County Police Department,
acknowledges that most peo
ple are unaware of this law.
‘“I didn’t know’ is the com
mon reaction,” Eskert said,
adding that he has pulled
over only flagrant violators.
The Governor’s Office of
Highway Safety has been
working with the Georgia
Department of
Transportation and local
police to educate people
about the law by posting
informational signs along
major highways near Georgia
state lines, creating informa
tional brochures about the
law and issuing news releases
in media kits to encourage
statewide media coverage of
the law.
“The law is in effect,” said
Summers. “And be wary
because they will pull you
over.”
The law was passed in
order to curb the number of
injuries and fatalities that
occur during routine traffic
stops, highway construction
and emergency responses,
according to a Governor’s
Office of Highway Safety
statement released in 2005.
In an effort to improve
GEORGIA’S MOVE
OVER LAW
What: Requires drivers to move
over one lane in the event that a
stationary emergency vehicle is
stopped on the side of the highway.
When: It came into effect July 1,
2003
How much: Maximum fine of $500
Web site:
www.gohs.state.ga.us
enforcement of the law, police
agencies have started assign
ing patrol cars to work in
pairs so that one officer can
watch for Move Over Law vio
lators while the second officer
works traffic enforcement.
“Drivers need to pay atten
tion, slow down and be pre
pared to stop,” Eskert said.
fruit,” biodiesel makers even
tually will run out of animal
fat before the demand from
automobile drivers is met.
That forces the burden on
researchers like Geller and
Tom Adams, director of the
Engineering Outreach
Service, to find alternatives
like the oils of crops and
wood.
Most crop oils can produce
good biodiesel, but University
researchers want to optimize
the fuel’s processing using a
low-cost crop to make
biodiesel, Adams said.
“This can happen. We just
need to put it into effect,”
Geller said.
Adams, for instance, is
working on turning wood and
other wood-like products into
biodiesel that works efficient
ly in engines and mixes well
when combined with petrole
um diesel.
“As for the technical hur
dles, we’re making really good
strides,” Adams said of his
work.
Students could soon see
the fruits of Adams’ and fel
low researchers’ labor, since
plans are in the works to
eventually run University
buses on biodiesel.
“It’s a little more complex
than everybody thought it
was going to be,” Adams said.
“But we’re headed in that
direction.”
Summer ^ Ked&Hinck
M Corner
0*
20
Roosters &B62.
f( 0 0 ) (Free Moon Pie w/ coupon
VV y T~ J 1 Mile From Campus
Just Off Prince
217 Hiawassee Ave. 706-353-1000
cunrise
vD GOLF CLUB
lwww.sunrisegolfclub.com J
706-788-2720,
$21 Play-All-Day Monday
15% Off Weekend Rates
5225 Colbert-Danielsville Road
Colbert, GA 30628
New Shipment Just Arrived!
CENTER: New options open for class commute
>- From Page 1
she
to take the bus home,’
said.
Diane Hale, manager of
University parking services,
said the new center will
allow students to take advan
tage of the Alternative
Transportation Program —
which offers designated
numbers of free on-campus
parking passes — by providing
more streamlined
alternative transit options,
such as the center’s bike lock
ers.
Although only Athens
MULTI-MODAL
CENTER
What: New home for Athens transit
with bike lockers available to rent, a
University bus stop and a possible
station for an Athens-to-Atlanta
commuter train.
When: Aug. 14
Where: 775 E. Broad St., behind
the Classic Center
Web sites:
www.athenstransit.com and
www.parking.com
Transit and Campus Transit
are scheduled to operate
at the center, there is
potential for additional modes
of transport.
Pat Hale, superintendent of
operations for Athens Transit,
said the center was built on
the condition that
it would allow transportation
authorities to house a train
that would run from Athens to
Atlanta.
In late May, the Georgia
Brain Train Group and repre
sentatives of Georgia Rail
Passenger Authority present
ed ideas to local transit
authorities concerning the
possible future of rail service
connecting Athens and
Atlanta.
But Hale said plans for the
Atlanta train are still in the
developmental stages, and it
may be several years
before construction on the
tentative railroad would begin.
downtown • 546*5014
CHACO • KEEN • TEVA • REEF
Shenandoah
001
www.WineryOfAthens.com
www.myspace.com/thewinery
$1.00 Champagne
For The Laaies
All Summer Long
********* A
$375
• JVew Community!
5 • Hardwood Jloors!
-jL • Huge VJedrooms!
L• Ceiling Jans!
• Private Decks!
the
UJinertj
LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE!
MHMHHi
Ire
-Jewish |
® Willel: Campus (enter
%
3 Person Specials! T
• Ceiling Jans! £
• Washer/Dryer! Of\j^y
• Private Decks!
353 ^75CL
Properties also available
Whitehall landing
Barrington
Carriage House Realty Inc.
www.carriaqehouseathens.com