MONTREAL — Canadian National and Progress Rail are joining with a renewable fuels company to test biodiesel and renewable diesel fuels in locomotives.
The companies have announced they will work with Renewable Energy Group to better understand the long-term impacts of renewable fuels on locomotives, especially in cold weather, and determine any modifications necessary to aid in their use as a step toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions while alternative types of locomotives are being developed.
“CN is committed to adapting our business to changing climate conditions,” CN CEO JJ Ruest said in a press release. “The successful testing and procurement of renewable fuels is part of a portfolio of initiatives to meet our 2030 science-based target. The extent of our ability to fully deploy and implement new technologies will require collaboration between locomotive manufacturers and fuel producers.”
When Bush II promoted switch grass and hemp it caused a price spike in export markets and riots followed in the third world. Be careful what you ask for.
One problem with biodiesel is that it’s made with soybeans. Farmers love corn ethanol because it pushes up corn prices, higher soybean prices will be another boon to them. But what about the poor people who have to spend more money for food? Does anyone care about them?
BioDiesel is not just made from Soybeans but animal fats/oils and biomass including hemp and switchgrass. Here’s a link with the most promising crops, an acre of hemp would only produce around 22 gallons making it very expensive.
https://interestingengineering.com/seven-biofuel-crops-use-fuel-production
Big trucking outfits are using biodiesel as well. As noted by Mark, biodiesel comes from all sorts of sources but at the moment I think Soybeans is by far the biggest commodity being used at the delight of American, Brazil, & Argentina farmers. As well as the disappointment of others. Read an article discussing oil shortage with a baker making pastries as he is now competing for oil w biodiesel folks of all things.