Grant Writing Team: Jim Hamilton, Karen Moss, Laura Leatherwood, Blair Bishop

Management Team: Howard Kline, Laura Leatherwood, Buddy Tignor

Information: 565-4275

Read Recent Mountaineer article about project.

Executive Summary: 

The demand for biodiesel has increased dramatically over the last several years in western North Carolina; however, there are few facilities to meet this demand. Haywood Community College (HCC) proposes partnering with county government, local and state agencies, and a regional biodiesel production company to install biodiesel facilities at the college’s campus and at the county’s recycling and solid waste management center that will be used to:

1)         provide alternative fuel supplies for campus and county diesel vehicles

2)         integrate biodiesel production into the college’s existing Industrial and Automotive Systems Technology curricula and incorporate into proposed Sustainable Technology certificate program to train members of the regional workforce in biofuels technology

3)         increase local and regional awareness and public education of biofuels and biodiesel production.

HCC’s partners in initiating and sustaining this project include Blue Ridge Biofuels LLC; Haywood County Government: Recycling and Solid Waste Management Program; Southwestern NC RC&D Council; North Carolina Cooperative Extension; and Land of Sky Regional Council.

Funding provided by the Biofuels Center of NC and leveraged resources pledged by the college and the county will yield several direct and indirect economic impacts. Biodiesel refineries and fuel produced from the project will be used to fuel county and college vehicles, offsetting current county fuel costs of petroleum-based diesel and potentially freeing up resources for future biodiesel production. Moneys once allocated for purchasing petroleum diesel will be reinvested in continuing production of biodiesel for county vehicles. Jobs created include a new county biofuels technician position to oversee biodiesel production; a new part-time college continuing education coordinator for regional program promotion, coordination and recruitment; and expansion of an existing faculty position from 9 to 12 months per year for two years, for curriculum development and integration into existing degree programs.

The creation of a biodiesel refinery facility based on HCC’s campus will provide additional training opportunities for students and members of the local workforce to contribute to job and technology skills training for regional economic development in alternative fuels. The integration of a biodiesel refinery facility into college educational programming will allow short-course opportunities for individuals to learn how to install and operate their own reactors/refineries. In addition, public education on biofuels production will be integrated into the county agricultural initiative for farmers to produce fuel crops. 

We are requesting $135,845 from the Biofuels Center of NC for this project, which will begin in July 2008; project evaluation will occur in December 2009. The project will have lasting impact.

Evaluation of the project will be tracked throughout the duration of the project on two levels—based on educational/training, and production metrics. Specifically:

• Progress from the educational/training standpoint will be measured and evaluated by the number of students enrolled in biofuels short-courses and existing curriculum courses where biofuels production is integrated. Participation from the agricultural community participating in workshops (hosted by North Carolina Cooperative Extension) on biofuel crop production and extraction will also be tracked.
• Gallons of biodiesel produced and used to fuel college and county vehicles will be monitored and cash savings/economic impact calculated.
• Quantities and sources of waste oil/feedstock will be tracked to monitor consumption.