Local equipment turns grain into fuels

Rob Simpson runs his business with the hopes of a more environmentally conscious world.

Simpson, the owner and operator of Below Zero Welding , makes equipment to turn grains into biodiesel fuels.

He came into the biofuel world after working in Alberta for nine years. While there he worked at an organic fertilizer mill where they used animal byproducts and waste and converted it into lawn fertilizer. His next environmentally conscious work was working with emitters in a coal mine, which were more efficient and better designed than older models. After this ,Simpson began attending environmental summits and conferences on climate change.

He decided he wanted to work in biofuels.

Simpson and a group of others wanted to learn how to make biodiesel fuel.

"We learned as much as we could and developed a technology," he said.

While he is currently making equipment to make biofuels, by mid 2008 he is hoping to begin plans on a plant near Prince Albert. He would like the plant to be operational by the end of next year.

Simpson came to Prince Albert with this idea because of the mining and development up north.

"Prince Albert seems to be a strong community," he said. "They think outside the box."

He said Prince Albertans seem to be open at alternative sources of energy.

Simpson strongly believes in alternative energy sources.

"Renewable anything wins," he said. "Renewable is a strong playing factor in energy and what (damage) has already been done will never be able to be revised."

Aside from the benefits to the environment, said Simpson, biodiesel is also better for engines than straight diesel fuels.

With sulfur currently being taken out of most diesel products the biodiesel increases lubrication within the engine.

"(Just) two per cent biodiesel is really positive for the engine," he said adding in the spring through fall vehicles can run off of 100 per cent biodiesel and in winter the can run off 30 to 40 per cent blends.

He said the problem with biofuels is there is next to no availability.

Simpson said people are complaining about paying for regular fuel but are not willing to do anything to change it.

"They don't want to recognize an alternative opportunity. They focus on what's available and has been proven."

Simpson has sold his equipment to many countries worldwide but only four units have been sold in Canada.

"It is hard for new business," he said.

"You can not market a product if there is no market for it."

Simpson said in 2010 and 2012 there will be legislation which will implement higher biodiesel blend rates.

"It is positive but minimal," he said.

Aside from being beneficial to the environment biodiesel is good for farmers too, he said.

Farmers want an alternative way to sell their grain instead of to a monopoly, he said. Saskatchewan has 46 per cent of the arable farmland in Canada and if they could sell their grain to a biodiesel plant they would have more options and it would make more jobs and opportunities in the community at large.

He said biodiesel could have a huge impact and be very profitable, but it needs to be more widely recognized first.

Below Zero Welding is located at Bay #2 Red Wing Road East, Prince Albert, Sask, S6V 3R5, and can be reached at 764-1211.