Though the P2P buses have been circling their route just as often as before, this year they will be leaving a cleaner trail.
Beginning this week, the UNC P2P Campus Shuttle Service buses are being filled up with biodiesel — a petroleum-based diesel fuel.
Biodiesel can be made from renewable resources like vegetable oil or animal fat. The fuel is biodegradable and nontoxic, and it reduces toxic emissions when it’s used in vehicles.
Although the shuttles have experimented with biodiesel before, a policy change in fuel type has never been made until now.
The recent change was sparked by the efforts of UNC students.
Greg Richmond, a junior psychology major, first became interested in green energy in high school. But a summer chemistry class at UNC brought his attention to biodiesel in particular.
“I was trying to think of ways we could use green energy here at UNC,” he said.
“(Using biodiesel for the P2P) seemed like something we could change fairly quickly and make a very big difference.”
Richmond said he had heard other campus groups talking about the idea, and he saw promise in fusing their efforts.
“I think they just needed someone to push the matter a little bit and unite the different groups,” he said.
One of those groups, the Renewable Energy Special Projects Committee, was formed in 2003 and has spearheaded campaigns to introduce alternative energy sources to campus.
The solar hot water system that will be in used in Morrison Residence Hall is one such project. The system will be in place following the Morrison renovation project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2007.
RESPC has pushed for green energy in other campus buildings, and University construction officials are considering sustainability measures in numerous construction projects.
Taking the baton from Richmond, Nathan Poslusny, chairman of RESPC, helped work with University officials during the summer to hash out the specifics of a permanent bus change.
Expenses are one issue that has kept the buses running on premium diesel and that needed to be tackled first, he said.
Biodiesel is more expensive than premium diesel, so the extra costs for the 2005-06 school year will come from the renewable energy committee — which receives a $4-per-semester energy fee from each student as part of an approved referendum.
The extra cost probably will not exceed $4,000, said Cindy Pollock Shea, sustainability coalition coordinator, pointing to the amount of fuel used by P2P buses and price premiums.
North Carolina is one of the highest consumers of biodiesel in the United States, Shea said. And it’s on its way to becoming a major producer also.
One biodiesel producer, Piedmont Biofuels, is located in Pittsboro.
Richmond said he believes the UNC community has been ready for the change for a while.
The Wolfline at N.C. State University and Duke University Transit both already run on biodiesel.
“Not only are we now caught up to Duke and N.C. State, but we’re at an opportunity where we can do more,” Richmond said.
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
