The Guacamole Fund will be coordinating the use of biodiesel in Bonnie's tour buses and trucks. The tour continues the Green Highway mission promoting biodiesel, the environment, and alternative energy solutions.  Learn More at www.biodiesel.org

Raitt's biodiesel-fueled buses pull into town
Musician promotes use of clean-burning fuel

By DON JACOBS, jacobs@knews.com
December 11, 2005

Grammy Award-winning musician Bonnie Raitt stopped Saturday at a Knoxville fueling station to champion national security.

Raitt actually was promoting the use of biodiesel while the fuel tanks on her tour buses were topped off with the environmentally friendly substance. But she noted how increased use of biodiesel will help reduce the nation's reliance on foreign fuels.

"Dependency on foreign oil is just crippling us," the activist said, adding that the nation's foreign policy could be free of energy considerations with increased use of domestic fuels.

Raitt said this is the second tour during which her two buses and two tractor-trailer rigs will be powered by biodiesel. The current tour, which is winding down, will have covered about 20,000 miles, she said.

Biodiesel is made from soybean oil or animal fat or even restaurant grease. It can be used at a 100 percent concentration in diesel engines but is more popular in a B20 mix, which is 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent regular diesel.

Raitt is putting her name, fame and money toward the cause of increased biodiesel usage.

"Every time I do an interview, I talk about biodiesel," Raitt said outside Regal Petroleum's fueling station on Proctor Street, the only public biodiesel pumping location in Knox County.

Raitt said she expects biodiesel to be the beneficiary of "an explosion of opportunity."

"After the heating and gas costs this winter, you can bet this will explode on us," the redhead said under a cloudless blue sky.

"The only time people want to change is when it hits their wallet, and that's happening now," she added.

Raitt said she is tithing profits from her tour toward biodiesel education programs. For her performance at the Tennessee Theater, Raitt donated 50 seats to the East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition, which is spearheading the biodiesel movement in the region.

Jonathan Overly, executive director of the ETCFC, said the agency he started in 2002 hopes to raise $3,000 to $4,000 from Raitt's donated tickets. While the regular tickets quickly sold out at $57 each, Overly said his group is getting $150 to $300 per ticket, which includes a dessert with Raitt after the show.

Overly noted in early 2004 that there were no biodiesel stations in East Tennessee. With cities, counties and businesses across the region embracing biodiesel use, 16 stations providing biodiesel now dot the area from Chattanooga to Johnson City.

Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam joined the group of about a dozen people at the fueling station for Raitt's press conference. The mayor, who said he intended to attend Raitt's performance, noted that 80 percent of the Knoxville Area Transit buses burn B20. Up to 20 percent of the city's diesel vehicles use biodiesel, and Haslam said he wants to increase that number.

Parks Wells, executive director of the Tennessee Soybean Promotion Board, said 25 million gallons of biodiesel were consumed nationwide last year. This year, he said he expects about 75 million gallons will be burned.

"We're expecting 200 (million) to 250 million gallons to be used next year," Wells said.

"It's just a cleaner fuel. It's biodegradable and the truckers like it," he added.

Don Jacobs may be reached at 865-342-6345.

RELATED SITES
The East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition (ETCFC)