SunPower Adds 24-Hour Biodiesel Fueling Station to Cumberland Facility

Feb. 23, 2011 - PRLog -- Cumberland, WI--SunPower Premium Cold Flow Biodiesel is announcing the addition of a public, 24-hour biodiesel fueling station
at its facility in Cumberland. The fueling station is part of the early stages of SunPower’s operational expansion plan that will take
place over the coming years.
The credit card-controlled fueling station will be operational by March and will run 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Three blends of
SunPower’s premium cold flow biodiesel will be available to the public: B11 (11% biodiesel), B20 (20% biodiesel) and a B99 blend (99%
biodiesel). Along with the biodiesel, the blends include traditional diesel fuel with a winter additive to increase engine performance.
“ The owners of SunPower Biodiesel are ecstatic that the dream of locally grown fuel - available to the public - is now a reality for
the people of Northwest Wisconsin,” said SunPower CEO Ron Ruppel. “We welcome all consumers to try our fuel, and are confident
that all will agree that locally grown diesel fuel is superior to all the other available diesel fuels in our marketing area. We
envision the day when none of us in rural America will be held hostage to imported oil! “
Any equipment, machinery or vehicle that normally runs on traditional diesel fuel can run on biodiesel, a cleaner-burning and renewable
form of fuel. SunPower’s biodiesel has a higher cetane rating, has 10 times the lubrication properties, and produces up to
50% less emissions than petroleum diesel fuel--making it a greener fuel alternative that is just as efficient as petroleum diesel. In a
60,000 gallon market test, SunPower’s biodiesel users reported more power, cooler-running engines and increased mileage. Sun-
Power also uses biodiesel in its fleet, and recently added a hybrid diesel truck that uses biodiesel and an electric-back up. The new
hybrid truck has an increased fuel economy of 20-30 percent, and meets emissions, anti-idling and noise regulations. The purchase
of the truck and fueling station equipment was made possible with substantial funding from the Wisconsin Clean Transportation
Program and is the first of its kind in the state from the Wisconsin Kenworth dealership.
Debate over government regulations for biodiesel has stalled biodiesel production in past years. However, the EPA has now established
renewable fuel standards, and biodiesel producers like SunPower can move forward with their operations.
“It is exciting to see the government establish parameters for biodiesel,” says Logistics Coordinator Herb Blaser. “We can move
ahead and plan production appropriately. We have a clearer picture and can continue expansion efforts.”
Expanding crop land for oil seed
With the new fueling station and increased production, SunPower facilities move closer to reaching their capacity of 3 million gallons
per year, which has also increased the need for area crop land. Cumberland-based DRM Farms, the largest supplier of oil seed
to SunPower, has expanded its available crop land nearly 25 percent in response. According to Blaser, they are currently looking
to partner with more farmers and landowners who may be willing raise oil seeds--namely canola. Blaser notes that with a shorter
growing season, canola is an excellent crop for rotation. He says canola also competes with soybeans in profitability, and adds
that the oil from canola is considered a premium source of feedstock in biodiesel production.
DRM and SunPower use a cold-press process when squeezing the oils from the seeds. This creates a meal co-product, which Blaser
says has become a popular choice in local dairy, beef and poultry operations. DRM has a program available for partnering farmers
that allows them access to meal and biodiesel. SunPower also has seed storage and drying facilities on site. These capabilities
allow farmers to have an outlet for crop storage without having to worry about transporting it to other locations, saving heavy
transportation costs in the process.
Since its beginnings in 2006, SunPower Premium Cold Flow Biodiesel has worked to find a renewable and sustainable fuel source
for future generations. SunPower’s biodiesel is a cleaner-burning and renewable form of fuel that can easily be used in any equipment
or vehicle that uses petroleum-based diesel fuel.

SunPower Contact: Herb Blaser, Logistics Coordinator
Phone: 877-882-5313 | E-mail: hblaser@ardisam.com
DRM Farms Contact: John Thomas, Director of Farm Operations.
Phone: 715-822-2415 ext. 169 | E-mail: jthomas@ardisam.com

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Producer of premium biodiesel which also provides fuel contracting, a variety of biodiesel blends, delivery service and tanks.