STM - Society in motion
Fuelling with biodiesel February 11, 2009
In November 2007, the STM began using biodiesel – regular diesel to which is added “methyl diester,” a biofuel made from recycled cooking oils and animal fats – in its buses and service vehicles. Since June 2008, the entire bus fleet is fuelled with biodiesel with concentrations of biofuel of up to 5%, as it can be adjusted according to weather conditions. The use of biodiesel has lead to reducing GHG emissions by more than 3500 tons in 2008, equal to more than 600 cars each running 20 000 km a year.
By being bold and also wielding considerable purchasing power – it takes 50 million litres of fuel each year to operate its buses – the STM has paved the way for the biodiesel market in Québec, leading both towns and transit in the drive to being ever greener.
For the STM, not all biofuels are created equal. By choosing a biofuel produced from recycled cooking oils and animal fats instead of corn crops, the STM takes yet another small action for a better planet.
