Biofuel servo a big hit

The first of a planned chain of eco-friendly service stations is going well in Melbourne, Australia. Conservo-Prahran was dreamed up by environmental activist turned sustainability businessman Daniel Epstein. His first green servo is located on High St., Prahran. Motorists can fill up with E10 or B20. The biofuels are being supplied by Energetix in Laverton North, a division of the Victor Smorgon Group. “It’s a good idea and I’m the first to put it into practice,” Epstein said. “It gives people a place where they can implement the sustainability they practice at home, but in their car.” The B20 and B100 diesel is made from a combination of canola oil, animal fat and recycled cooking oil collected by Smorgon tankers from restaurants all over Melbourne. The managing director of Victor Smorgon Group, Peter Edwards, said the Laverton North plant had a potential capacity of producing 100 million liters a year of biofuels. (August 17, 2007)