Renewable Energy

Bioenergy

Project overview:  "Field to Fuel” is an alternative fuel project housed on the Colville Confederated Tribes Indian Reservation. The goal of this project is to grow, press, and produce biodiesel grown on underutilized agricultural lands on the Colville Reservation. A diverse partnership with WSU Colville Reservation-Ferry County Extension (local project linkages and support), WSU USDA- ARS (Co-Lead on the project), Colville Confederated Tribes Energy Department (Co-Lead on project) and Paschal Sherman Indian School, working collaboratively to meet the project objectives. 

The Colville Confederated Tribes has over 1.3 million acres on their reservation and over 100,000 acres have been identified as tillable. The project has a goal to bring 20,000 acres into production creating an annual fuel harvest of approximately 2,000,000 gallons of biodiesel. Although this project is in its initial stages, it has the potential to create jobs, revitalize the agricultural sector, and can insulate the community from volatility in the energy sector. Test plots have been grown on local reservation farms to learn production practices for the area.

Biodiesel is a proven motor fuel that reduces harmful emissions, performs well in diesel motors, and keeps energy dollars circulating in the local economy. Diesel fuel is very important to the rural economy: tractors, school buses, semi trucks, trains, and heavy equipment are dependent on this fuel. Producing a locally grown alternative fuel makes sense for our community, our nation and our world.

On Wednesday, October 21, 2009 WSU Colville Reservation-Ferry County Extension, USDA ARS, and Colville Confederated Tribes Energy Department fueled a school bus with canola based biodiesel that was grown, pressed, and produced on the Colville Confederated Tribes  Reservation. Questions?

Tribe funds expanded canola research, facility

http://news.wsu.edu/pages/publications.asp?Action=Detail&PublicationID=30209&TypeID=1