Now that four Saskatoon city buses are operating on fuel composed of five per cent biodiesel made from canola, Martin Reaney can devote more time to the investigation of other sources of biodiesel fuel – such as chokecherry pits and wild mustard seed.

Reaney, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’a Saskatoon Research Centre, primarily works with value-added processing of vegetable oils, and has been involved in research into biodiesel made from canola since 1993.

“First we made the fuel and then we directed the retooling of a factory that is now capable of supplying one per cent of Saskatchewan’s total diesel requirements,” he explained.  “We are continuing work on this fuel – followup studies of its shelf like, for example – but we are also looking at waste materials such as chokecherry pits, wild mustard seeds and canola screenings as a lower-cost source of biodiesel.”

He said wild mustard is a great example of such a low-cost materials.  A member of the crucifer family, which includes canola, broccoli and cauliflower, it was brought to Reaney’s attention by Garry Noble, a Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization extension agrologist,.  Noble, in fact, provided 25 kg of the seed for Reaney’s evaluation. 

In addition to the cost of wild mustard seed – free at this point – the meal left over from processing it for oil has potential uses in horticulture: it has value as a fertilizer and as a control of soil-borne pests. 

Reaney is even more enthusiastic about the oil from the pits of chokecherries: “It would make a lovely biodiesel and, because its fatty acids are almost identical to the new varieties of sunflower table oil, “he said, adding, however, he’s cautious with predictions about its future.

“It’s a very interesting concept but I don’t know if biodiesel from chokecherry pits will ever happen.  Right now, we’re still in the preliminary stages of looking at it: the quality of the oil from different chokecherry varieties, for example, and the logistics of dealing with the huge amounts of pulp. 

Both flax and chokecherries have potential,” he concluded. 

Another possible source of biodiesel is Brassica carinata, an African week commonly known as Ethiopian mustard.  Reaney said it could be a new cop for Saskatchewan.  It has the same biodiesel potential as wild mustard but has some additional benefits: it doesn’t cross with other members of the Brassica genus, such as canola and brown and Oriental mustard; it has no other purpose; and it wouldn’t flood the mustard market. 

Reaney said he knows it will grow in Saskatchewan.  Yet another low-cost source of bidiesel is canola screenings, small-seeded canola that make up four per cent of the total canola crop.  At this time, said Reaney, canola screenings are probably the best source of biodiesel because the supply is steady and known, the cost is low and the processing technique is already developed.

“When Canada commits to meeting Kyoto protocol objectives of reduced greenhouse emissions, biofuels will be an element in our strategy. 

Bioethanol and biodiesel production will help reduce atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide by recycling.  Many  new sources of biodiesel are being examined so that we will be ready to meet our commitment in the future by creating sustainable new business opportunities,” said Reaney.