Oct 19 2010
The Biodiesel Program, developed by the Loyola University Chicago Center for Urban Environmental Research and Policy (CUERP), is chosen to receive the license from the state and federal offices.
On receiving such a license the program will become the first ever school program to receive state and federal licenses. The Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois Department of Revenue, Internal Revenue Service and National Biodiesel Board has already provided their approval for the program.
The University commenced its Biodiesel Program in 2007 when CUERP received a research grant to the value of $10,000 from Environmental Protection Agency. The grant was issued to develop and introduce a new type of educational system known as Solutions to Environmental Problems or STEP. The program enabled the University to draw participation from various disciplines in the University including the teachers, officers and students to clear some of the environmental problems faced by the University. The University first focused on the CO2 emissions menace in its campuses. The initiative helped the students to discover the reasons for the problem, further designing and implementing a number of projects to bring in solutions. The fuel development research helped the students to install a biodiesel lab to continue their research, introduced a biofuel lawmaking bill, a documentary film on usage of biofuel and finally they reached out to local schools and provided them the developed STEP program to impart education to their students.
The developed biodiesel program which runs as a separate program received further $75,000 grant from the EPA. The program being run by the students with the guidance of the University’s biodiesel lab manager has produced around 1,500 gallons of biodiesel till date. The University in addition to vending the manufactured biodiesel will also trade the BioSoap made from glycerin, a by product of the biodiesel production. The soap will be sold within the University campus as well as by the exclusive retails stores in Chicago.
Zach Waickman, Lab Manager for the University’s biodiesel program, expressed happiness about the development and achievement of the lab. He added that the lab will continue to improve the production and sales beyond the university limits to the businesses and individuals attracted to biodiesel products. He added that the lab will find exclusive ways to run it profitably.
Source: http://www.luc.edu/