Dunedin residents will not have to drive a bus to get biofuel when the city's first dedicated biodiesel depot fills its first tank in January.
The Otago Polytechnic-led, business-dominated consortium organising a biofuel depot for the city has decided to let non-commercial users use it.
Wanaka-based Polytechnic Centre for Sustainable Practice manager Steve Henry yesterday said the move could make biodiesel a real alternative for households.
It might also encourage households to buy biodiesel-powered vehicles to kick-start a change in focus to the more environmentally friendly fuel alternative.
The idea would be discussed at a public meeting on Monday, at the official public launch of the Dunedin biofuel consortium.
Just which businesses were in the consortium was under wraps this week, but it included the owners of some of the city's biggest vehicle fleets, Mr Henry said.
They were committed to the project and could see the benefits of having their business associated with a cleaner fuel source, Mr Henry said.
A 20% biodiesel blend, called B20, would be supplied from a depot built and operated by Allied Petroleum, which the consortium contracted to the project in August.
The consortium had struggled to find a suitable depot site, so Richardson Group-owned Allied Petroleum was negotiating to buy land in Green Island.
Allied Petroleum general manager Mark Jordan said those negotiations continued, but January was still the target month to start supplying fuel.
He also confirmed the company would consider supplying a 5% biodiesel blend, which would be suitable for all vehicles and an attractive option for non-commercial users.
"But first, we will want to get [B20] biodiesel in there, and if it is a good site, we could look at a range of other options."
B20 is made from refined fat by Solid Energy subsidiary Biodiesel New Zealand.
• The public meeting and launch of the Dunedin Biofuel Consortium will be held in the polytechnic's Manaaki Block, Harbour Tce, from 5.15pm on Monday.
