Oregon: Land of good microbrews, biofuels, and… sustainable gas stations?

Back in August of last year, SeQuential Biofuels of Oregon launched the Pacific Northwest’s first retail biofuel station in Eugene. As if that wasn’t admirable enough, the station also serves as a veritable oasis of “renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable design”. Incorporating almost every green building practice I’ve ever heard of (including some that I hadn’t), the project centers on the concept that “commerce and the natural environment can co-exist”. Although this may be troubling to economists everywhere, I assure you, it’s real.

Here are the details:

“Approaching the site, the dominant features are the 244 solar panels that cover the fueling islands and the 4800 plants installed in five inches of soil on the roof of the convenience store. The 33kW solar array will provide 30% to 50% of the electrical power that the station will require annually. The “living roof” will help to control rainwater runoff on the site and will help cool the convenience store during the summer. Other eco-friendly design elements include storm-water detention “bioswales” where plants will filter pollutants from rainwater that rinses the roadways and parking areas and will clean the water before it leaves the site. SeQuential also has made a significant effort to source building materials that are made in the Pacific Northwest region. “

The site was built on a former EPA “Brownfield” site - a location so polluted it was originally abandoned - but you would never believe it today. With it’s moat of living green plants and futuristic-looking solar panels, the station appears more like a NASA space colonization prototype than an old fuel dump. It’s a breath of fresh air in one of I-5’s many roadside industrial sloughs.

Meticulous attention to detail and ecological conscientiousness abounds indoors too. Don’t look too hard for Cheetos, Doritos, or Twinkies - you won’t find them here. The aisles are instead loaded with Kettle chips, freshly-made Cornucopia sand- wiches, and other quality local products. Traditional personal- care items like paper towels have been replaced with brands like Seventh Generation. The fridge is stocked with Northwest beer and wine, and organic dairy products. Even the standard soda machine has been replaced by Blue Sky soda with compostable plastic cups (I was so excited I went straight home and threw my cup in the compost bin). The station also houses an annex of a local coffee and pastry shop with fresh made goods and delicious coffee. It’s the only gas station I’ve ever been to that I didn’t want to leave immediately.

In fact, I make a point of stopping there whenever I can.

In terms of biofuels, the station offers several fueling options including E10 (10% ethanol/ 90% gasoline blend) usable in any gasoline engine, and an E85 blend (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) for flex-fuel vehicles. There are also three different biodiesel blends: B5 (5% biodiesel, 95% diesel), B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% diesel), and B99 (99% biodiesel, 1% diesel). E10 prices are competitive, and I was fortunate enough to get a 15-cent/gallon discount on biodiesel for attending the opening-day festivities. This made B99 $3.15/ gallon - quite a bargain for a clear conscience.

Hands down, this is one of the coolest projects I’ve ever seen. I managed to snap some photos during the site’s official opening celebration (see my album here). I also met Ian Hill, the station’s project developer and SeQuential Biofuels co-founder, who gave me a short tour of the facility. When I asked where the biodiesel was coming from, he said Sequential was currently processing Eastern-Oregon grown canola (the other side of the Cascades from my previous post on the subject). As far as I’ve been told, most of SeQuential’s biodiesel comes from waste-cooking-oil from companies like Kettle Chips in Salem, Oregon. Yesterday, I emailed Sequential and confirmed this. They also told me that due to a lack of in-state production, SeQuential has already used up this years canola harvest and relies on used-cooking-oil at their SeQuential-Pacific Biodiesel plant. When demand spikes, biodiesel is shipped in from virgin Midwest sources, and all the BioEthanol is brought in by rail. In case you were wondering, fuel prices yesterday were:

• E10 gasoline (10% BIOETHANOL)– $2.39
• E85 BIOETHANOL – $2.89
• B5 diesel (5% BIODIESEL)– $2.75
• B20 BLEND (20% BIODIESEL) – $2.79
• B99 BIODIESEL – $3.29

Visiting the station was an experience that left me feeling charged and optimistic. It really was an experience in the integration of green business, building, and technology. I never thought a gas station would do that to me.

Businesses and individuals are increasingly aware of the impact that their choices have on our economy and on our natural environment,” Hill said. “SeQuential is dedicated to setting an example of responsible, sustainable development and to offering product options that create the most positive impact on people’s lives and communities.”

Take a look for yourself:

• SeQuential Biofuels
• Press Release
• Original News Article
• See more pictures here