FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 13, 2006

Salem Biodiesel Co-op Goes Solar

This week the Flower Power Biodiesel Co-op at Pringle Creek Community installed a solar panel that will provide enough energy to pump biodiesel at their co-operative tank in Salem.

“We had a party to celebrate taking our biodiesel pump off-grid, and being the first solar-powered fuel pump in Oregon,” said James Santana, who organizes the co-op, “but we ended up huddled around engines for several hours as three members explained how their cars can also run on pure waste vegetable oil from restaurants in addition to biodiesel.”

Using solar power to pump low-emission, renewable fuel at a co-operative tank is yet another example of Pringle Creek Community’s commitment to sustainable living. “Two major goals at Pringle Creek and Flower Power Co-op are reducing our footprint on the environment and increasing community participation,” said Santana.

Pringle Creek Community is a sustainable living development under construction on part of the former state-owned Fairview Training Center in Salem. Its mix of neighborhoods will feature solar-powered homes, renovated buildings from the former Fairview days, and a variety of alternative housing options that include “live/work” dwellings designed for people who want to work at home. An important facet of Pringle Creek’s sustainable approach includes transportation and energy use. Already, some of the construction equipment on site is running on biodiesel.

Flower Power Biodiesel Co-op began in August 2005 at Pringle Creek Community and has grown to over 25 members. The co-op buys B99 in bulk processed by SeQuential Biofuels of Salem. B99 is high-grade biodiesel fuel, a blend of 99% biodiesel with 1% petroleum diesel.

The solar panel and charge controller were donated by co-op member Ted Suihkonen, who owns Go Solar Suihkonen, a local supplier of solar panels and equipment.

Santana emphasized that conservation remains the co-op’s highest aim. “Just because our fuel and energy are renewable doesn’t mean we can use as much as we want. The real answer is reducing or eliminating our dependence on the car,” said Santana, “because what’s better than a solar-powered biodiesel co-op? Two legs and a nice used bicycle.”

To join the co-op, members pay $35 and gain 24/7 access to B99 at $3.17 per gallon. For more information visit http://www.flowerpowerbiodiesel.org.