Soy BioDiesel   (top)

Several years ago, Crystal Flash Energy President Tom Fehsenfeld announced the company’s vision to achieve 30 percent of its profits from alternative energy sources. In the summer of 2003 this vision began to materialize when Crystal Flash Energy launched its first soy biodiesel product, Soy BioDiesel XC. Today, Crystal Flash Energy continues its leadership in alternative energy and is proud to call itself West Michigan’s largest biodiesel distributor.

Crystal Flash offers several premium biodiesel choices. Including Soy BioDiesel Plus and Soy BioDiesel XC.

In the past several years, Crystal Flash customers have shown an increasingly strong affinity for Soy BioDiesel products.

Crystal Flash Soy BioDiesel products are available at the pump or delivered directly to your fleet vehicles and equipment. Soy BioDiesel is offered in the following blends:
  • B5 (5 percent Soy BioDiesel)
  • B20 (20 percent Soy BioDiesel)
  • B100 (neat or 100 percent Soy BioDiesel)
To determine which blend is most appropriate for your vehicles or equipment, click here to contact Crystal Flash Commercial Sales.

Why Use Soy BioDiesel?   (top)

The reasons why consumers and business are switching to Soy BioDiesel are many. Just a few include:
  • Biodiesel is made from renewable resources – in our case, the soybean – and has lower emissions than petroleum diesel.
  • Biodiesel contributes to the U.S. economy by keeping American farmers in business.
  • Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel that to have successfully completed the Health Effects Testing Requirements of the Clean Air Act.
  • Switching from a fossil fuel to a renewable resource does not require a change in lifestyle. Biodiesel runs in any diesel vehicle with little or no modifications.
  • Biodiesel reduces carbon monoxide emissions by 48 percent, hydrocarbons by 67 percent, and sulfurs by 100 percent.
  • Biodiesel provides significant lubricity improvement over petroleum diesel fuel.
  • Using biodiesel reduces cancer-causing PAHs in exhaust fumes, a common reason that biodiesel is a popular choice for school bus fleets.
  • Earlier this year, the US Senate passed the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, which includes the first biodiesel tax incentive, rewarding consumers and businesses for every percentage point of biodiesel they blend with petroleum diesel.


Who Uses Soy Biodiesel?   (top)

In our area, the number of organizations committed to using biofuels is growing and includes:
  • Public Schools
  • Farmers
  • Construction Companies
  • Fleet owners
Nationally, soy biodiesel is making a splash in the following organizations you would recognize:
  • The Touring Entourages of Neil Young and Willie Nelson
  • The United States Postal Service, in many metropolitan areas
  • New Jersey Department of Transporation
  • Peterson Air Force Base
  • City of Taipei, Taiwan
  • Gas and electronic companies across the United States
  • The United States Department of Agriculture
  • Yellowstone National Park
  • Maui Scuba Tours and Maui Recycling Service
For a full listing, visit http://www.biodiesel.org/resources/users/.

Currents: Biodiesel News from Across America   (top)

Biodiesel is a 'win-win' for farmers 07-17-2006 - Tom Fehsenfeld, president of Crystal Flash Energy, wants to help local farmers help themselves. So for every gallon of soybean-based biodiesel Kent County farmers buy until Sept. 30, Crystal Flash will donate a penny to a Kent County farmland preservation fund, Fehsenfeld said Friday.... read more

Department of Defense Approves Use of Soy Biodiesel. - The US Department of Defense now has easy access to soy biodiesel, having just installed it as an option as the Navy Exchange fuel-station on the Pentagon Reservation in Arlington, Virginia. The good news is that the station is also open to the public, the Pentagon’s 23,000 employees and politicians in the Washington D.C. area. read more.

Green Berets Prefer Biodiesel by Wired News, Sept 28, 2005 - When Erwin Rommel's Panzer tanks ran out of diesel fuel in North Africa in World War II, the German general poured cooking oil into their gas tanks to keep the vehicles fighting.... read more

Minnesota Law Requires 2% Biodiesel Statewide - Audio story on NPR (note: the high lubricity of biodiesel is wonderful for diesel engines). read more

Check this out !!! History Channel Video Clip - Modern Marvels series discusses George Washington Carver and Henry Ford's contribution to the science of peanuts, soybeans, and biodiesel. read more

School Districts are Using Biodiesel - St. John's schools found that reduced oil changes from biodiesel were a NET cost savings (including the higher cost of B20 biodiesel fuel at the time). read more

The American Trucking Association unanimously endorses Biodiesel - The ATA are promoting up to a B5 blend of biodiesel as an effective means for extending diesel fuel supplies as well as improving the balance between environmental concerns and efficiencies. read more



Links   (top)

The following links will help educate and inspire anyone interested in the usage of soy biodiesel:

The National Biodiesel Board – Advocacy Group and Strongest Biodiesel Information Source
http://www.biodiesel.org

Ask B.E.N. – The Biodiesel Education Network. A partnership between the National Biodiesel Board and the Petroleum Marketers Association of America, offering a fast and reliable way to get answers to any biodiesel-related questions.
http://www.nbb.org/askben

Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee – Responsible for research, education, and promotional activities in order to maximize the overall profitability of soybean growers in Michigan. Site contains a map of Michigan counties where biodiesel is sold.
http://www.michigansoybean.org

The American Farm Bureau – A glance at the perspectives of farmers who grow and use soy biodiesel, and other news and legislation updates related to agriculture.
http://www.fb.org/views/focus/fo2004/fo0426.html

Frequently Asked Questions   (top)

We get the following frequently asked questions about our own Soy BioDiesel, Soy BioDiesel Plus and Soy BioDiesel XC Products. Here are our answers:

Q: What kind of guarantee does Crystal Flash Energy give with regards to the performance of Soy BioDiesel XC?
A: At Crystal Flash Energy, we stand behind our fuels. We have extensively tested our Soy BioDiesel products in a variety of equipment, conditions and temperatures. While there are simply too many types of fuel systems out there to know exactly how the fuel will impact the performance of specific types of equipment, we have no qualms recommending our Soy BioDiesel for your use.

Q: How do I know if Soy BioDiesel XC will run in my (truck, machine, equipment)? Have you tested this exact brand of (truck, machine, equipment)?
A: Your first step should be to contact the dealer you bought the (truck, machine equipment) from. He or she will have an answer that is more specific to the product line you purchased. We do know that many vehicles have been tested under a variety of conditions, and no significant issues or adverse effects were found with blends up to B20. Wear conditions and performance were normal. 		   
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