What is CU Biodiesel?

CU Biodiesel is a non-profit student organization dedicated to advancing the use and knowledge of biodiesel, a vegetable based and clean-burning alternative to petroleum diesel. Our efforts are focused on the University of Colorado at Boulder and the surrounding community. We address the commonly held concern that the use of petroleum diesel is done at the detriment of our health and environment and necessitates a dependence on foreign oil. CU Biodiesel strives to educate the private and public sectors about the production and implementation of biodiesel and simultaneously promote it as a renewable and valuable resource.

In the fall semester of 2002, 5 students from a CU engineering class designed and created a biodiesel processor. With this asset, CU Biodiesel was formed to implement biodiesel at the University. CU Biodiesel worked with campus officials to produce and test biodiesel made from waste cafeteria grease. In March 2003 one campus Buff Bus began running on 100% biodiesel. Later that spring the students of CU overwhelmingly voted on a referenda ballot to fund CU Biodiesel 49 cents per student per semester for four years in order to implement biodiesel on campus and in the surrounding community. Since the referenda CU Biodiesel has established relations with many organizations including the CU Environmental Center, Boulder Biodiesel, and Blue Sun Biodiesel.

CU Biodiesel has worked and continues to work with the City of Boulder and the University to switch their fuel of choice to biodiesel. All of the 13 diesel busses in CU's fleet now run on either 100% or 20% biodiesel. The City has made significant advances toward a similar change. As a result of these successes and the corresponding media attention, countless people have learned about this excellent fuel.

Our current projects include the production of a comprehensive guide for the implementation of biodiesel, education of Colorado K-12 students about biodiesel, the design and construction of a mobile biodiesel production facility, the implementation of biodiesel in Thailand, and the ongoing project of getting more people educated about biodiesel and filling their tanks with it.

Fueling the Future is a document describing CU.Biodiesel's history

A trifold flier about biodiesel and cubiodiesel is available here front back.

As we design educational materials and the processing facility we will be looking for funds to help with both. Much of our work to this point has been accomplished through volunteerism, but as we look towards the construction of a production/eductional facility we will require more concrete funding sourses, If you wish to donate either time or funds, please let us know,@ info@cubiodiesel.org.