When the rust and grit of the
Braddock renaissance settles, and the lights of the galleries and tap rooms twinkle, this once waning Pittsburgh community may wind up being known as the place where vegetable oil took to the road.
This week Braddock became home to one of the most innovative new businesses to open anywhere in the country,
Fossil Free Fuel, two green-minded mechanics who design and install biofuel fuel systems that enable diesel engine vehicles to run on a combination of diesel fuel and vegetable oil. That’s vegetable oil as in cooking oil in your pantry, on the grocery shelf or, better yet, waste oil from restaurants.
The savings to both the environment and the pocketbook is astronomical, Huwyler beams. Drawn to the spirit of the Braddock community, proprietors Colin Huwyler and Dave Rosenstraus moved their business to Pittsburgh’s doorstep from its previous location in Allentown.
“We expect this to bring a lot of people to the area with a green mindset who normally wouldn’t come here,” explains Huwyler. “It’s a huge economic savings once the conversion takes place. You can buy vegetable oil wholesale and it is about equivalent to what you pay for diesel now. For someone interested in the environmental aspect, they are driving on vegetable oil. You can stop at grocery for a fill up.”
The ceremonial ribbon cutting was attended by supporter
Mayor John Fetterman, as well as friends and the simply curious. The owners offered a tour of their 9,000 square-foot facility, more like a retail store than a garage, with a relaxed customer area, earth-plastered walls and free trade organic coffee while you wait. Plans are also underway to partner with a local university for biofuel research and for an onsite lab.
Writer: Debra Diamond Smit
Source: Colin Huwyler, Fossil Free Fuel
Image courtesy of Fossil Free Fuel