BRISTOL, R.I., Oct. 31, 2007 – A crowd of Roger Williams University students, faculty and staff members gathered today on D’Angelo Common to celebrate the unveiling and first official engine start of the University’s newly converted, eco-friendly, canola-oil-powered shuttle bus.

As attendees munched on free french fries and sweet potato fries—cooked-up in zero-trans-fat canola oil that will eventually be used to power the shuttle—RWU President Roy J. Nirschel spoke about the University’s dedication to preserving the environment.

“Today you are eating 100 miles,” President Nirschel said, referring to the oil used to cook the fries and then fuel the shuttle. “We’re committed to keeping the Roger Williams campus sustainable.”

President Nirschel, Vice President of Student Affairs John King, and members from the Recycling and Sustainability Committee pulled off a huge green tarp, unveiling the canola shuttle and its new canola flower logos. Afterward, President Nirschel climbed into the shuttle’s driver’s seat, started the vehicle and took the shuttle for a spin around the quad.

Once a run-of-the-mill Ford F-350 guzzling diesel by the truckload, the shuttle now runs on canola oil recycled from the University’s Dining Commons. That’s not biodiesel (80 percent diesel and just 20 percent oil), but 100 percent straight canola oil.

“To our knowledge, RWU is the only university in Rhode Island—and one of just a handful in the U.S.—to power a passenger vehicle with straight canola oil,” said Scott Yonan, staff co-chair of the University’s student/staff Recycling and Sustainability Committee.

As part of the University’s mission to create a greener campus and promote eco-friendly practices, that committee teamed this summer with AltEnergy Oasis consultant Mark Howards to install a conversion kit on the shuttle, which is used regularly to transport students around campus and to destinations in the local area.

“The result is a shuttle that’s as close to carbon neutral as you can get,” Mr. Yonan said. “Yes, the engine still emits carbon dioxide, but the fuel source originates with canola plants that take in carbon dioxide from the air.”

The shuttle is equipped with two fuel tanks—one for diesel, one for canola oil—and uses the diesel only during the first minutes of starting and shutting off the vehicle to heat and flush out the canola oil, respectively. An onboard computer controls the switch from/to the diesel tank, and the shuttle will run on the recycled canola oil throughout any day in service.

The benefits? Using the renewable, recycled fuel instead of petroleum-based diesel will release up to 75 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. And compared to previous years, the University expects to use approximately 2,290 fewer gallons of diesel during the current academic year.

“There are so many times I feel like what should be done for the environment is too large a task to be tackled,” said Chelsea FitzSimons-Diaz, a senior biology major and student co-chair of the committee.

“Watching our efforts materialize into the shuttle inspires me to continue my drive to improving the environment.”

For more information, contact the University’s Office of Public Affairs at (401) 254-3178.