Medina native’s biodiesel company partners with ADM Trucking
Biodiesel technology will reduce carbon emissions from big trucks
Provided photo: Colin Huwyler, a 2002 graduate of Medina High School and son of Monte Huwyler and Bobbie Huwyler, both of Medina, continues to make advancements in the field of biodiesel technology. He is shown here last year with a 2013 Volvo VNL equipped with his Optimus system. His Pittsburgh-based company has just entered into a partnership with ADM Trucking of Decatur, Ill., to install his revolutionary system in five of ADM’s trucks.
Medina native Colin Huwyler’s company, Pittsburgh-based Optimus Technologies, continues to advance nationwide with projects in the field of high performance biodiesel conversion systems.
The company has just announced an ambitious project being launched in partnership with ADM Trucking of Decatur, Ill., in which five of their trucks used in daily fleet operations will be outfitted with Optimus Technologies revolutionary Vector System.
ADM is a global leader human and animal nutrition, and the world’s premier agricultural origination and processing company.
The company was founded in 1902 in Minneapolis by George A. Archer and John W. Daniels as Daniels Linseed Company. The name was changed to Archer Daniels Midland Company in 1923. They located their headquarters to Decatur in 1969.
Optimus Technologies founder, Huwyler is creator of the revolutionary Vector fuel system, which enables diesel engines to run almost entirely on sustainable biodiesel. The company was awarded $1 million last summer in NYSERDA’s 76West Clean Energy competition, to be used in expanding their technology in the Southern Tier.
“We’re excited to announce this partnership with ADM and commend their commitment to sustainability and leadership in both the biodiesel and transportation sectors,” said Colin Huwyler, CEO of Optimus Technologies.
“Trucking is the backbone of the American economy and carbon emissions from transportation continue to rise,” he said. “Optimus’ technology coupled with ADM’s fuel provides heavy-duty fleets an immediate pathway to reduce these emissions over 80 percent. While the promise of heavy-duty fleet electrification is still decades off, this project demonstrates the ease, low cost and efficacy of integrating biodiesel into existing fleet equipment and operations.
In a press release this week issued by the National Biodiesel Board, it was announced ADM’s trucks will be used in daily fleet operations for a yearlong period, with each vehicle anticipated to travel 160,000 to 180,000 miles. It is anticipated the vehicles will reduce up to 500,000 pounds of CO2. Advanced monitoring protocols will compare the performance and results of the new technology with five other trucks operating on conventional diesel.
While nearly all diesel engine manufacturers support at least 20 percent biodiesel, the Optimus Vector System is designed to allow conventional diesel engines to run 100 percent on biodiesel in a wide range of climates, resulting in drastic reductions (80 percent or more) in greenhouse gas emissions, while at the same time reducing fuel costs.
The system is already in use in shorter-mileage, local fleet applications, such as distribution and waste removal. This new project is designed to evaluate its use for longer-haul over-the-road fleets, potentially opening a pathway to significantly higher volumes of biodiesel in the U.S. truck fleet.
In addition to ADM and Optimus, this project is supported by the American Lung Association, National Biodiesel Board, Illinois Soybean Association and the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council.
