The first biodiesel fuel station in Asheville opened last weekend.

Blue Ridge Biofuels Cooperative, the first publicly accessible biodiesel filling station in the region, is located at the Gas-Up station at 405 Haywood Road in West Asheville just off exit 2 of I-240. The pump will be open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. The fuel will be sold for around $3 a gallon.

Biodiesel is a vegetable oil-based fuel that can be used in any diesel engine and in oil furnaces.

“Contrary to poplar belief, no modification is necessary to use biodiesel in your diesel vehicle. Biodiesel can also replace the home heating oil in your oil furnace,” said Paul Beaton with Blue Ridge Biofuels. Blue Ridge Biofuels plans to be ready to deliver Bioheat to supplement home heating oil this winter.

Beaton said biodiesel is an important alternative fuel that significantly decreases emissions, decreases dependence on foreign oil and enhances the local economy.

“Public response has been phenomenal. There is a large demand for biodiesel in this area and folks can hardly wait until we are able to fully serve them,” Beaton said.

The pump and storage tanks were funded in part through a grant from the NC Solar Center and the NC State Energy Office. The pump will initially dispense B99 — which is 99 percent biodiesel and 1 percent petroleum diesel, but it will soon offer various other blends.

Blue Ridge Biofuels will initially be selling biodiesel produced in other states. But future plans include production of its own biodiesel using waste vegetable oil from area restaurants.

Producing biodiesel locally will reduce transportation costs and allow Biofuels to offer the fuel at a more competitive price.

For more information, see www.blueridgebiofuels.com. For questions contact Beaton at Blue Ridge Biofuels at 828.253.1034 or email at info@blueridgebiofuels.com.