Pacific Biodiesel Offers Biodiesel to Boats at Māʻalaea

Passengers and crew aboard Aqua Adventures prepare to depart Māʻalaea Harbor fueled by 100% Biodiesel. Courtesy photo.

By Maui Now Staff

Pacific Biodiesel has expanded its operations with larger capacity that allows the company to offer biodiesel to boats at Māʻalaea Harbor on Maui.

“Now that we have the larger capacity, and advanced technology that produces the highest quality biodiesel in America, we are expanding into high-value tourism markets with customers who care about the environment and want to attract eco-conscious visitors to their activities,” said Bob King, President and Founder of Pacific Biodiesel in a company press release.

Pacific Biodiesel at Māʻalaea. Courtesy photo.

“The marine industry should be first and foremost about protecting the ocean and delivering a healthier experience for ocean-goers,” he said.

Pacific Biodiesel has been producing biodiesel in Hawaiʻi since 1996 and had delivered fuel to boats in Māʻalaea Harbor many years ago, but company executives say “greater on-road demand on the company’s limited production made it hard to keep up with boat companies’ needs.”

Aqua Adventures had been using biodiesel previously and is the first boat company to fuel with Pacific Biodiesel under the new permit, the company announcement stated.

Pacific Biodiesel held a Tech Talk at Māʻalaea Harbor this afternoon as part of its effort to educate potential boat customers about the company’s new fuel technology, and how to integrate biodiesel into marine operations.

Pacific Biodiesel describes its biodiesel as a “cleaner-burning, renewable alternative fuel produced in Hawaiʻi from recycled waste vegetable oil.”

Biodiesel has been registered with the US Environmental Protection Agency as a fuel and a fuel additive.

Company executives say it can be used pure, as Aqua Adventures Maui is now doing, or blended at any percentage with petroleum diesel.

“Even in a 20% blend, as used by Maui Disposal and many large fleets in Hawaiʻi, there are significant emission reductions,” the company states.

Pacific Biodiesel is also partnering with UH Maui College to offer a two-hour class on multi-industry use of biodiesel which will be free and open to the general public.  The non-credit course, titled “The Truth About Using Biodiesel” will include information on how to switch various diesel-powered equipment to biodiesel or biodiesel blends, discuss warranty issues, and explore the benefits of biodiesel.

For more information about the November UHMC class, contact Melanie Stephens, mvstephe@hawaii.edu.