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Florida authorities have announced bold plans to begin running many of the state’s trains on biodiesel. The switch will result in a significant reduction in carbon emissons and drastically reduce the chances of soil pollution in the event of a fuel spill.

Under the plan, South Florida’s Tri-Rail system is to operate 8 of its fleet of 10 locomotives on a 99 per cent blend of either soya or palm oil. The move has been hailed as an important step towards energy independence by the nation’s top transport regulator, the Federal Transit Administration.

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Speaking on Wednesday, FTA spokesman James S. Simpson said, “The Federal Transit Administration is committed to encouraging the use of alternative fuels in the nation’s rail and bus systems.”

However, the chances of a nation-wide rollout are limited since the relatively temperate climate in South Florida means that Tri-Rail is one of the few commuter rail franchises in the US capable of running on such a pure blend of biodiesel.

Even given the proven environmental benefits of biodiesel, some environmentalists are critical of the broader implications of some types of biofuel, and point to potentially damaging side-effects on biodiversity and food supply. Now, if we could just get the trains to run on algae-based biodiesel…

Image Credit – OiMax via flickr.com on a Creative Commons license