BURNABY, B.C. — Truckers in the Lower Mainland can now fuel up on biodiesel at Western Canada’s first retail biodiesel truck stop.

The truck stop opened last week in Burnaby and sells biodiesel for one cent per litre less than regular diesel. United Petroleum Products (UPPI) has set up shop at 3373 Norland Ave. in Burnaby.

Initially, the company says its biodiesel blend will be B5 (five per cent ASTM biodiesel blended with 95 per cent petroleum). The company says it will be expanding to other areas of the Lower Mainland throughout the summer.

“United Petroleum is thrilled to be the first to step up to the pump and offer this environmentally friendly product to the British Columbia marketplace,” said UPPI president Mac Christie. “Many people do not know that when Rudolf Diesel first invented his diesel engine, it ran entirely on vegetable oil, not petroleum diesel. Today, we are returning to those renewable fuel roots. The biodiesel blend is a great addition to the complement of quality products that UPPI already offers their customers.”

The first fleet to fill up at the new station was West Coast Biodiesel a 35 truck fleet that prides itself on being the first commercial fleet in B.C. to make the switch to the environmentally-friendly alternative.

“West Coast Biodiesel Ltd. is charging ahead with its plans to distribute biodiesel to local markets, and even more importantly, to build a homegrown biodiesel industry right here in BC,” said marketing manager Rob Jones. “Diesel powered vehicles in our fleet will now be using a biodiesel blended fuel. We’re pleased that our fleet will be the first commercial participant in the Fraser Basin Council’s Fleet Challenge BC Biofleet program.”

The Biodiesel Association of Canada has commended UPPI for helping make biodiesel available in Western Canada.

“The Biodiesel Association of Canada (BAC) commends UPPI for its commitment to offering a B5 biodiesel blend to commercial truckers and others who own diesel powered vehicles,” said BAC executive director Christine Paquette. “This move shows Canadians and governments that industry and BAC members are committed to helping the biodiesel industry in Canada.”