Raleigh seeks power from flowers

Raleigh, N.C. — A patch of yellow near the Neuse River southeast of Raleigh could make the city more green.

The city spent about $12,000 to plant sunflowers on 50 acres near its wastewater treatment plant, with plans to produce biofuel from the oil of the seeds they will produce this summer.

"We felt the pinch in the budget this year (as) fuel prices skyrocketed. We felt that pain just like anyone else. We're looking for ways that we can reduce the impact," said Tim Woody, of Raleigh's Public Utilities Department. "Sunflowers is another crop that can produce a biofuel that we can use it for our equipment."

The city likely will sell the sunflower seeds to a company to make the biofuel and then would buy some of the fuel to power equipment at the wastewater plant, Woody said. Each acre of sunflowers could produce up to 100 gallons of fuel, he said.

"It's a great opportunity for us to use something that we grow out here to help power our facility," he said.

Raleigh also grows corn and other vegetables on land near the wastewater plant. The city sells much of that produce to farmers for animal feed.

2 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

2 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Latest Comments

Has anyone done a cost/benefit study on this project? My guess it is simply a lib "feel-good" project that costs than it produces.

colliedave
June 26, 2009 5:24 p.m.

Let’s see, each acre of sunflowers could produce up to 100 gallons of fuel, there are 50 acre. 50 acre multiplied by 100 gallons equal 5000 gallons of fuel. Multiply 5000 gallons of fuel by $2.58 (the price of a gallon of gas) it would equal $12,900.00. Subtract what the city spent it comes to a profit of $900.00. I don’t see a lot to this. The city likely will sell the sunflower seeds to a company to make the biofuel and then would buy some of the fuel to power equipment at the wastewater plant, Woody said. What would be left? Am I wrong?