Starting this week, South Carolina’s The COMET is using a B5 bio-diesel blend in its 39 large transit buses — another initiative at The COMET to help improve the air quality of Richland and Lexington Counties and reduce its carbon footprint. Biodiesel is vegetable-oil based, renewably resourced, less polluting, and biodegradable.

B5 Biodiesel is a low-level biofuel blend consisting of up to 5% biodiesel and 95% petroleum diesel fuel. The blend is legally classified as a diesel fuel, which eliminates any operational or potential warranty concerns users may have. B5 biodiesel when properly handled will perform just like diesel, and the fuel has been approved for use by most diesel automobile and truck manufacturers, including Cummins, the engine that powers The COMET’s diesel buses. Compared to petroleum diesel, Biodiesel is safer, biodegradable, and produces less air pollutants than petroleum-based diesel.

The COMET is studying ways to try B20 biodiesel, which would increase the ratio of biodiesel to 20% based on the successful incorporation of B5 biodiesel into the fleet.

The biodiesel fuel is coming from Petroleum Traders Corporation and James River Solutions based on vendors from the South Carolina State contract.