Nelson sings praises of biodiesel fuel

January 15, 2005

Nelson sings praises of biodiesel fuel

By Matt Curry
The Associated Press

DALLAS - "On the Road Again'' means something new for Willie Nelson these days - a chance for truckers to fill their tanks with clean-burning biodiesel fuel.

Nelson and three business partners recently formed a company called Willie Nelson's Biodiesel that is marketing the fuel to truck stops. The product - called BioWillie - is made from vegetable oils, mainly soybeans, and can be burned without modification to diesel engines.

It may be difficult to picture the 71-year-old hair-braided Texas rebel as an energy company executive, but the singer's new gig is in many ways about social responsibility - and that is classic Nelson.

"There is really no need going around starting wars over oil. We have it here at home. We have the necessary product, the farmers can grow it,'' said Nelson, who organized Farm Aid in the 1980s to draw attention to the plight of U.S. farmers.

Nelson said he began learning about the product a few years ago after his wife bought a biodiesel-burning car in Hawaii, where the star has a home. He now uses the fuel for his cars and tour buses.

Peter Bell, a Texas biodiesel supplier, struck up a friendship with Nelson after filling up one of the tour buses, and the business partnership came together just before Christmas.

Bell said Nelson's name will help the largely unknown fuel gain wider national acceptance. The fuel's average U.S. price per gallon is $1.79.