Strategic Initiatives Document – June 16, 2005
By Andre Shoumatoff
andre@utahbiodiesel.org
(435) 631-0021
Introduction:
This document represents largely what I believe the long
term goals of Utah Biodiesel Cooperative should be. This document is a rough draft and serves only as a possible road
map for ideas for an upcoming meeting of UBC on Jul 27th.
The goal of this document it to initiate ideas and concepts
and discussion. By no means is anything
here written permanent or unamendable.
This document also represents the long term goals of the
organization and “thinking big.” It
is important to recognize that each of these steps will need to be taken
carefully and throughfully here.
What is written here is what I believe to be the “final” structure of
UBC – of course there is and always will be flexibility, but here is what I
believe our “roadmap” should be in terms of goals…
Goals of UBC:
-
Getting all affiliated businesses and organizations to
become members of Utah Biodiesel Cooperative.
o
Dal Soglio
o
Cardwell
o
Utah Clean Cities
o
Anyone else affiliated.
-
Getting a facility somewhere in downtown Salt Lake City
where we can achieve the following functions:
o
This facility will include an office, a location for sale of
UBC merchandise, and will hopefully serve as the central hub for biodiesel in
the City.
o
Have a central brewing area with two or three
processors. Two smaller ones, perhaps
and openheaded conical bottom style processor, an Appleseed type processor, and
thirdly a large 300-600 gallon processor for brewing one large batch at a time.
o
Have a central place for classes etc.
o
Store and sell materials at cost or at reasonable price,
suchas methanol and KOH in smaller quantities.
o
Having collected oil on site for members to use, eliminating
the hassle of collecting oil (see full time employee section below).
o
The full time UBC member would spend three days a week there
and two evenings to accomidate anyone interested in biodiesel. If there was not enough interest, perhaps
this job could be part time for the beginning.
o
After a member had shown that they had both respect for the
facility and reasonable understanding of the process of brewing biodiesel (they
have brewed two or more batches at the facility previously before, for
example), then they could get a key.
o
Coming up with the funding to do this.
§
(This will be discussed at the meeting on July 27th)
-
501(c)(3) Federal Non-Profit Charitable Organization Status:
o
Changing the physical structure of UBC so that that it has
directors and trustees and other requirements for application of 501(c)(3)
status. This includes at least three
trustees and at least one director.
o
Filling out and filing the application which is
approximately a 6 month process.
o
Coming up with the financial support to apply for this
status (approx $500-$800).
o
Trustees are prominent and key business persons and leaders
in the community that are also environmentally related or whatever else their
interest might be.
-
Hiring a Full Time employee of Utah Biodiesel Cooperative:
o
Have a full time person at the facility that would operate
as brew master or even possibly director of the biodiesel cooperative and it
would be their job to sort of do everything surrounding the location and
possibly the group.
o
This person will also collect oil and oversee having,
materials and other items on site for sale at a reasonable cost to members of
UBC.
Programs hosted by Utah Biodiesel Cooperative:
-
“Utah Biodiesel Connections” program. Serving as an advocacy organization to (this
program is just beginning):
-
o
Encourage and support any persons interested in potentially
becoming biodiesel infrastructure to get involved with it. For example.
o
Support (and encourage if warranted) setting
o
Support farmers interested in biodiesel programs by
§
Figuring out economic figures
§
Putting them in touch with an biodiesel plants that will
accept their crops
§
If necessary, help in formation of agricultural cooperatives
(the would be members of UBC) of biodiesel crop farmers in Utah
o
Connect any biodiesel producers with resellers and/or
consumers of biodiesel to eliminate price gouging and unnecessary markups to
always attempt to keep the cost of biodiesel as small as possible.
-
More locations for Biodiesel for sale, commercially, in Utah
(somewhat already in place):
o
Assist with development of biodiesel locations similar to
how we have already done. But also
including getting rural locations and rural biodiesel consumer cooperatives in
place for example in Heber City where a group of anyone interested might share
a common 1000 gallon tank.
o
Draft legislation in assistance with Utah Clean Cities
Coalition to possibly add 2% biodiesel to all diesel fuel sold in the
state. Montana, Ohio, and Delaware have
all recently drafted and approved similar legislations. This would effectively make all diesel fuel
locations in Utah “biodiesel” locations.
-
Biodiesel Education programs (somewhat already in place):
o
Educate persons interested in biodiesel on how it works,
similar to the monthly classes we have already been doing.
o
Educate any fleet persons and major transportation officials
about biodiesel
o
Engage in attending events where information about biodiesel
might be warranted. Suchas larger
environmental events.
-
Environmental Persons and Government relations Program (this
program is just beginning):
o
UBC attempt to be on top of all of the activities, persons,
and funding available locally to organizations and persons interested in using
biodiesel. For example USDA persons,
Utah Clean Cities, and that it really be “plugged in.”
-
Biodiesel Alpine Community Fuel Filter Program
o
UBC begin to engage in a program that promotes installing
heated fuel filters whenever biodiesel is used in an alpine or cold weather
situation to prevent potential problems with gelling and/or lockup due to
fuel.
o
UBC attempts to institute across the board that communities
and businesses and persons planning to regularly use biodiesel in alpine
communities use heat fuel filters as standard practice when using
biodiesel. This will help eliminate
any future problems with the fuel.
-
Biodiesel in Use program (somewhat already in place)
o
Whenever possible, encourage businesses and municipalities
to use biodiesel in their fleet vehicles.
Provide them with the necessary support to have this done.
o
Whenever possible, encourage individuals to use biodiesel by
supplying education and overcoming whatever other hurdles might be in the way.
-
UBC Membership Program (already in place):
o
Provide, through membership, financial and other incentives
to allow biodiesel to be used as easily as possible for UBC members.
o
Financial discounts
o
Resources – education, materials, support group
o
Central Brewing Facility
Other Goals for UBC – Long Term in the Next Year or Two:
-
Utah Biodiesel Cooperative setup “Category three” membership
for persons/businesses/groups interested in “small scale” biodiesel
production. Small scale refers to
thousands of gallons but not on par with a professional biodiesel plant.
-
UBC maintain a wide state-wide database of anyone “mildly
interested” in biodiesel. Also
included in this database are major national figures and potential allies,
foundation writers, biodiesel celebrities and national leaders, potential
funders and foundations, and anyone else interested in biodiesel. This will keep important figures and allies
alerted of activities going on with biodiesel in Utah throughout the country
and locally.
-
Utah Biodiesel Cooperative regularly (quarterly) distribute
a newsletter to be distributed to persons in this database.