The Vanderbilt Biodiesel Initiative (VBI) has yet to gain a large student following, despite gaining publicity after being chosen as a finalist in mtvU and GE's Ecomagination Challenge.

"I actually haven't heard anything about the biodiesel movement," said freshman Bryan Edwards. "I'm pretty clueless...I haven't seen any posters around campus."

The VBI, a division of WilSkills, hopes to secure a $25,000 grant from mtvU to facilitate the production and use of biodiesel in university vehicles. In the process, they also aim to teach the community about sustainability, as well as renewable and cleaner fuel.

Due to the newness of the group, graduate student Derek Riley, one of the primary initiators of VBI, is not yet concerned by the lack of student knowledge about the movement.

"This group started not too long ago, so it is still in its infancy," said Riley. "It's kind of tricky because it is difficult to get people excited about biodiesel vehicles because most Vanderbilt students do not commute to campus."

Biodiesel is an organic fuel source derived from a mixture of vegetable oil, methanol and lye. It can be used by itself in any modern diesel engine, or blended with ordinary diesel fuel; it is widely regarded as a cleaner and more reliable alternative to petroleum-based fuels.

With the assistance of biodiesel manufacturers, VBI hopes to produce 100 gallons of fuel per week at the outset, with additional production to commence as early as summer 2007.

Vice Chancellor of Plant Operations Mark Petty said he is excited and optimistic about the possibility of biodiesel production.

"It's a very distinct possibility," Petty said. "There certainly is legitimate use for this...we would really like to take advantage of this as a project."

Vanderbilt Dining has also lent their support to the initiative, offering to donate any vegetable oil waste from campus dining centers to the project.

"We're real enthusiastic and excited about the biodiesel initiative and the exposure it's getting on campus," said Jay Spiegel, purchasing manager of Vanderbilt Dining Services. "We are in the middle of discussions with the folks putting together the campus-wide initiative."

"We are trying to help them with ideas. What remains is some detail work about how to provide waste fry oil," Spiegel said. "We're essentially providing what could be called a raw material for them that can be burned in any standard diesel engine."

According to Spiegel, Rand alone produces approximately 60 gallons of waste fry oil per week.

The VBI will require transportation vehicles and a biodiesel manufacturing center before any significant production can begin. Plant operations already has a number of diesel vehicles that would be able to make use of biodiesel fuel, but VBI collaborators hope to fund additional transportation vehicles and the manufacturing center with the grant offered by the ecomagination Challenge.

Competition sponsors mtvU and General Electric will play a role in determining the winner, but an open online vote tally will also help determine the outcome. Therefore, VBI collaborators find it imperative to inform the student body about the project in order to garner votes and raise popular support.

Up to this point, members of WilSkills have relied mostly on word of mouth to get their ideas concerning biodiesel out into the community.

So far, Riley said he believes their efforts are paying off.

"Our group has tripled in size, and we have gotten many e-mails of support from various administrators, students, community members and other people who have heard about the project," Riley said.

Should the VBI not receive the grant, they plan to appeal to corporate sponsors.

Petty said he feels the VBI's success is contingent on the ability of WilSkills to continue this initiative into the future. He said this sometimes proves to be difficult due to the nature of student-led movements and the turnover in leadership that occurs frequently.

"I think they are positioned to make this a long-lasting part of their legacy," Petty said.

Sophomore Hallie Shoffner said the great part about the biodiesel initiative is that it is already underway.

"It's here. It's now," Shoffner said. "It's something that every student can participate in to make a real difference right here on campus."

Riley is confident that a broader knowledge of the project will come in due time.

"I think it would be great to have a large student following, but I think having a dedicated student following is more important," Riley said.

The winner of mtvU's ecomagination Challenge will be selected in March. Interested students should vote at http://www.ecocollegechallenge.com by March 2.

Kristen Chmielewski contributed reporting to this article.

Related stories in this month's Focus section:

Vanderbilt's Biodiesel Initiative seeks following
Do you think Vanderbilt is a socially active campus?
Instigator of Vanderbilt desegregation teaches students
Vanderbilt alumnus draws from experience to author activism handbook