Sarah Kirchner, staff writer

GLENVILLE &8212; While Freedom Fuels announces its excitement about shipping its first batch of biodiesel out of Glenville&8217;s Knutson Oil, co-owner Larry Knutson said it&8217;s just another product for them.

Don&8217;t get him wrong, Knutson does support the use of biofuels in the United States. Among the benefits he listed are self-sufficiency and renewable energy.

&8220;I am a believer in renewable energy &8230; and every gallon I sell of renewable energy that&8217;s one less gallon of Middle East fuel we&8217;re buying,&8221; Knutson said.

Plus it&8217;s cheaper than regular fuel, he said, allowing him to purchase it from suppliers and resell it at a lower cost than regular diesel. However, he said it hasn&8217;t changed his economic margins too much.

Mason City, Iowa-based Freedom Fuels shipped its first gallons of biofuel with Knutson Oil May 25, finally seeing the fruition of years of planning and efforts. The first batch was created within 14 months of opening the plant in April 2006.

Freedom Fuels sees the benefits of a renewable energy source, too.

&8220;Biodiesel can be produced in our own country from renewable resources we already have produced, can be used in diesel engines with little or no modifications and is clean burning, nontoxic and quickly biodegradable,&8221; said Leroy Schmitt, Freedom Fuels operations manager, in a press release.

Long-term goals for biofuels, Knutson said, should be making sure the country is self-sufficient producing and using biodiesel fuels and ethanol.

&8220;To me that&8217;s as good as it gets,&8221; he said.

But overall, the advent of biofuels and ethanol hasn&8217;t changed the way this local company does business. To Knutson, it&8217;s just another product he can offer to his customers.

&8220;Biodiesel fuel is a very good product if used correctly,&8221; Knutson said. He cautioned against trying to use 100 percent biodiesel in Minnesota winters because it will thicken like lard.

Knutson Oil has been operating since the 1950s, when Knutson&8217;s dad started the business. He and his brother Robert are now business partners with the company.