Representatives of Iowa Central Community College briefed a panel of state legislators Thursday afternoon on a large study of biodiesel conducted by the school and a trucking company.

Don Heck, director of the college's biofuels testing laboratory, summed up the results of the 2 Million Mile Haul completed with Decker Truck Line Inc. of Fort Dodge. He told the House Transportation Committee that the project showed biodiesel can be used effectively.

''Dr. Heck did a very good job presenting all the facts,'' said Iowa Central President Dan Kinney. ''An Iowa expert was able to provide data to the Iowa General Assembly.''

Kinney described the college's biofuels lab during his remarks to the committee. College officials hope that lab becomes the premier site in the Midwest for evaluating the quality of ethanol and biodiesel.

Heck and Kinney spoke to the committee at the invitation of state Rep. David Tjepkes, R-Gowrie, who is the panel's senior Republican.

''They made a wonderful presentation,'' Tjepkes said.

Randy Olson, executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board, also spoke to the committee.

The 2 Million Mile Haul began in October 2006 and ended in November 2008. During that time two sets of identical Decker trucks made their usual deliveries to Minneapolis, Minn., and Chicago, Ill. Ten of the trucks were powered by traditional diesel fuel; the other 10 were powered by a biodiesel blend called B20 made from soybeans.

''We really didn't have any unusual problems,'' Heck said. ''It works.''

He acknowledged that biodiesel yields slightly fewer miles per gallon than its petroleum-based counterpart, but added that driving habits have a bigger impact on mileage.

''If somebody is worried about biodiesel and fuel economy, they need to be much more worried about driver habits and fuel economy,'' he said.

Contact Bill Shea at (515) 573-2141 or bshea@messengernews.net