shorter receipe to make biodiesel

http://www.noendpress.com/caleb/biodiesel/

slide show homerun biodiesel

http://brevardbiodiesel.org/homebrewPPP_files/v3_document.htm

what's different in europe

What’s different in Europe?



• Thousands of fuel stations sell biodiesel

• Most biodiesel is made from rapeseed (as opposed to soy in U.S.)

• Government incentives for producers and consumers

• General Motors didn’t poison the European public’s diesel perception

• 40% of new cars are diesel-powered

• Swiss inventors are perfecting a new type of catalytic converter that eliminates
the diesel NOX problem

• Volkswagen has recently announced plans to develop a diesel hybrid that

should easily achieve more than 70 mpg

table of CO2 pollution

This table shows the effectiveness of B100 BioDiesel in reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to other types of vehicles including the ULEV Toyota Prius:
Comparison of CO2 (Greenhouse gas) emissions in 2004 VW Jetta Wagon using various engines/fuels
Model City MPG Highway MPG CO2 tons/year
Automatic 2L Gasoline 23 30 7.4
Automatic TDI 1.9L PetroDiesel 32 43 5.8
Automatic TDI 1.9L B20 BioDiesel 32 43 4.9
Automatic TDI 1.9L B100 BioDiesel 32 43 1.3

for comparison:
2004 Toyota Prius 60 51 3.5
2004 Ford Explorer 4L 2WD 16 21 10.7

NOTES:
based on fuel economy numbers from http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm using 15,000 miles driven per year, 45% highway, 55% city driving. BioDiesel reduction numbers from NREL study http://www.nrel.gov/vehiclesandfuels/npbf/renewable_diesel.html

CO2 reduction from BioDiesel is due to the closed loop of the fuel cycle from plant to combustion and back

In the future we'll add other emission components to this page.

http://www.noendpress.com/caleb/biodiesel/index.php

Women Pioneer Biofuel to Save Mother Earth

November 21, 2004
Women Pioneer Biofuel to Save Mother Earth

By Kristin Bender
WeNews correspondent
Women are pioneering the emerging biofuels industry. They are advocates for a new source of energy: Vegetable oil that cooked French fries is recycled to power cars and trucks and produce far fewer emissions than diesel fuel.

BERKELEY, Calif. (WOMENSENEWS)--There's a clean-fuel movement going on in the United States that allows motorists to recycle the vegetable oil that cooked French fries, donuts and Chinese food to fuel private cars and trucks, city fleets, even school buses.

While women may not have been among the 19th century oil wildcatters who drilled the ground for black gold, they are getting in on the ground floor of the biofuel industry in a big way.

Saving Mother Earth never smelled so good.

Biodiesel isn't new. Near the turn of the 20th century, Rudolf Diesel developed the diesel engine to run on peanut oil. The German inventor demonstrated his design at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900, but died in 1913. His veggie-oil powered engine fell out of fashion because of the oil boom. Petroleum-based fuel became the cheapest option for running diesel-powered cars.

A century later, women from Berkeley, Calif., to Philadelphia, Penn., to Waynesboro, Va., are pushing biodiesel, which can be used in any diesel burning car, truck or bus.

They are running cooperative biodiesel businesses, which buy the fuel from a central distributor such as Yokayo Biofuels in Ukiah, Calif., and sell it to the public. They also teach college classes about its chemistry, work as consultants for commercial biodiesel entrepreneurs and travel the country teaching people how to home brew veggie oil.

Five women have even made a road movie, "Fat of the Land," about the stranglehold of petroleum and the frying oil alternative. The women drove from New York to San Francisco stopping at "greasy spoons" along the way and asking for leftover frying oil to fuel their vehicle. They tease that their movie was "one long greasy skid mark across the asphalt of America," but it got people to stand up and take notice of what the women were doing.

"We were just average Janes," said filmmaker Nicole Cousino. "If we could do this (with no formal training or much background knowledge) anyone else could too. The biggest irony was people along the road didn't believe it could be done."

Thinking Generations Ahead

Today, women have a variety of reasons for supporting biodiesel.

"The reason the biodiesel movement has happened with women first is we've got kids and we are thinking generations ahead of ourselves," said SaraHope Smith, one of the co-founders of BioFuel Oasis, a retail cooperative in Berkeley. "Women are connected to the generations that came before and the generations that are yet to come."

Two years ago, Smith and her business partner Jennifer Radtke, who are both in their 30s, poured their savings and even their retirement nest eggs into a business that has yet to turn a profit. And they said they'd do it all over again.

"In biodiesel there is a feeling that we are doing the right thing for the greater good and not just for our own benefit or self-interest," said Smith, who taught yoga and worked at a children's after-school program to make ends meet in the early days of the venture. These days, she is putting 100 percent of her time and energy into the business and is often relying on credit cards for daily living expenses.

"In the big picture, (a fuel) that is giving back what it takes out is a winning scenario. That is long-term sustainability."

Dozens of the women who have made biodiesel their life's work say they promote the fuel because they want to reduce dependence on foreign energy supplies.

"Foremost in my mind is the national security implications of being able to produce your own fuel And not be dependent on foreign sources for oil, for fuel, for energy," said Patricia Star Allen, a Maryland woman who is doing organizational development for a company interested in producing biodiesel.

"We got into thi

making biodiesel in your kitchen

Making biodiesel at Home, in Your Kitchen

Making biodiesel in your kitchen is intended as an overview of the biodiesel process.While this method of making biodiesel is perfectly safe, you are strongly encouraged before undertaking this activity, or any activity involving chemicals, to read the Safety Information here before attempting this at home.Improper use of these chemicals, or any others, can be dangerous. This is presented for educational information only and assumes you are taking full safety precautions. This method of making biodiesel is perfectly safe. You do need a brain though.
If you can mix a martini, you can make biodiesel. Chemistry is a lot like cooking, measure and mix the ingredients and wait for a reaction. It is entirely possible to make enough fuel at home in a safe, easy, professional manner for all your own needs. You can do this for less than $1.00 a gallon. This will enable you to have enough to run your cars, or trucks, even heat your home in the winter. There is no reason you can’t be saving money on your energy needs in a very short time. Everything you need to know is presented on this web site below.

This "homebrew" kitchen method is good for NEW vegetable oil ONLY. Try it to get your feet wet, without getting soaked financially, to see if making biodiesel is a good alternative for you.

Here are the materials you'll need making biodiesel...

*

1 liter of clean/new vegetable oil. The cheapest you can find.
*

Lye (AKA "caustic soda") you are going to need a least 4 grams. You can find this at the supermarket in the cleaning section around drain cleaners. Check the contents; it should say "caustic soda" (DO NOT use Drano) For you chemical types, NaOH is the chemical compound.
*

Methanol. You can find this in Auto supply stores. It usually lives in the gas line antifreeze section. For this recipe you can use HEET gas line anti-freeze, the one in the yellow bottle.

Here's the equipment you'll need making biodiesel...

*

(One) 2 liter plastic bottle. It should be clean and dry.
*

A funnel that fits the bottle above
*

A dry, sealed container to mix the methanol and lye. It is important that it be able to seal securely and tightly. If you were to turn this container upside-down, nothing should leak out.
*

A measuring cup with metric to measure out the methanol
*

Metric scales are also helpful. (To measure out 250ml of lye) or a teaspoon measure

You could also add to this list...

*

Plastic safety gloves.
*

Plastic lab apron.
*

Face shield and/or eye protection.

OK, for the last time, read the safety instructions. Making Biodiesel is not a science project or a family activity. When mixing the lye and methanol together, DO NOT breathe the vapors! The resulting mixture, "methoxide," is a poison. It's nothing to get alarmed about, but it is something to be informed and knowledgeable about. Be careful and be cautious.

· .Here's the recipe...

* Open the windows, turn on the fan. In a well ventilated area, measure 250 mL (a little more than a cup) of room temperature methanol into a one pint mason jar.
* Measure out 4g of NaOH (lye) (about half a Teaspoon) and add to the methanol in the jar screwing the lid down tightly to prevent any leaks.

Swirl the mixture by hand until all the lye is dissolved.

As you start mixing the temperature will increase. Don't get nervous, and don't panic. This is what is supposed to happen and may take 10 minutes or more.

Here's what you are going to do...

* Heat 1 Liter of unused clean, vegetable oil, 60 °C/140 °F (these directions do not work for waste oil)
* Using a funnel, pour the liter of oil into a DRY 2 liter plastic container. The bottle should now be half-full. Be careful not to overheat the oil or it may melt the plastic.

In a well ventilated area, pour the mixture of methanol/NaOH (methoxide) on top of the oil using the same funnel. DO NOT breathe the vapors.

* Remove funnel.
* Put thethe top back on the bottle and screw it down TIGHT. You want no liquid to be able to escape.
* Shake vigorously for about ten seconds or twenty seconds, 30 or 40 good shakes

Put the bottle on a table and let it settle. In about 10 minutes or so, the oil will change color from a chocolate-coffee color to a rich, darker brown. Then the by-product (glycerin) will start to settle out and separate on the bottom of the bottle. You should see a clean line of separation between the two liquids. The biodiesel will be on the top.

Within an hour, most of the glycerin (bottom layer) will be settled out. This is called separation.

You should now have a bottle containing lighter amber-colored (or clear, if you’re lucky) biodiesel on top and a layer of darker glycerin on the bottom.

At this stage of the making biodiesel process, the biodiesel will be very cloudy, (so don't panic) it will take a day or two more for it to clear completely. Put it in a cool, dark place and let it do it’s thing.

Usually the glycerin layer is about the same as the amount of methanol used.

Once the it is completely settled, open the container and using your thumb drain the biodiesel out, leaving the darker layer (glycerin) behind.

Depending on your expertise at doing this, the mixture is technically ready to use as a fuel. What you have done is “thinned” the vegetable oil for easier intake into your diesel engine and made it more combustible for use as a fuel.

I told you making biodiesel was easy.

Almost finished...

on the rroad again

On The Road Again with Biodiesel - Printable Version - October 3, 2006 - 1 Comments

Graphic on Water Bureau vehicles running biodiesel Now that the bureau's fleet has made the conversion to primarily B99 biodiesel (with the option later to reduce that biodiesel content when cold weather sets in and affects biodiesel peformance), comments are flowing toward staff and people connected with the conversion. Some of that discussion is based on the lexicon of biodiesel.

The Oregonian picked up on the Water Bureau's statement that our fleet of "workhorses" (the heavy-duty dump trucks, loaders, backhoes, service trucks and the lighter passenger vehicles) are now fueled with canola oil and restaurant grease available from Oregon sources -- creating a market for those products in Oregon and as Randy Leonard points out, creating new jobs. We last used real workhorses at the Water Bureau in 1918, but this conversion begs for the comparison. You look at a big truck differently when it is emitting a smell that reminds one of our utility workers of doughnuts. Symbolically it becomes a gentler workhorse running on local, vegetable-based fuel.

How about the statement that the bureau is mixing oil and water? KXL quoted Commissioner Leonard saying that water and oil can mix. Drinking water quality does not mix well with petroleum - based products. It gives regulatory compliance folks the shudders. But this metaphor works in one unique way -- the Water Bureau is leading the way in this conversion for the city and other water utilities. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) will release an article on the conversion soon -- and its audience is national water utilities. Portland's action becomes a model and resource for other agencies that use big equipment to move dirt, pipe, and concrete.

Other media leads to stories about the Water Bureau's conversion used interesting language:

OPB: "Portland to be epicenter for biodiesel"
KEX: "Water Bureau fleet goes green"
KEX: "Portland a biodiesel capital"

Some discussions of biodiesel sound like bumper stickers like "Make fries, not war." Others are news because of novelty: a man in Minnesota blogged on a "treehugger" website about his old Jetta. He uses petroleum diesel to start his vehicle in winter cold. When the car warms up, he switches to a second tank he installed full of biodiesel. He says that second tank is the reason a bear attacked his car, broke in the window, tipped the fuel can and gnawed on the fuel tank hoses. The second tank and its hoses are full of recycled restaurant grease that his nextdoor neighbor says smells like cheeseburgers. Bears eat funny things.

Willie Nelson's tour bus is said to run on biodiesel. In most things someone steps up to take a leadership role...and now it's the Water Bureau's turn. "On the Road Again" in a new way.

You get the drift. It's serious business here...but some whimsy makes the workplace a richer place now and then.

Tricia Knoll
Public Information

Graphic: Stickers with this Water Bureau graphic on diesel-powered vehicles indicate which vehicles get filled with biodiesel. Smaller stickers decorate some employee's hard hats.

Biodiesel saves money

Biodiesel saves money:

1. It only cost around 70 cents a gallon to make. Thats right...thats not a typo. The main ingredient is vegetable oil. Not only that, but the oil itself can be made from numerous food crops as well non-food crops. There are literally 100s of oil producing crops that can be used. It costs less than the cost of a cup of coffee to produce. How much are you paying for fuel?
2. Biodiesel is easy to make. It doesnt have to be complicated and you dont need to be a chemical engineer to produce quality biodiesel. It is so easy you can make biodiesel in your kitchen from ordinary household items. If you can make your own barbeque sauce, you can make biodiesel. Since your producing your own fuel, labor, transportation, taxes, that youre paying now will disappear.
3. Biodiesel is better than the diesel fuel you buy at the gas pump. Biodiesel is cleaner than regular diesel. Biodiesel is a de-greaser and solvent, it will actually clean your engine as well. A cleaner engine reduces the wear and tear on your vehicle and extends the life of the car. This saves you money in not only having to buy a new car every 5 years, but interest payments as well.
4. Biodiesel provides excellent engine performance. Your diesel engine will run better, cleaner and last longer on biodiesel. This means less maintenance cost in the long run, saving you even more money.
5. The production and use of biodiesel creates less carbon dioxide emissions compared to regular diesel. Causing less damage to the environment. It cuts down on targeted emissions - which means its better for the environment and better for your health. The savings here are "health-savings" in terms of better health for you, your children, and your world.
6. The material for making biodiesel is renewable and biodegradable. You can make biodiesel from vegetable oil such as palm oil, rapeseed oil, soy Oil, peanut oil, etc. You can even make it from used vegetable oil from restaurants. If you decide to go this route, getting free oil from restaurants, the saving can be enormous.
7. Petroleum oil prices are sky-rocketing. Biodiesel is just now gaining popularity. It is the best time for you to start experimenting with biodiesel and if you know how to make it, then when biodiesel is in demand, you will be in a position to not only save money, but also make money. Energy cost are only going to keep going up.
8. Biodiesel can be used by itself (B100) or blended with regular diesel in any proportions. So, when diesel is too highly priced, like it is now, your biodiesel will be very much in demand. Learning to make biodiesel not only can save you money, but the knowledge itself can make you money.
9. No modification is required on your diesel engine. Biodiesel operates in conventional combustion-ignition engines, from light to heavy-duty just like regular diesel and no engine modifications is needed. This means no special, expensive, gizmos and gadgets. No expensive "hybrid" vehicles. No special dealerships or gas stations...all saving you money.
10. Fossil fuels are depleting. Petroleum products have been used by mankind as a source of energy and it was assumed that they would last forever. Times have changed: with fossil fuel on the decrease and global warming on the increase, it is time to create a sustainable world. Think of this as saving your world.
11. Do you value the feeling of freedom, and independence? Creating your own fuel in your garage, enough for your own needs and friends, is a proactive measure that says "no" to multinational companies and governments that have more control over our lives than they need.
12. Biodiesel doesnt depend on unstable or hostile governments to provide for your energy needs. It is infinitely renewable and made from natural food crops. This in turn, puts money back into the hands of family farmers and the local economy. The savings here is in saving our way of life and communities.