Biodiesel

While I applaud and support Mr. Pickens in his support of increasing the amount of electricity produced from wind power, a proven economically viable alternative. Biodiesel is the only alternative, carbon neutral transportation fuel with the potential to completely replace oil based transportation fuels. And we don't have to import it. For more information and further discussion, see the blog and forum at Earth Protect.

Tags: alternative, bio, biodiesel, energy, fuels

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Colt Lewis on October 20, 2008 at 7:38pm: James my name is Colt and I have been reading about biodiesel for several years. I have a friend who is starting a plant to make biodiesel from oil imported from Malaysia. The problem with his concept is that his oil is imported.

The downside to typical biodiesel is that the highest average yield is 300 gallons per acre. Jatropha was supposed to be the plant of the future however research in Florida has proved that they do not tolerate the cold weather that even South Florida faces. Other crops that work well are the peanut and sunflower, however the yields are around 130 gallons per acre, with yield that could be dramatically more or less. This oil is worth way more than what we are willing to pay to use it as fuel.

The process is somewhat dependent on the price of methanol which is likely not going to be produced by the biodiesel processor. I however could easily design a process to make methanol from the remaining crop residue.

The use of algae for biodiesel I have yet to study, but if there is potential in it, it could revolutionize biofuels because of its ability to capture CO2.

In my opinion biodiesel from row crops is a very bad idea. It is a great idea if a farmer chooses to be independent and wants to operate his equipment with fuel he created. However, this does not help fill truck drivers tanks, the supply of biofuel can not even touch the demand.

Gasification is a process that converts organic material from plants or trash into "synthesis gas" which can be converted into other fuels. This is how methanol is made, and ethanol can be made this way for $1.00 per gallon. The process to create bio-diesel from synthesis gas is around, but I am unaware on the processing cost. It should be economical since diesel is selling at $3.50 per gallon.

Biodiesel is not exactly carbon neutral if you count all the transportation and tractor fuel involved. It really depends on how you look at it.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Hugh Hemington on October 21, 2008 at 5:03pm: The "oil from Malaysia" wouldn't be palm oil would it? Plantation-growing of palm oil is deforesting the South Pacific like short-sighted land use is in Brazil!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Colt Lewis on October 21, 2008 at 5:41pm: Sunflower and jatropha are the oils he planned on using. From my understanding Palm Oil is harder on engines than the others. Which means ASTM standards are difficult to obtain with Palm Oil. This quality is no problem for Fisherman, Farmers or the U.S. Government, but it is forbidden to be sold at the pumps because of the standards.

No doubt the oil is deforesting areas in other countries but that does not mean biodiesel is completely out of the question. Biodiesel from algae is a great idea and it has been studied for much longer than I have been alive. When I go get my new student ID tomorrow after my interview with Siemens I will check out a book I found today for the first time since 1993. The book gives me goosebumps, I can't believe they wrote such a great book 25 years ago, it does not even seem like we have progressed at all on energy since I have been alive.

Nothing has changed yet, the best time to start is now.; ▶ Reply to This