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
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by DubleDeuce on -
<<until they run on electricity produced from renewable,>>
You mean like windmills and such? WHAT A FREAKIN' concept. Wait 'till I tell T. Boone Pickens about this.
P.S. Don't hold your breath on electrics. They make for a nice test drive but if you keep one long enough to trigger a lease payment, LOOK OUT. You'll be longing for $4 gas so fast, it'll make your head swim.
The Deuceman
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Permalink Reply by James D Ballotti on -
I'm curious, why would you use the police artist sketch of Ted Kaczynski (AKA the UNABOMBER) as the image to represent yourself to this group? Is there some subtle message or warning in your choice of avatar? Are we suppose to think of you as the same kind of madman?
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Permalink Reply by James D Ballotti on
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You're welcome!
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Permalink Reply by Debra Goldenberg on -
I sent you back a friend invite, thanks!
Hard to keep track of all these different discussions, I know!
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Permalink Reply by James D Ballotti on
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This morning, August 23, 2008, there was a story on NPR's Weekend Edition about a camp in Maryland where kids are learning how to make biodiesel. The camp produces biodiesel from used vegetable oil collected from local restaurants to power the camp's vehicles. To listen to the story click Eco-Camp Offers Lessons On Alternative Fuels.
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Permalink Reply by goneaway on -
I saw them making BioDiesel on Power Block Tv
its a group of car shows they put on cableTV on Saturday mornings.
They used the same deal and some company sold a kit
oil and alcohol mixed and let to sit for a while.
We had a biodiesel plant open and close here in the last 2 years they were using soy i think and making a few million gallons a year.
they said the cost ratio put them out of business due to increased food prices
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Permalink Reply by James D Ballotti on
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Using food crops to produce biodiesel on a commercial basis is not the best idea. There are other non-food sources that can be grown to produce the oil needed for biodiesel production and can be grown without using land needed for food production. Read this article from the University of New Hampshire for a more complete explanation.
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Permalink Reply by James D Ballotti on
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You're welcome! You might also enjoy looking at the Earthrace site.
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Permalink Reply by James D Ballotti on
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You're welcome! You might also enjoy looking at the Earthrace site.
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Permalink Reply by Hugh Hemington on -
Neither ethanol or bio-diesel are able to make a dent in our energy needs.
I agree that bio-diesel is made with higher yield (93 vs. 25%) than ethanol, but growing the material to make it still requires nitrogen-based fertilizers, water, labor, and FUEL to drive the vehicles that cultivate and harvest it.
At a recent Expo held by the SCAQMD, the "well to wheels" impact of bio-diesel was represented as not being as "green" as other options.
Re-cycle all the cooking oil you can. But don't expect it to have an impact on our energy needs.
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Permalink Reply by Colt Lewis on -
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.
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Permalink Reply by Hugh Hemington on
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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!
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