I attended a really neat hands-on workshop on Tuesday where we learned about Biodiesel fuel and then actually made it from canola oil from the grocery store and few other simple ingredients. In an hour we had made a small batch that was ready to power any diesel engine. Apparently, in Asheville there is a Cooperative that sells B100, B50, and B20 all made from fats in the local waste stream from several industries. It also take less energy to make than traditional petroleum based diesel. Apparently, when Diesel introduced the engine design at a world's fair in the early 20th century, his plan was for the fuel source to be peanut oil. Left: A small batch made the day before; clear layer biodiesel; dark layer glycerin which can be used as a carbon source for composting, a base for soap, or an animal feed. Right: our batch beginning to settle after only 30 minutes. Brassica species seem to be the best pick for high yield oil crops that could be a source of oil to convert to biodiesel.
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1 year ago
2 comments:
1. That is cool...I had no idea you could make fuel that way.
But more importantly, 2. I didn't know that Diesel was a proper name...so you inspired me to Google it and that's where I learned about Rudolph Diesel. I feel smarter already.
You would have liked the workshop to. I always think of giant drilling rigs and expansive refineries when I think of fuel. It was pretty amazing to make diesel from stuff that you could for the most part purchase at your local grocery store.
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