Soybeans in your gas tank
So what do you put into your gas tank? Obviously it is some sort of fossil fuel that is pulled out of the ground as a derivative of petroleum, but what about soy beans? More technical bio-diesal. Instead of being derived from petroleum, biodiesal is a processed fuel that comes from biological materials such as vegetable oils, and in this case soybean oil.
Biodiesel can be made from animal fat or any vegetable oil, including used cooking oil. It acts as a natural lubricant, is fully bio-degradable and burns cleaner than conventional diesel, reducing carbon monoxide emissions by 50 percent and carbon dioxide – the main greenhouse gas that causes global warming – by 78 percent.
After ten years of flying jets for Northwest Airlines, John Plaza decided during a long, cold layover that he wanted to change the world. “I was flying cargo planes from Anchorage to Tokyo,” says Plaza, 41. “I did a rough estimate and realized that the tonnage of fuel it took to fly my 747 to Tokyo could power my Nissan Maxima for about 42 years.”
For further reading check how the average person *cough*with $195 Million*cough* can run and own your own biodiesal plant.
I try to keep up to date with alternative fuels and energy tech in particular so this is really an interesting couple of articles to me.
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Filed under: Energy Tech by JMH
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I think alternative fuels should have become a reality years ago!! I guess there is too much money to be made by the 1% though…
No doubt Saman. I think I’ll have grandkids before alternative fuels are commonly used and I don’t even have kids yet…lol
I’m sure the cost of creating alternative fuels will go down if we ever start using them large scale.
Here in Canada I’ve noticed that over the last month we’ve had commercials on TV promoting alternative energy sources and biodesiel fuels. Maybe we will see this change happen in our lifetime.
Alot of work in SOY. there is a plant that grows even in bad dessert and it gives a 70% oil returns on the weight, and from the old days during the Arab times, it’s been a source of oil for lamp. Now they are growing it back, cos it’s easier to make into diesel compared to Palm Oil sterin and Soy is costlier.
Malaysia,UK,EU are already using BIODIESEL in their fuels, marked as Green Fuel as they are 15% Bio-Fuel. I used it before, and it’s OK, but …..poor on compression if you use 100% BioFuel. Same as BBC Top Gear’s test on LPG,Petrol,biofuel and….MooPower (aka Methane from Cow Dung).
I forsee Methane as a alternative for the Petrol Cars though.
Azrin @ http://www.azrin.net
i’m going to need to learn how to make it myself soon if gas prices in LA don’t fall below $3.50!
Best way is to convert your gasoline car to run on LPG/NGV/Gas (not gasoline)
This Biodiesel only works for DIESEL powered vehicles like SEMI-Trucks etc.
azrin @ http://www.azrin.net
Technology can always overcome a shortage of anything. It is just a matter of economics and the will to overcome a specific scarcity.
Good thing, too. Otherwise we would have no wales left.
Look at Venezuela. They are oil rich, yet do not depend on oil because of aggressive ethanol research and production.
As soon as Big Oil and the people who are profiting from it figure out how to make money we will probably see more of these options.
A dude in Florida has a way to convert water to fuel. No joke, do a search on “aquygen”, or “HHO”.
Also, the original diesel engine was designed to burn bio fuels like peanut oil. Saw that one on the h=History Channel.