Brew Your Own Biofuel
(Page 4 of 5)
June/July 2008
By Derek Kanwischer
Biofuels: Pros and Cons
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Biodiesel combustion emits less carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons than combustion of a similar amount of petrodiesel. (The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency previously stated that nitrogen oxide emissions from biodiesel were higher than from petrodiesel, but that research is being re-examined.)
For many, there’s an economic appeal to making biodiesel. It was relatively easy for us to make biodiesel for about a dollar per gallon or less. Utilizing salvaged materials, the biodiesel processor at the PEAS farm was put together for about $150. Local restaurants give away used vegetable oil, and methanol can be purchased for $4 per gallon.
The cost of vegetable oil has risen significantly (a major concern for commercial biodiesel producers). But for those considering straight vegetable oil as a fuel, new vegetable oil is not the only option. Many restaurants will give you used vegetable oil, which needs to be thoroughly filtered before use — but it’s free. The drawback is the initial cost of converting an engine. The Elsbett single-tank conversion kit installed in the farm tractor cost $1,200 and is comparable in price to other single-tank modifications. Dual-tank systems cost about $1,000, but require a bit more labor.
The legal issues concerning use of veggie oil as a fuel and home production of biodiesel are complicated and vary from state to state. You need to register with the federal government and pay fuel taxes (probably state and federal) on the biodiesel you produce. Laws concerning straight vegetable oil are changing, but it’s still technically not approved for use as fuel by the EPA. And your state may require you to register to collect waste vegetable oil.
So far, the use of straight vegetable oil has demonstrated promise as a fuel alternative for our Kubota tractor. And I’m burning home-brewed biodiesel in my 1981 Mercedes diesel station wagon without any problems.
Whenever possible, I ride my bike, walk or carpool. But when I drive, I feel good knowing my car is running on recycled vegetable oil processed at the same farm where I raise veggies.
Do you have enough land for food and fuel?
If you want to grow biofuels to run your tractors, how many acres would you need to devote to fuel crops? This question was tackled in the Sunshine Farm study, conducted by The Land Institute in central Kansas from 1992 to 2001. Sunshine Farm is The Land Institute's 160-acre organic research farm with 49 acres of crop land. Based on measurements of fuel use and crop yield, the researchers found that the farm would need to use 30 percent of its crop area to grow soybeans and sunflowers that would be used to make biodiesel to run its 70-horsepower diesel tractor. To provide fuel for the farm’s pickup truck would require another 15 percent.
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