Algae as Biofuel: Graduate Research Assistantship

I am seeking a motivated student to fill a graduate research assistantship at the M.S. or Ph.D. level in the Department of Oceanography at Florida State University (www.ocean.fsu.edu). The position is available beginning in Spring, 2009. The research project will focus on the growth of marine algae as a feedstock for biofuels production. The student in this position will be expected to work closely with other scientists in the newly established Institute for Energy Systems, Economics, and Sustainability (http://www.ieses.fsu.edu/) at FSU.

Interested students should have a background in marine biology, cell biology and/or microbiology, and should have strong quantitative skills. Mechanical skills and/or experience in aquaculture would be viewed positively. The assistantship will have an excellent stipend relative to the cost-of-living, and will also include a full tuition remission along with research expenses.

Florida State University is located in the city of Tallahassee, where cost-of-living is inexpensive and ample opportunities exist for cultural/artistic and outdoor activities. The University has a distinguished and rapidly expanding marine laboratory located about 45 minutes to the south of Tallahassee, and the Apalachicola Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is located about 1 hour west.

For more information, or to be considered for the position, please email Dr. Mike Wetz at wetz@email.unc.edu. Letters of interest will be accepted until December 31st, though particularly strong candidates may be encouraged to apply in full to FSU earlier.

Waste plastics made into diesel, gasoline

by Zac B. Sarian

Would you believe that waste plastics which are ordinarily a big problem to dispose can be converted into diesel and gasoline that can run engines?

The ordinary plastic materials include shopping bags, garbage bags and even styropor used in packing various products. All these can be converted into precious fuel that is 20 percent cheaper than the current price of diesel and gasoline.

The technology is newly patented and was one of those exhibited during the recent Inventors Week expo at the Philippine Trade Training Center along Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, under the auspices of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

Holder of the patent which was released only last November 8 is inventor Jayme Navarro of Bacolod City. The waste plastics are converted into diesel and gasoline through what Navarro calls depolymerization of the materials. Assorted plastics are first shredded into evenly-sized pieces and then entered into an agglomeration chamber.

The shredded plastic enters a feeding screw where it is melted and the polymers are mixed with a catalyst. The melted plastic goes to a specially-designed pyrolysis chamber where depolymerization occurs, and where hydrocarbon gases are produced. It then passes through distillation (to separate different hydrocarbon chains), filtration and centrifuge (to remove contaminants and impurities).

Besides the gasoline and diesel, light gases are also produced which are purified, compressed and stored. These gases are used as fuel in the process of depolymerization.

Navarro said that the process is done entirely inside a vacuum so no resultant chemicals are released into the environment, The conversion efficiency rate is 75 to 80 percent, depending on feedstock components. That means it can produce 750 to 800 liters of fuel from one ton of raw materials.

Navarro said that he has been involved in the plastic industry in the last 30 years, using plastic scraps as feedstock in producing plastic twine, straw and stick. During the oil embargo in 1973, he started his first experiment in converting plastic waste to liquid hydrocarbons, and again during the first Iran-Iraq war in 1980.

However, because of the cheap price and abundant supply of crude oil during those years, it was not financially viable to pursue the project. He said that with the recent environmental issues regarding the disposal of waste plastics, and the high price of crude oil prompted him to develop his original technology of converting plastic waste into fuel.

Navarro said that after years of intense efforts in improving, refining and scaling the technology, he was able to conduct the first trial run of a prototype conversion plant that successfully produced liquid hydrocarbon in December 2007. Then in February 2008, he sent samples to the Department of Energy and DOST for analysis.

He said that the results confirmed that the fuel produced has all the properties of regular diesel fuel, but with substantially lowered sulfur contents, which means it is less polluting. The fuel can be used for different applications involving standard diesel engines.

Navarro revealed that his company, Poly-Green Technology and Resources, Inc., will put up a manufacturing plant in Montalban, Rizal early next year. The technology is modular in concept and may be developed in 5, 10 and 20 tons-per-day capacities. The operation can be carried out in smaller plants and processing may be situated wherever it is deemed feasible.

Source: Manila Bulletin, photo courtesy of http://globalplasticrecyclers.com, plc

The U.S. EPA has published a compliance assistance manual for biodiesel producers.

Published by the EPA’s Region 7 Biofuels Work Group, the manual titled “Environmental Laws Applicable to Construction and Operation of Biodiesel Production Facilities” provides information about federal environmental programs and the roles that federal, state, and local agencies play in relation to companies interested in designing, building, and operating biodiesel manufacturing facilities.

The publication addresses wastewater permits and spill prevention under the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act, air operating permits under the Clean Air Act, as well as hazardous waste management under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Pollution Prevention Act, and Toxic Substances Control Act. The manual also covers federal renewable fuels standard (RFS) program registration, renewable identification number (RIN) registration, blending, exporting, record-keeping requirements and the management of crude glycerin. The publication includes practical examples for complying with environmental regulations and includes a directory of key federal and state officials.

The manual is available online at: www.epa.gov/region07/priorities/agriculture/biodiesel_manual.pdf.

Photo courtesy of alibaba.com

U.K. researchers convert glycerin to methanol

By Ryan C. Christiansen

Isis Innovation Ltd., a technology transfer company that is wholly owned by the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, has patented a technology that uses a metal catalyst to convert glycerin into methanol. Glycerin, also called glycerol, is a byproduct of biodiesel production.

According to Edman Tsang, a researcher in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Oxford, the process works at a low temperature of 100 degrees Celsius (approximately 212 degrees Fahrenheit) and at 20 bars of pressure. The process produces only methanol and no byproducts.

Jamie Ferguson, a spokesperson for Isis Innovation, said the catalyst technology is a hydrogen reaction with glycerin. Previous studies showed that the main products from the hydrogenolysis of glycerin were propanediols and ethylene glycols, which are produced using the addition of hydrogen under relatively harsh conditions. However, Oxford researchers discovered a catalyst that—with the addition of hydrogen under relatively mild conditions—will completely break the carbon-carbon bonds within the glycerin, while keeping the carbon-oxygen bonds intact, which prevents hydrocarbon gases from being produced. The end product is methanol.

Here is the link to the full article.

Seaoil: local biofuel demand up by 2011

By Anna Valmero

Anticipating the growth in local demand for biofuel, Seaoil Philippines Inc. said it will increase its total number of filling stations from 114 to 500 units by 2011, an executive said.

Biofuel is an alternative fuel that blends natural substances like ethanol from sugar cane and coco methyl ester (CME) from coconut to regular gasoline and diesel.

Seaoil Philippines expects to grow their number of stations by 300 percent because of the anticipated increasing local demand following the signing of the Biofuels Act in 2006, which will become effective in February 2007, said Art Cruz, marketing director of Seaoil Philippines.

“The consumers are more mature than before in exploring alternatives available to them. The youth, which are more open-minded in trying the biofuel, is creating the growing demand for it,” he said.

The Biofuels Act mandates that 5 percent of the annual volume of gasoline fuel sold and distributed by each gasoline company in the country will comprise bioethanol. This will be required two years after the effectivity of the law or starting February 2009.

By February 2011, the Department of Energy will mandate the increase in blend to at least 10 percent bioethanol (E10). A blend of 1 percent coco methyl ester (CME) extracted has taken effect in 2007 for biodiesel and will increase to 2 percent within the next two years.

This year, Seaoil Philippines has conducted repiping of its biofuel distribution systems to eliminate localized corrosion from pipes, pumps and tanks, said Bernadette Raymundo, vice president of supply and QCPD.

The company has invested P15 million for the project, excluding the costs for the depot sites.

The company replaced underground G1 pipes of filling stations with flexy pipes of fluoropolymer base material (Polyvinylidene fluoride-PVDF) to prevent problems in chemical compatibility with the biofuel, said Raymundo.

Tanks especially for CME were not coated because coated tanks tend to peel as CME or ethanol penetrates the undercoat adhesion, she added.

“The repiping was done to prevent leaks in nearby water pipes to enter the biofuel storage,” said Raymundo.

She said any water in the biofuel tank can contaminate the solution. This can cause phase separation of water and ethanol from gasoline. Moisture in gas can emulsify, resulting to a product with hazy appearance.

In September, Raymundo presented Seaoil’s biofuel program at the 2008 Ethanol and Biofuels Asia Conference in Singapore.

The program, which includes practices in transport, handling, blending, storage and other operational concerns, was recognized as model for adoption in Southeast Asia.

“We are the only country in the Southeast Asia with a law on biofuels. This bodes well for the Philippines as it gives us three years advantage in refining the technology and its implementation. With further efforts for development, this creates opportunities for sustainable energy production and thus, achievement of national energy security,” said Cruz.

Biofuels bring other benefits aside from cheaper cost, greater engine efficiency from cleaner burn and less air pollution. “Adoption of biofuels will also create market opportunities for the local coconut and sugar cane industries,” said Cruz.

The upcoming Asian free trade will create surplus of global products in the local market, which can kill local industries if regulation of imported goods is not well implemented, said Cruz.

By tapping the sugarcane and coconut for the production of ethanol and CME, respectively, Cruz said they are creating alternative markets for and support sustainability of the two local industries.

In September 2007, the Department of Agriculture validated a total of 60,250 hectares of new sugarcane areas that can produce a combined 274 million liters of bioethanol, Raymundo said.

This volume, she said, can meet the requirement under the Biofuels Act on the blending of crop-based alternative fuels with gasoline by 2009.

She cited the Sugar Regulatory Administration identified the 60,250 hectares are on top of the existing 388,003 hectares of sugarcane farms that can meet the country's sugar requirements

Seaoil has introduced biofuel, specifically the ethanol blended (E10) gasoline, through its 50 local filling stations in August 2005.

Raymundo said marketing E10 a year earlier before the Act was signed was difficult.

They launched a massive campaign to address the resistance of motorists especially those with carbureted and older model vehicles.

“Our efforts to advocate the use of biofuels are gradually paying off,” said Raymundo. “Right now, countries are turning their attention to the Philippines as global biofuel supplier. Countries in Southeast Asia eye the Philippines as a model for starting and implementing a biofuel program.”

Seaoil Philippines has teamed up with national Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Agency of International Development, Sustainable Energy Development Program and Chemrez Technologies in promoting biofuels.

To build motorists’ confidence in biofuels, Seaoil inked an alliance with the Automobile Association of the Philippines in 2006. Up to this day, all cars racing in the Philippine Touring Car Championship run on Seaoil E10 fuels and drivers are impressed by the cleaner burn they get from E10.

“Biofuels are preparing the world for the inevitable depletion of petroleum resources,” said Cruz. “And the Philippines is in a good position to reap the benefits of this growing market.

Source: Inquirer.net

Myco-diesel

PARIS (AFP) — A reddish microbe found on the inside of a tree at a secret location in the rainforests of northern Patagonia could unlock the biofuel of the future, say scientists.

Its potential is so startling that the discoverers have coined the term "myco-diesel" -- a derivation of the word for fungus -- to describe the bouquet of hydrocarbons that it breathes.

"This is the only organism that has ever been shown to produce such an important combination of fuel substances," said Gary Strobel, a professor of biology at Montana State University.

"The fungus can even make these diesel compounds from cellulose, which would make it a better source of biofuel that anything we use at the moment."

The study appears on Tuesday in a peer-reviewed British journal, Microbiology.

Strobel, a 70-year-old veteran of the world's rainforests, told AFP that he came across Gliocladium roseum thanks to "two cases of serendipity. "

The first was in the late 1990s, when his team, working in Honduras, came across a previously unidentified fungus called Muscodor albus.

By sheer accident, they found that M. albus releases a powerful volatile -- meaning gassy -- antibiotic.

Intrigued by this, the team tested M. Albus on the ulmo tree, whose fibres are a known habitat for fungi, in the hope that this would show up a new fungus.

"Quite unexpectedly, G. roseum grew in the presence of these gases when almost all other fungi were killed. It was also making volatile antibiotics, " said Strobel.

"Then, when we examined the gas composition of G. roseum, we were totally surprised to learn that it was making a plethora of hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon derivatives. The results were totally unexpected and very exciting, and almost every hair on my arms stood on end."

Strobel's team put the G. roseum through its paces in the lab, growing it on an oatmeal-based jelly and on cellulose.

Extractor fans drew off the gases exuded by the fungus, and analysis showed that many of them were hydrocarbons, including at least eight compounds that are the most abundant ingredients in diesel.

Biofuels have been promoted as good alternatives to oil, which is sourced from politically volatile regions and is a major contributor to the greenhouse effect.

Plants store carbon from the atmosphere as a result of photosynthesis when they grow, and they release the carbon, as carbon dioxide (CO2), when they are burned.

Oil, though, comprises carbon that is stored underground. When it is burned the CO2 adds to the atmosphere.

One of the downsides of biofuels has been their impact on the world food market, because the present generation of fuels is derived from food crops that are grown on farmland.

Another avenue of exploration is in cheap, plentiful non-food fibrous plants and cellulose materials, such as switchgrass, wood chips and straw.

But these novel sources, hampered by costs and technical complications, are struggling to reach commercial scale.

"G. roseum can make myco-diesel directly from cellulose, the main compound found in plants and paper," said Strobel. "This means that if the fungus was used to make fuel a step in the production process could be skipped."

Instead of using farmland to grow biofuels, G. roseum could be grown in factories, like baker's yeast, and its gases siphoned off to be liquefied into fuel, he suggested.

Another alternative, he said, would be to strip out the enzyme-making genes from the fungus and use this to break down the cellulose to make the biodiesel.

Strobel said Montana State University had filed patents for the fungus, proceeds of which would be shared with local people.

G. roseum is a variant of a known fungus species called Gliocladium. "It might be" common in some forests, said Strobel.

Asked where the fungus had been found, he pointed to the experiences of the 1848 gold rush and said the location had to be protected: "The answer to that is, what if we pushed ourselves back about a hundred and fifty years and you heard a story about a guy finding gold out in California?"

Planned algae farm complex will produce algae biomass for conversion to biodiesel, ethanol and other commercial products in China

PetroSun, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: PSUD) announced today that the Company has executed an agreement with Shanghai Jun Ya Yan Technology Development Co., Ltd. to establish a commercial scale algae farm system pilot facility within the People's Republic of China. The planned algae farm complex will produce algae biomass for conversion to biodiesel, ethanol and other commercial products.

The terms of the agreement include a forty million dollar ($40,000,000US) sole funding commitment from Shanghai Jun Ya Yan Technology Development for the construction and equipping of the initial algae farm system. The profits from the venture will be allocated on a 50/50 basis between the parties. PetroSun China has been granted the license from PetroSun, Inc. for the algae-to-biofuel technology and will manage the operations in China.

About PetroSun

PetroSun, Inc. is a diversified energy company with technology and operations in the commercialization of algae-to-biofuels, microbial enhanced oil recovery, oil and gas exploration and development and oilfield pipe and supply.

For more information about PetroSun visit the company's website at www.petrosuninc.com.

Except historical matter contained herein, matters discussed in this news release are forward-looking statements and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties, which may affect the Company's business and prospects and cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: PetroSun, Inc.

Kenyans turn to biodiesel

by Mwangi Mumero

The fuel produced can be used to run all diesel engines without detrimental effects to theperformance of the vehicle or its various components

“Initially, many vehicle owners were apprehensive about the biodiesel and worried that it might have negative effects on the engine. But word of mouth from matatu drivers using the fuel did the trick”, said Benard Muchiri, the director of a centre which produces croton diesel.

Reluctance soon gave way to confidence after a number of drivers reported filling their tanks repeatedly without encountering noticeable problems.

The biodiesel is being produced in a pilot-project by the Help Self-Help Centre, a community development organisation in the area under the Kenya Eco-energy programme.

The one month old project aims at becoming the catalyst and source of relevant data on the production and use of biodiesel as an alternative to fossil fuels in the Mt Kenya region.

Biodiesel Byproduct Converted Into Omega-3 Fatty Acids

The typical American diet often lacks omega-3 fatty acids despite clinical research that shows their potential human health benefits. Zhiyou Wen, assistant professor of biological systems engineering in Virginia Tech's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, found a way to grow these compounds using a byproduct of the emerging biodiesel industry.

He presented his findings at the 236th national meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in Philadelphia, Pa., on August 21.

"High energy prices have led to an increase in biodiesel production, which in turn has led to an increase in the amount of crude glycerol in the market," said Wen, who explained that biodiesel plants leave behind approximately 10 percent crude glycerol during the production process.

This has led the price of glycerol, a chemical compound widely used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, to drop in recent years. The rise in biodiesel production over the last decade means that the market can no longer absorb all the extra glycerol. Biodiesel producers must find alternative means for disposing of crude glycerol, which is prohibitively expensive to purify for industry use. Wen and his colleagues have developed a novel fermentation process using microalgae to produce omega-3 fatty acids from crude glycerol

"We have shown that it is possible to use the crude glycerol byproduct from the biodiesel industry as a carbon source for microalgae that produce omega-3 fatty acids," said Wen, who added that the impurities in crude glycerol may actually be beneficial to algal growth. "After thorough chemical analysis, we have also shown that the algae biomass composition has the same quality as the commercial algae product."

After growing the algae in the crude glycerol, researchers can use it as an animal feed. This mimics a process in nature in which fish, the most common source of omega-3 fatty acid for humans, eat the algae and then retain the healthful compounds in their bodies. Humans who consume the fish in turn consume the omega 3s. Fish-derived products such as fish oil are an inexpensive alternative, but the taste has deterred widespread use.

Wen has partnered with Steven Craig, senior research scientist at Virginia Cobia Farms, to use crude glycerol-derived algae as a fish feed. "The results so far have been promising," Wen said. "The fish fed the algae had significant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids."

He and Audrey McElroy, associate professor of animal and poultry sciences, are now trying to determine whether the algae would work as a chicken feed. Kumar Mallikarjunan, associate professor of biological systems engineering, is also working with Wen to determine the fate of omega 3s after they enter the food supply. Researchers do not yet know whether oxidation would have a major impact on omega-3 fatty acids stored in cheese, for example.

Funding for this research has come from the Virginia Agricultural Council, U.S. Poultry and Egg Association, Fats and Proteins Research Foundation, Virginia Sea Grant, and Virginia Commercial Fisheries and Shellfish Technologies.

Wen presented his paper, "Production of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid from biodiesel-waste glycerol by microalgal fermentation (AGFD 272)," as a part of a session sponsored by the ACS Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
=====================
Adapted from materials provided by Virginia Tech, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Biodiesel and diesel test showed comparable fuel efficiency

This is based on www.etrucker.com.

• The study, which began in the fall of 2006, consists of two groups of 10 Decker semi-tractors running with flatbed trailers on matched routes to either Minneapolis or Chicago. The control group uses 100 percent No. 2 petroleum diesel, and the B20 test group uses a blend of 20 percent biodiesel from Renewable Energy Group and 80 percent No. 2 petroleum diesel. The partners say data have been analyzed routinely for fuel efficiency, maintenance records and fuel quality, as well as for monitoring cold weather performance.
• The partners say these findings mimic fuel efficiency test results released this week by the National Renewable Energy Lab and the National Biodiesel Board, showing comparable mileage between B20 and ultra-low-sulfur diesel. “Fleet owners, fuel managers and owner-operators can be confident about biodiesel utilization in their over-the-road operation because of the results of the Two Million Mile Haul demonstration,” said Tom Verry, National Biodiesel Board director of outreach and development.
• There also may be additional benefits for a trucking company using biodiesel. “We are receiving positive feedback from customers who see the 'green' benefits of using a trucking company that runs on biodiesel,” said Steve Lursen, special projects manager for Decker Truck Lines Inc. “By using a renewable fuel, Decker is actually picking up additional business.”

For the full report, visit their website.

PHILIPPINES' PETRON LIFTS FIRST ETHANOL PRODUCTS

MANILA, Aug 07, 2008 (AsiaPulse via COMTEX) -- Market leader Petron Corporation announced on Wednesday that it finally purchased 23,000 liters of ethanol from Leyte Agri Corp., the first locally-produced fuel grade ethanol, to be used in its E10 Premium gasoline. "We strongly support the local production of ethanol as a gasoline additive since it will drive capital investments in rural areas, create more jobs and more importantly, it will lessen the country's dependence on imported fuel," Petron Chairman Nicasio I. Alcantara said.

Last month, Petron launched its E10 Premium product in selected service stations in Metro Manila as part of its efforts to make available cheaper and more environment- friendly fuels for motorists.

The company's E10 Premium is priced P2.00 per liter cheaper than its 93 octane gasoline.

The use of ethanol in gasoline will also have a positive impact on the environment since it is biodegradable and reduces harmful exhaust emissions added Alcantara.

Leyte Agri Corp., owns the first manufacturing plant in the country able to produce fuel grade ethanol.

Petron E10 Premium is a new specially formulated unleaded gasoline that meets and even exceeds the requirements of the Philippine Biofuels Law. It contains 10 percent fuel grade Ethanol and 90 percent Petron Premium Unleaded Gasoline with enhanced fuel additive.

According to Alcantara this unique additive allows the removal of existing deposits, which results in improved power and fuel economy. The companys introduction of ethanol is ahead of the implementation of the Biofuels Law of 2006.

"The early introduction of our E10 Premium product, ahead of the government mandate, underscores our desire to bring the benefits of ethanol-blended gasoline to our customers and stakeholders as soon as possible," Alcantara added.

Apart from Leyte Agri Corp., Petron also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with San Carlos Bioenergy, Inc. (SCBI) in the middle of 2006 to off-take SCBIs entire ethanol production.

SCBI is constructing an integrated sugar mill, cogeneration plant and distillery complex for ethanol production in Negros Occidental. The facility will produce 125,000 liters of ethanol daily. The plant is expected to be operational by the end of this year.

Ethanol is a high-octane, water-free alcohol produced from sugar cane and other crops such as corn, cassava, sweet sorghum. It is used as a blending component at 5 percent-10 percent concentration in gasoline. Unlike fossil fuels, ethanol is virtually inexhaustible since agricultural products can be grown and harvested continually under a sustainable system.

Petron E10 Premium may be used in majority of fuel-injected vehicles without the need for expensive engine modification. The company said that its service station personnel can provide assistance to first- time users who may want more information on the product.

Republic Act 9367 or the Biofuels law mandates a 5 percent bioethanol blend into gasoline by 2009 and 10 percent blend in 2011.

For 2009, the country's demand for bioethanol is seen to reach to 300 million liters per day and 600 million liters per day in 2011.

Because of this projected demand in bioethanol, the country needs 15 to 20 plants. So far, there are only two plants under construction in the country, the San Carlos and the First Bukidnon which are expected to fully commercially operational next year and by 2009 respectively.

(PNA)

Alternative Biofuel

Biofuel from Sunflower: A bright opportunity for the sun-loving bloom

by Rita T. dela Cruz


In a bid to decrease the country's over dependence on fuel, various research institutions started to focus their leads in studying and identifying some of the most cost-effective and environment-friendly energy source to produce biofuels. Biofuels, such as bioethanol, biodiesel and biogas, are renewable fuels that are generally produced from agricultural crops or organic matter.

This effort to find alternative bio-source is also in accordance with the recent passing into law of the Biofuel Acts or SB 2226 and the Department of Agriculture (DA)'s drive towards energy independence. The law requires that “a minimum of 1% biodiesel by volume shall be blended into all diesel engine fuels sold in the country subject to domestic supply and availability of locally sourced biodiesel component.” Violators are penalized with one to five years imprisonment and a fine ranging from Php1 million to Php5 million.

Among the crops identified as potential sources of bioethanol are: sugarcane, sweet sorghum, coconut, corn, cassava, and jathropa. And now, sunflower is also coming into the picture as another potential bio-source for ethanol.

The potential of sunflower (along with rapeseed) is also being studied in Taipei in their effort to look for more domestic feedstocks coupled with best available and affordable technology.

Even the Brazilian agricultural experts are now optimizing the potential of sunflower by learning how to transform sunflowers into biofuel in the most cost-effective means. Other renewable energy sources that they are looking into are soybean and oilseed rape.

Meanwhile, an Italian farming association is working on biofuels produced from sunflowers and sugar beets. Its sunflower oil-powered boat premiered at the recent Kyoto Protocol conference in Montreal. It sounded a bit off-beat, but the boat ran fine. According to experts, if this project pushes through in the market, this biofuel is going to be relatively inexpensive. It was also reported that everything smelled faintly like French fries after the demonstration.

According to Dr. Heraldo L. Layaoen, vice president for administration, planning and external linkages of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) and overall coordinator of the DA-BAR Sweet Sorghum Project, anything (crops) with cellulose can be produced into bioethanol, the main difference lies on how ease is the conversion into ethanol and how cost effective is the production. Currently, with the technologies in tact and the varieties of seeds available, DA is endorsing the use of sugarcane and sweet sorghum as feedstocks. But as research on bioethanol continues to proliferate, more potential crops are coming into the scene.

Sunflowers in the Philippines
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is an annual plant that belongs to the family of Asteraceae and is native in North and South America. Although it is not commonly grown in the Philippines, it can thrive in its soil. The giant sunflowers (grows up to 12 feet with head up to 3 inches wide) are native in the eastern United States. The common and recommended variety of sunflower in the Philippines is the hybrid type, which grows up to 105 days after planting.

There's a reason why they are called the sun-loving flowers. Sunflower is a classic example of heliotropism, or the involuntary response of plant to the sun. It turns its head directly to face the sun and reorients overnight to wait for the rising of the sunrise. So, early dawn, looking at them in a vast area of a sunflower field, they look all drooped and weak.

Sunflowers in the Philippines are grown for ornamental purposes and for its edible oil. Specifically, at Central Luzon State University (CLSU), they have been growing sunflower since early 70s, mainly for its edible oil. Sunflower oil, extracted from the seeds, is used for cooking. Its oil is less expensive (and heathier) than olive oil. Its fatty acid content is composed of high oleic type that contains higher level of healthy monosaturated fats.

At the moment, CLSU is reviving its sunflower production not for the edible oil but for biofuel. The sunflower seeds contain 36-42% oil and 38% protein meal.

Growing sunflowers
According to the group of researchers from CLSU, the best time for planting sunflower is from October to January for the first crop and February to May for the second crop.

To grow sunflower well, the area for planting should have good irrigation facilities. A moderate to well-drained soil is the basic soil requirement. The group added that, soil used in growing corn, rice, and vegetable is also suitable for sunflower production.

It is important to prepare the land before planting sunflowers. The recommended system of planting is single row with 75 cm space between rows and 25 cm between mounds. Seeding rate is 18-20 kg/ha given that there are 2-3 seeds with 3-4 cm depth for each mound. It is important to thin and off-bar, 14 days after the emergence of plants and to hill-up after 30 days.

Although chemical control is recommended, proper use must always take into consideration. Wilted plants must be burned immediately to avoid further complications. Bees are also important in increasing seed setting up to 20% since they act as pollinators.

-------
Sources:
Agustin, M.B., Q.D. dela Cruz, and T.M. Aganon. 2007. “Technoguide for Sunflower Production for Biofuel” Central Luzon State University, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.
“APEC Symposium on Foresighting Future Fuel Technology: Future Strategies for Biofuel Roadmap”
“Brazilian Agricultural Experts Learn to Transform Sunflowers into Biofuel”
“Biofuel Boating News” posted December 2005.
www.bar.gov.ph

Pricey Chemicals Gleaned From Biodiesel Waste

In a move that promises to change the economics of biodiesel refining, chemical engineers at Rice University have unveiled a set of techniques for cleanly converting problematic biofuels waste into chemicals that fetch a profit.

The latest research is available online in the journal Metabolic Engineering. The new paper and others published earlier this year describe a new fermentation process that allows E. coli and other enteric bacteria to convert glycerin -- the major waste byproduct of biodiesel production -- into formate, succinate and other valuable organic acids.

"Biodiesel producers used to sell their leftover glycerin, but the rapid increase in biodiesel production has left them paying to get rid of it," said lead researcher Ramon Gonzalez, Rice's William W. Akers Assistant Professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. "The new metabolic pathways we have uncovered paved the way for the development of new technologies for converting this waste product into high-value chemicals."

About one pound of glycerin, also known as glycerol, is created for every 10 pounds of biodiesel produced. According to the National Biodiesel Board, U.S. companies produced about 450 million gallons of biodiesel in 2007, and about 60 new plants with a production capacity of 1.2 billion gallons are slated to open by 2010.

Gonzalez's team last year announced a new method of glycerol fermentation that used E. coli to produce ethanol, another biofuel. Even though the process was very efficient, with operational costs estimated to be about 40 percent less that those of producing ethanol from corn, Gonzalez said new fermentation technologies that produce high-value chemicals like succinate and formate hold even more promise for biodiesel refiners because those chemicals are more profitable than ethanol.

"With fundamental research, we have identified the pathways and mechanisms that mediate glycerol fermentation in E. coli," Gonzalez said. "This knowledge base is enabling our efforts to develop new technologies for converting glycerol into high-value chemicals."

Gonzalez said scientists previously believed that the only organisms that could ferment glycerol were those capable of producing a chemical called 1,3-propanediol, also known as 1,3-PDO. Unfortunately, neither the bacterium E. coli nor the yeast Saccharomyces -- the two workhorse organisms of biotechnology -- were able to produce 1,3-PDO.

Gonzalez's research revealed a previously unknown metabolic pathway for glycerol fermentation, a pathway that uses 1,2-PDO, a chemical similar to 1,3-PDO, that E. coli can produce.

"The reason this probably hadn't been discovered before is that E. coli requires a particular set of fermentation conditions for this pathway to be activated," Gonzalez said. "It wasn't easy to zero in on these conditions, so it wasn't the sort of process that someone would stumble upon by accident."

Once the new metabolic pathways were identified, Gonzalez's team began using metabolic engineering to design new versions of E. coli that could produce a range of high-value products. For example, while run-of-the-mill E. coli ferments glycerol to produce very little succinate, Gonzalez's team has created a new version of the bacterium that produces up to 100 times more. Succinate is a high-demand chemical feedstock that's used to make everything from noncorrosive airport deicers and nontoxic solvents to plastics, drugs and food additives. Most succinate today comes from nonrenewable fossil fuels.

Gonzalez said he's had similar success with organisms designed to produce other high-value chemicals, including formate and lactate.

"Our goal goes beyond using this for a single process," he said. "We want to use the technology as a platform for the 'green' production of a whole range of high-value products."

Technologies based on Gonzalez's work have been licensed to Glycos Biotechnologies Inc., a Houston-based startup company that plans to open its first demonstration facility within the next 12 months.

The research was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, Rice University and Glycos Biotechnologies.

Biofuels: Muddled issues

By Corazon PB. Claudio

MANILA, Philippines--Despite the raging debate on the pros and cons of biofuels, some countries are fast increasing their biofuel production.

The European Union, the largest market for biofuels, aims to make biofuels account for 5.75 percent of its transport fuels by 2010 and 10 percent by 2020. In the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Thailand is expected to be the region's leading producer of biofuels.

What should we do in the Philippines? Biofuels are part of the uncertain energy and food environment that demands serious decision making. It involves the views and preferences of many decision makers and stakeholders, from farmers to top policy makers.

Decisions taken now may have long-run implications on the use of lands and other resources.

For similar important cases beset with uncertainty, most big corporations in the world apply decision analysis. In applying it, we must first define the values and preferences of the decision maker (or the group of stakeholders), specify the decisions to be made and identify the alternatives.

The relevant values and preferences in this case could be a) increased income for farmers through agricultural development; b) sustainable and secure food, feeds and fuel sources; and c) greening of the environment by using cleaner fuel.

Issues
Reacting to the rice crisis, some legislators now call for suspension of the implementation of the Biofuels Act of 2006, which mandates the progressive production and use of biofuels. This is one decision point that is clouded by uncertainty.

The most important issues associated with biofuels are rural poverty, food security, energy security and the food vs. fuel issue.

Various groups in other parts of the world have been studying these issues. We can refer to the results of their studies, since we have not done our own in a significant way.

One ongoing study is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at Stanford University. The research team includes Prof. Walter Falcon, former chair of IRRI, who kindly shared with me an initial report on their research.

Their policy research on the food vs. fuel issue involves a quantitative assessment of the effect of biofuels expansion on food security in the developing world.

Rural poverty and food security
The Stanford study concluded that "it is likely that aggregate investments in agricultural development at the national or regional level will be more successful in reducing rural poverty than individual biofuels investments by specific companies or groups."

Hence, to achieve "increased income for farmers through agricultural development" and "food security," we need to invest more in agricultural development, including sustainable technologies and infrastructure for food production and marketing and smallholder farmers' access to land, capital, credit and technology.

The investments must also ensure availability of water, which is essential to food production, but is now the subject of another crisis.

Biofuels may not help much in achieving increased income of farmers. But suspending the Biofuels Law will not help raise incomes or secure food supply. Adequate investments in agricultural development will most likely do both.

Energy Security
Energy security is a major issue facing us. In applying decision analysis on energy supply, the availability and price of imported fuel are uncertain variables that we cannot control. We can only adopt measures to adjust to them.

We need to focus on what we can control. Producing our own fuel, such as biofuels, is one of them. How to do so is the challenge that requires work.

We need to attend also to energy demand, e.g., by applying energy conservation measures. Biofuels production that provides for active participation of local people could also lead to improved demand management.

Food versus Fuel
The issue seems to boil down to what crop to plant for biofuel and where, so that it will not compete with food needs.

We still have many underutilized lands so I will focus more on the crop. Emerging crop choices in the Philippines are coconut (which is already being used for biodiesel production), sugar cane (which will be the feedstock for a bioethanol plant that will soon operate in Negros), sweet sorghum (which the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics recommends as major feedstock for bioethanol), jatropha (which receives priority government attention), and malunggay (which can produce oil for both food and fuel). All, except jatropha, have food, feed and fuel uses. Algae and waste biomass, which are gaining more interest in other countries, can also be produced in the Philippines.

Some major considerations in choosing a feedstock are energy yield of a crop, production costs and returns, effects on farmers and employment and impact on the environment (on soil, water, biodiversity, land use, and climate).

Preliminary results of the Stanford study have concluded that the effects of biofuels on food prices can be traced through the responsiveness of supply and demand of the crops to prices (which depends on substitution possibilities in production and consumption for food, feed and fuel), the ability of countries to expand land area and raise yields for biofuel feedstock, market integration between the biofuels and fossil fuels markets and policy incentives.

Recommendations
The long-run effects, the study says, depend on changing incomes, tastes, biofuels research and development, and infrastructure investments.

The EU hopes to achieve its goals by cultivating more land, increasing land productivity and crop quality with modern plant breeding techniques and biotechnology, and focusing on the production of biofuels from cellulose and agricultural waste (the second generation fuels) instead of starch, sugar and oils (the first generation ones).

How do we hope to achieve ours?

First, we must strengthen our research and development capability so that we can analyze existing biofuel alternatives, create new ones and give well-thought out responses to issues raised. We must mobilize our best scientists and provide them with adequate laboratory and other facilities so they can help create new or improved fuel, as well as food and feed, sources and systems.

The ripple effects of biofuels on food security, as the initial Stanford report concludes, depend on the country and its policies. In our country, we must improve our policy making, conduct more rigorous decision analysis, and act faster. We must invest more in agricultural development now if we want to achieve food security.

It is not clear what difference suspension of the implementation of the Biofuels Act will make. But if the approved Biofuels Act is flawed to begin with, we should, perhaps, suspend law-making until such time that more thinking goes into it.

(The author is president of EARTH Institute Asia Inc. and director/host of dzRH's Kalikasan, Kaunlaran!, which will feature biofuels on May 21, 7:30- 8:30 p.m. A Balik-Scientist and TOWNS Awardee for Science and Technology Energy Program in the late '80s. Feedback at map@globelines.com.ph. For previous articles, please visit .)

AF&V Conference and Alternative Fuels Steer the Transition to the Future of Transportation

Las Vegas, NV, March 31, 2008 - Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute hosts the14th annual Alternative Fuels & Vehicles Conference + Expo 2008, in Las Vegas, Nevada, May 11-14. The fuel and technology neutral conference welcomes 2,000 public and commercial fleet decision-makers to the foremost learning marketplace in the world featuring the fuels, vehicles and technologies available today that provide an alternative to fossil fuels. Fifty sessions feature many of the leading decision-makers in alternative fuels and technologies, representing vehicle manufacturers, fuel suppliers,
government agencies and parts manufacturers. Session topics include legislation, funding, product availability, plug-in hybrids, ports, EPA engine standards, biofuels updates, electric drive advances, and tours of Las Vegas city, transit, water district and taxi operation facilities.


"We are at a crossroads in the history of transportation," said AFVi
Executive Director, Annalloyd Thomason. "Fossil fuel based mobility is giving way to new demands for greater fuel efficiency, cleaner vehicles, and alternatives to petroleum. Those hardest hit are the fleet managers trying to navigate this new terrain. This conference presents the available options that will steer us to our transportation future."

More than 200 speakers will be making presentations in the general and concurrent sessions, as well as in Expo Hall's "Technology Showcase." Among the companies represented by speakers are AutoblogGreen, California Fuel Cell Partnership, Central Indiana Clean Cities Alliance, Edmunds.com, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Environmental Protection Agency, Google, Navy Exchange Arlington, Odyne, Pacific Gas & Electric, UPS, VeraSun Energy, and spokespeople from all participating auto manufacturers.

Conference sponsors and exhibitors represent the products and services that define the industry today. The leading sponsors include the American Clean Skies Foundation, Clean Energy, American Honda, Foton America Bus Company, General Motors and Toyota. Some of the 100 participating exhibitors include Austin Energy Plug-in Partners, Cummins Westport, Ethanol Promotion and Information Council, Ford, Freightliner, Global Electric Motorcars, National Biodiesel Board, Phoenix Motorcars, Propane Education and Research Council, and Sterling Trucks. Technology Showcase presentations and giveaways also take place in the Expo Hall. Attendees have an opportunity to test drive vehicles during the May 13 Ride-n-Drive.

Fleet Day, sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council, is Tuesday, May 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Any fleet representative with ten or more vehicles is eligible for complimentary admission, with a company business card. The general public is invited to participate at no charge on Wednesday, May 14, for Public Day. The hours are 9:00 a.m. to noon at the Rio Convention Center Pavilion.

The Alternative Fuels & Vehicles Conference & Expo 2008 is at the Rio All-Suite Hotel, 3700 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. Pre-registration is open through May 2, 2008. Register today by going to http://www.afvi.org/NationalConference2008/.

About AFVi:

AFVi is an entrepreneurial organization that works through industry to bring people in need of proven transportation technologies together with those who can meet their needs. The AFVi is the education provider and information link between the alternative fuels and vehicles industry and public/private fleets. The primary business of the company is to advance the interests of OEMs, fuel providers and their associated business partners through education, outreach and deployment. AFVi is fuel and technology neutral.

50% CO2 reduction from home-grown biodiesel

Study confirms 50% CO2 reduction from use of home-grown biodiesel

High-quality biodiesel from oilseed rape, grown and produced in the South Island by Biodiesel New Zealand, is sustainable, emitting around 50% less carbon dioxide over its life cycle than mineral diesel. This exceeds the 35% criteria proposed by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.
That’s the conclusion of an independent life cycle assessment carried out for the company of greenhouse gas emissions and primary energy for the production of biodiesel from oilseed rape, from the cultivation of the rapeseed, through to oil extraction and the refining and processing of the biodiesel.

Biodiesel New Zealand General Manager, Paul Quinn, says that the company shares concerns expressed yesterday by Dr Jan Wright, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, to the Local Government and Environment Select Committee about the sustainability of biofuels and their true environmental and economic impacts.

“However, as we discussed with the Select Committee last month, biodiesel made from oilseed rape will contribute positively to greenhouse gas reduction targets and can be grown in such as way that it does not displace food production. In fact, oilseed rape has benefits for agriculture as a break crop for cereals, improving cereal yields in following years. The oil extraction process also creates a high-value stock feed which replaces imported material such palm oil husk,” Mr Quinn says.

“We completely understand the issues raised by the PCE and others about the sustainability of biodiesel, which is why we commissioned this independent life cycle analysis of biodiesel, based on New Zealand conditions, as we didn’t believe that studies carried out in other countries would necessarily be applicable here.

“The conclusion of our study is good news for the local industry and confirms that oilseed rape will make a sustainable contribution to our national response to climate change and that it is 55% more energy-efficient than mineral diesel. As a result biodiesel will enhance New Zealand’s energy security through onshore fuel production.

“Biodiesel New Zealand supports the development of a strong and sustainable New Zealand biofuels industry which generates a range of sustainable feedstocks. We can learn from the rest of the world, but we need to learn from the international experience of many years and refine those techniques to ensure that our industry is sustainable and will contribute to the reduction of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions,” Mr Quinn concludes.

Biodiesel New Zealand, a subsidiary of Solid Energy New Zealand Ltd, currently produces biodiesel from used cooking oil and will next year expand production to use oilseed rape as a feedstock. The company currently has 6,000 hectares of oilseed rape planted from which the company expects to produce more than 10 million litres of pure biodiesel after the 2009 harvest. Biodiesel New Zealand plans to produce 70 million litres a year of sustainable transport fuel, made from oilseed rape and used cooking oil, within the next three years. The company will open a new production facility at an industrial site in Christchurch next year.

Source: Solid Energy NZ

HyPower Fuel Releases Details on Ultra-Green Biodiesel Process and HyPower Fuel Limited Partnership Format

WILMINGTON, Del. HyPower Fuel Inc. (Pinksheets: HYPF) is pleased to release details on its newly acquired ultra-green biodiesel process for the North American market.

Mr. Douglas Bender, President of HyPower Fuel, reports that “we firmly believe that our biodiesel process is the world’s most cost-effective and environmentally friendly method of producing biodiesel. Our process uses no water and virtually no hazardous chemicals other than methanol, which is a common denominator in any biodiesel process. Due to the fact that we use no chemicals in pre-treatment, we do not have any phosphates or sulfates which have to be removed. Having no pre-treatment and post-treatment dramatically reduces our input and operating costs. In addition, our reaction time from feedstock to a biodiesel product meeting ASTM standards is approximately two hours. These are all major improvements over conventional biodiesel technologies.”

Doug Bender went on to say that “our small scale biodiesel plant has been a virtual gold mine in providing a Proof of Technology and in displaying how the process works to interested parties. All visitors who have seen the plant in operation have been extremely impressed and we are now fielding proposals for use of our technology within the HyPower Fuels Limited Partnership (HFLP) format that we have developed. Essentially the HFLP format is a joint venture that provides for HyPower to provide the technology and technical expertise in return for a 50% ownership of biodiesel plants built using our “best in class” technology. The remaining 50% would be owned by our funding partner. Each plant built under the HFLP format would provide a positive revenue stream to HyPower in terms of royalties, technical fees, construction fees and operating profits. We have received a number of expressions of interest from major entities wishing to be a partner for one or more plants using the HFLP format.”

About HyPower Fuel Inc.

HyPower Fuel, Inc. is a category leading company in the energy technology sector, focusing on providing innovative alternative energy using environmentally beneficial processes. HyPower is currently commercializing the integration of green alternative fuel technologies to improve overall energy performance and efficiency. For more information please visit: www.hypowerfuel.com

Safe Harbor

Statements about the Company's future expectations and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors created thereby. The above information contains information relating to the Company that is based on the beliefs of the Company and/or its management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company or its management. Factors that could cause results to differ include, but are not limited to, successful performance of internal plans, the impact of competitive services and pricing and general economic risks and uncertainties.

Investor Relations:
Taylor Capitol, Inc.
Stephen Taylor, 973-351-3868
STEPHTAYL9@AOL.COM

Tellurian Biodiesel Acquires Superior Process Technologies

07 Feb 2008 - Tellurian Biodiesel, independent maker and marketer of sustainable high-quality biodiesel, announced an agreement to acquire Superior Process Technologies (SPT) from Baker Commodities.

Early to identify the emerging opportunity for biodiesel in the U.S., Baker Commodities invested in SPT in December 2003 to develop technology for the conversion of rendered materials into high-quality biodiesel. Tellurian has been collaborating with Baker and SPT on the construction and upgrade of biodiesel plants since 2006.

Engineering expertise and technology acquired in the deal positions Tellurian to move forward with plans for a nationwide network of plants capable of converting America's abundance of recycled feedstocks and other domestic fats and oils into biodiesel that exceeds both ASTM and EN quality specifications.

The new deal also gives Tellurian the technology to turn low-grade raw materials into high-quality fuels at prices that can compete with petrodiesel.

SPT will serve as Tellurian's engineering department, and Tellurian will continue to offer Baker access to research and development that assist its ongoing efforts in the field. All current SPT employees will be kept on to continue development of innovative process technologies needed to convert commonly available and new, unique bio-based feedstocks such as algae oil and trap grease into renewable fuels.

Cognis Extends its Patented Biodiesel Testing System to Diesel Distributors

Results-in-two-minutes will Help Diesel Distributors Quickly Test and Better Price Every Load of its Biodiesel Blends

Cognis Corporation, through its QTA® System business, recently announced that it has successfully developed a BioDiesel Blend Analysis that, in just two minutes, can accurately measure biodiesel percentages in biodiesel-diesel blends.

Cincinnati, OH. January 30, 2008 -- Cognis Corporation, through its QTA® System business, recently announced that it has successfully developed a BioDiesel Blend Analysis that, in just two minutes, can accurately measure biodiesel percentages in biodiesel-diesel blends. Long known for its ability to accurately test the quality of biodiesel production, the QTA System can now quickly and economically determine the blend percentages for each diesel load leaving a distribution facility.

Barbara Stefl, Global Business Director, said, "Much like the quality testing process currently used in our customer's biodiesel production plants, just a small drop of diesel fuel is all it takes to determine whether the fuel you are selling was properly blended and accurately priced given its biodiesel concentration. And, because the QTA System can measure the blend concentration of a fuel load in just two minutes, you have time to change pricing or adjust the blend percentage before the load leaves the terminal. Our approach does not require a lab or a chemist to operate."

Cognis' QTA patented BioDiesel Blend Analysis starts by digitizing the light spectra of the diesel fuel using proven infrared technology. Those spectra are then sent, via the internet, to Cognis' central database where algorithms converts the spectra, in real-time, into standard quality measurements or percentage measurements that are viewed online. All this occurs in less than two minutes.

Cognis' QTA system is offered on a subscription basis and does not require any capital investment. The monthly subscription includes an easy-to-use infrared spectrometer, software for a standard PC and unlimited use of Cognis' Chingometric™ centrally-calibrated algorithms that covert the light spectra into actionable information.

Cognis QTA will be conducting real-time demonstrations of its new BioDiesel Blend and its BioDiesel Quality Testing System at the National BioDiesel Conference & Expo on February 3-6 in Orlando, Florida.

About QTA®
QTA® is a service business of Cognis Corporation -a worldwide supplier of innovative specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients, with a particular focus on the areas of wellness and sustainability. The company employs about 7,700 people, and it operates production sites and service centers in 30 countries. Cognis' QTA® business provides on-site, ready-to-use analytical capabilities without additional investment in equipment or personnel. Patented, centralized calibration technology enhances accuracy. For more information on the QTA® system, visit http://www.qta.com .

Cognis is owned by private equity funds advised by Permira, GS Capital Partners, and SV Life Sciences. In 2006, Cognis recorded sales of 3.37 billion euros and an Adjusted EBITDA (operating result) of 394 million euros.

Making BioDiesel

This article is taken from www.schnews.org.uk. Reprinted here. Read and Enjoy.

- It’s a piece of piss

There’s nothing we like more at SchNEWS towers than a spot of DIY, be it a pint of homebrew or a free party. But one piece of DIY that we reckon is up there with free parties is home made diesel.

Yep, forget about handing your hard-earned coffers over to the corrupt, greedy and killing corporations like Shell and BP, take a squeezy bottle, a piece of sticky backed plastic and make your own biodiesel. No seriously, biodiesel is a fuel made from waste vegetable oil, of which there is literally tons of the stuff being dumped in landfill sites up and down the country! This otherwise waste is easily collected from chip shops and restaurants and without too much hassle processed to make biodiesel that can be used to run any diesel engine. Biodiesel, far from being an inferior homemade product, is better for your engine than the usual crappy fossil-based fuel that is helping to screw up the environment and people’s health. Biodiesel can be made in your own backyard with little start up cost involved and works out at about 30 pence per litre. Wanna know more? Then read on.

Let’s first rewind and go back to the beginning of the 1900s where Dr Rudolf Diesel has just invented the diesel engine and is displaying it at the Paris exhibition. Sat right there is the mother of all diesel engines happily chugging away running on peanut oil! Rudolf had designed the Diesel engine to be run a variety of fuels and during his Paris speech said, "the diesel engine can be fed with vegetable oils and will help considerably in the development of the agriculture of the countries which use it." Sounds good for developing countries but not so good for the petroleum industry. A few years later and Rudolf Diesel’s body is found drifting face down in the English Channel. After holding secret talks with the UK navy about fitting diesel engines into their submarine fleet Rudolf Diesel was killed by the French to stop his diesel technology being fitted into submarines over the world, nothing new there then! After Diesel’s death the petroleum industry capitalised on the diesel engine by naming one of their crappy by-products of petroleum distillation ‘diesel fuel’. That’s how dirty diesel fuel has come to be the fuel for diesel engines.

Fast-forward to the beginning of a brave new millennium, one where oil is running out, the climate is fucked and Biodiesel can save the world, well no but it can do its bit!

A few facts on biodiesel

Biodiesel is biodegradable and non-toxic. 100% biodiesel is as biodegradable as sugar and less toxic than table salt. It biodegrades up-to four times faster than petroleum diesel fuel with up-to 98% biodegradation in three weeks. However, contrary to a popular misconception, it stores indefinitely in completely full, cool, dark containers. Compared to crappy fossil fuel diesel, biodiesel has the following emissions characteristics:

* 100% reduction of net carbon dioxide
* 100% reduction of sulphur dioxide
* 40-60% reduction of soot emissions
* 10-50% reduction of carbon monoxide
* a reduction of all polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and specifically the reduction of the following carcinogenic PAHs:
* phenanthren by 97%
* benxofloroanthen by 56%
* benz-a-pyrene by 71%
* aldehydes and aromatic compounds by 13%
* 5-10% reduction of nitrous oxide depending on age and tuning of vehicle.

For every one ton of fossil fuel burnt, 3 tons of CO2 is released into the atmosphere, biodiesel only releases the CO2 that it has taken in while the plants it is made from were growing, therefore there is no negative impact on the carbon cycle.

How to build a single tank biodiesel processor

Firstly though, we have to say that our biodiesel expert is not longer involved in SchNEWS so we are not able to offer any advice or further information on the subject further than what's here. There are websites listed at the bottom of the page which contain loads more info. Please don't email us asking questions about biodiesel as we won't be able to help.

Equipment required

* 45 gallon drum.
* 1/2 or 3/4 Hp electric motor.
* Two pulleys which produce 250 rpm and a max of 750 rpm at mixer blade.
* A belt for the above.
* 12 inch rolled steel rod.
* Two steel shelf brackets (for the blade).
* 1 1/2 inch (38mm) brass ball valve.
* A hinge and a spring to act as a belt tensioned.
* 2000-watt electric water heater element.
* A water heater thermostat.
* 1 1/2 diameter piece of steel pipe * 3-5 inches long with male threads on one end.
* Assorted tat: angle iron, wood, screws etc.

Assembly

1. Cut a large opening (about half the top) in the top of the steel drum.
2. Drill 11/2-inch hole in the bottom of the drum.
3. Weld the 1 1/2-diameter pipe in the hole at the bottom of the drum.
4. Attach the 1 1/2-inch brass ball valve to the pipe. This is the drain valve.
5. Drill a hole in the side of the drum at the bottom, same size as the heater element.
6. Fit the heater element making sure it is not touching the side of the drum.
7. Wire up the heater element.

Chemical mixer

1. Attach one pulley to the rolled steel rod.
2. Attach the other pulley to the spindle of the electric motor.
3. Weld the propeller to the other end of the rolled steel rod (shelf brackets).
4. Attach the rod, pulley and propeller assembly to one side of the hinge.
5. Weld a piece of angle iron across the top of the drum.
6. Weld the unattached side of the hinge to the angle iron so the propeller and rod assembly sits in the middle of the drum. The hinge should swing the propeller and rod back and forth.
7. Mount the electric motor on the side of the drum.
8. Fit the belt to the pulleys and tighten by wedging a block of wood into the hinge.

You also need to fashion a simple wooden measuring stick with 10 litre increments.

Other bits and bobs

A hydrometer is a good piece of kit to have to measure the specific gravity of the biodiesel. The specific gravity of biodiesel should be between 0.860 and 0.900, usually 0.880. The specific gravity of vegetable oil is 0.920 therefore the specific gravity of biodiesel should be lower than the vegetable oil used to make the biodiesel.

How to make biodiesel

Every time you make a new batch of biodiesel using old vegetable oil you have to find out the amount of reactants required to get the correct reaction, this process is know as titration. In addition to the above equipment you will also need the following equipment:

Petri dish
20 ml beaker
1500 ml beaker
500 ml beaker
Isopropyl alcohol
A graduated eye dropper
Litmus paper
Blender with a glass bowl.
Methanol
Used cooking oil
Sodium Hydroxide

Titration

Step 1 Titration: to determine the quantity of catalyst required

1. Measure 1 gram of Sodium Hydroxide onto a petri dish
2. Measure 1 Lt. of distilled water into a 1500 ml beaker.
3. Pour the 1 gram of Sodium Hydroxide into the 1 Lt. of distilled water
4. Label ‘do not drink Sodium Hydroxide’
5. Measure 10 ml of isopropyl alcohol into a 20ml beaker
6. Dissolve 1ml of used vegetable oil into the isopropyl alcohol.
7. Label oil/alcohol.
8. Use the graduated eye dropper to drop 1 millilitre of Sodium Hydroxide /water solution into the oil/alcohol solution
9. After 1 millilitre of Sodium Hydroxide /water solution is added check the pH
10. Repeat steps 8&9 until the oil/alcohol reaches a pH of between 8&9. The pH increase will usually occur suddenly. Usually no more than 3 millilitres of Sodium Hydroxide /water solution will need to be added.
11. Use the following equation: · the number of millilitres of the Sodium Hydroxide/water solution dropped into the oil/alcohol mixture = x · (x+3.5)=N

· N= the number of grams of Sodium Hydroxide required to neutralise and react 1 Litre of used vegetable oil.

· N will be between 4.5-6.5, but it can be higher if the oil has been used for a long time.

Step 2. Measure the reactants

Measure the reactants in separate containers

1 Litre of filtered used oil into a 1500ml beaker

200 ml of methanol into a 500 ml beaker

N grams of Sodium Hydroxide onto a petri dish

Step 3. Dissolve the Sodium Hydroxide into the Methanol

The third step is to combine the methanol with the Sodium Hydroxide to create sodium methoxide, an extremely strong base. Once the Sodium Hydroxide has been dissolved in the methanol, the sodium methoxide must be mixed with the vegetable oil straight away.

· Carefully pour the methanol into the blender, any spills must be cleaned immediately with a water and vinegar solution.

· Carefully pour the Sodium Hydroxide into the blender

· Replace the lid of the blender and blend on the lowest setting for 30 seconds, until the Sodium Hydroxide has dissolved. Sodium methoxide has been produced and caution must be exercised

Step 4. Mix the reactants

· Remove the lid of the blender keeping your face well away from the top of the blender

· carefully pour the vegetable oil into the blender

· Place the lid on the blender and blend on a medium/high setting for 15 minutes. If the bowl or the blender motor get over hot switch off the blender and leave until cooled down sufficiently to continue again.

Step 5. Allow the glycerine to settle

Settling takes about 8 hours but since 75% of the separation occurs within the first hour after the reaction immediate separation will be visible. Within 8 hours the glycerine will have fallen to the bottom leaving a layer on top, this is methyl esters, or more commonly referred to as biodiesel

Step 6. Separation

After blending the contents can either be transferred into a 1500ml container with a stopcock or left in the blender for at least 8 hours.

Step 7. Clean up

Store the leftover used vegetable oil in a dry cool place

Clean all the equipment so it is ready to use again

Expose the glycerine to air and sunlight for 1 week and then use as soap.

Pour the biodiesel into your fuel tank and laugh like fuck!

So there you have it, fuel from vegetable oil. Of course this is only one method of making biodiesel, there are many recipes for making biodiesel just take a look through the web sites at the end of this article. Don’t be fooled into thinking that biodiesel is anything but a serious contender in the alternative fuels market, throughout the world there are commercial processors being built to supply a rapidly emerging market. The UK government however, has chosen to ignore biodiesel, this is their mistake and something we can capitalise on. Let’s start making biodiesel and get production down to the local small scale level with co-operatives and individuals supplying all our needs while taking power away from the mega-corporations.

For more information on biodiesel check out www.planetfuels.co.uk rather than emailing us (please, you wouldn't believe how many people do email us) - we're no experts, unfortunately. Alternatively the first book on the following website (LILI: how to make biodiesel by Dan Carter & Jon Halle) has been recommended to us: www.lowimpact.org/acatalog/books_biodiesel.html The Low Impact Living Initiative website also has other information and equipment for biodiesel and other related topics.

Other Useful web sites:

www.biodieselcommunity.org
www.biodieselfuelonline.com
www.lazymansguideto.com/Making-Biodiesel.html
www.veggievan.org
www.dancingrabbit.org/biodiesel

Philippine biodiesel meets international standards

By Abigail L. Ho, Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines -- Initial tests on locally produced biodiesel have yielded positive results, indicating that the Philippines can produce jatropha-based biodiesel that meets international standards.

PNOC Alternative Fuels Corp.’s jatropha-based biodiesel, tested in collaboration with the Technological University of the Philippines and Chemrez Technologies Inc., met both European and American Biodiesel Standards, according to data from PNOC-AFC.

The tests included jatropha oil and methyl ester production and characterization, development of high-value products, and actual performance testing of jatropha methyl ester.

“And the variety we used for that test wasn’t even the best variety we have found so far,” PNOC-AFC president and chief executive Peter Anthony Abaya said.

In preparation for commercial production, he said PNOC-AFC and the Department of Science and Technology were still conducting tests on which variety of jatropha would be best for propagation.

The pool has so far been narrowed to six local varieties.

Based on initial trends, on the fourth year or by 2011, PNOC-AFC could have an annual average yield of 7.5-15 tons of jatropha per hectare and that 1,000-1,400 seeds will be needed to produce a kilo of jatropha.

The oil extraction rate ranged from 30-40 percent on varieties taken from the southern city of General Santos and the provinces of Saranggani, Davao, Palawan, Batangas, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Camarines Sur and Sorsogon.

Before establishing commercial plantations, PNOC-AFC aims to put in place a 1,500-hectare nursery from which the seedlings for the plantations will come.

It then hopes to develop, together with private sector partners, 700,000 hectares of jatropha plantations -- 140,000 hectares this year, another 250,000 hectares next year and another 310,000 hectares in 2010.

In terms of actual jatropha-based biodiesel, PNOC-AFC envisions production of 100,000 metric tons next year, 400,000 in 2010 and 500,000 in 2011.