Inside Bay Area - Man makes biodiesel at home

Inside Bay Area - Man makes biodiesel at home: "WITH TRACES of grease glistening on his fingers, Peter Erwin of Berkeley shakes hands before showing off an accomplishment that took 18 months � a series of experiments in welding, plumbing and electricity � and $400 to pull off: his own home biodiesel factory.
Everybody talks about high gas prices, but Erwin is doing something about it. Once a week or so, he stops off at a Japanese restaurant in Berkeley and picks up about 30 gallons of used cooking oil (It goes from tempura to diesel,' he jokes), brings it home and transforms it into fuel for his car.
The fuel he pumps by hand into his 1984 Mercedes 300TD wagon costs him 50 cents a gallon, Erwin says. In contrast, regular gas is currently selling for $3.20 a gallon in the East Bay and $3.26 a gallon on the Peninsula, according to AAA.
Biodiesel fuel is still a niche alternative, but more consumers are turning to it for economical and environmentalreasons. Biodiesel cars emit 48 percent less carbon monoxide and 70 percent less hydrocarbons than conventional diesel vehicles, according to a 2002 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency study. Particulates � the nasty stuff you inhale when you're stuck behind another vehicle � are cut in half, according to the study. "

Biodiesel company comes full �Circle' North County Times - North San Diego and Southwest Riverside County News - NCTimes.com - Californian.com

Biodiesel company comes full �Circle' North County Times - North San Diego and Southwest Riverside County News - NCTimes.com - Californian.com: "CARDIFF -- In the war for the next American fuel source, Peter Schuh is a foot soldier looking to become a general. Tired of his job designing Web sites, he searched for a way to fight in the battle for American energy efficiency.

What he found were biofuels. So last year, the 33-year-old Cardiff resident tossed aside Web site creation to design biodiesel- and ethanol-making machines. His products could have everyone from the biggest companies to the smallest families running their vehicles on fuel they produce at home.
'It's people creating their own independence from oil companies (and) foreign oil dependence,' he said. 'You won't have the same (energy) struggles when you deal with farmers growing corn in Michigan' as Americans face with foreign oil.

That, Schuh said, was what drove him to create Circle Biodiesel and Ethanol Corp. in Cardiff. His company designs and produces machines for companies and people to make their own biodegradable fuels, like biodiesel and ethanol. Schuh got the idea for Circle Biodiesel from a Berkeley street fair two years ago. When his father and company senior vice president, Allen Schuh, told him about biofuels and the fair, Peter had plenty of doubts.

'I was trying to punch holes in the whole idea and I couldn't,' Peter said. 'I haven't been able to shake this since.'"

Biodiesel Magazine

Biodiesel Magazine: "Methanol Institute issues biodiesel report
The Arlington, Va.-based Methanol Institute, in collaboration with the worldwide International Fuel Quality Center, released a report titled, �A Biodiesel Primer: Market and Public Policy Developments, Quality, Standards and Handling� in April. �People in the emerging biodiesel industry are looking for basic information, particularly information on proper handling and management of chemical feedstocks,� said Greg Dolan, Methanol Institute�s vice president for communications and policy. The report also addresses use and production of the fuel on a global scale. Methanol is used in biodiesel production during pretreatment and the transesterification process. The report is available at www.methanol.org. "

eBay.co.uk: biodiesel biofuel Oil Seed Jatropha Curcas Seed (item 170005867020 end time 15-Jul-06 00:21:49 BST)

eBay.co.uk: biodiesel biofuel Oil Seed Jatropha Curcas Seed (item 170005867020 end time 15-Jul-06 00:21:49 BST): "20 Jatropha curcas seed

Easy to establish, grows quickly, hardy and requires minimum care
It grows in flood-free wasteland. In fertile land it gives higher yields. It can grow almost on any type of soil whether gravelly, sandy or saline and thrives even on the poorest stony soils

We can supply bulk quantity of Jatropha seeds with 80 % germination and with minimum 37%+ oil content
seed cut open you can see full of oil
The seeds of Jatropha curcas yield an inedible oil that is the source of Biodiesel fuel.
After extraction, the oil can be processed into the biodiesel that can be used alone or as a mixture with petrodiesel "

Duty exemption on import of biodiesel P&M planned

Duty exemption on import of biodiesel P&M planned: "MUMBAI, JULY 12: The Centre, in a serious bid to promote biodiesel, proposes to provide slew of concessions. The central government is actively considering exemption in customs duty on import of plant and machinery required for biodiesel production, waiver in excise duty on indigenous plant and machinery and extending research and development (R&D) tax incentives to biodiesel industry as in the case of pharmaceuticals and offer tax holidy for biodiesel manufacturing units for a minimum period of five years.
Moreover, the government is exploring an option of offering excise duty concession on the biodiesel-blended diesel on the lines of earlier policy on gasoline-ethanol blends to offset the extra cost incurred by oil companies"

Today's Trucking: The Online Business Resource for Canada's Trucking Industry

Today's Trucking: The Online Business Resource for Canada's Trucking Industry: "VANCOUVER -- A new study by University of Minnesota researchers says soybean-based fuel blends are a vastly better choice than biofuel produced from corn.
The study is described as the most detailed examination to date of the energy costs associated with production of biofuels such as biodiesel, which is basically a non-toxic, animal or plant oil-based fuel that can be burned in any standard, unmodified diesel engine in pure form (B100) or in a blend with petroleum diesel.
The controversial study, which could have an impact on both soybean and corn producers, concludes that soybean biodiesel nets 93 percent more energy than what's required to produce it, while corn-based ethanol nets just 23 percent more energy, CanWest News reports.

Another study finds biodiesel has a net energy production gain
-- but benefits not enough to base alternate industry around
Additionally, Soybean biodiesel is also said to have lower environmental impacts -- emitting 99 percent less nitrogen, 93 percent less phosphorus, and 87 percent less pesticide into drinking water supplies during crop production. "

Biodiesel Alternative Energy

Biodiesel Alternative Energy: "Biodiesel is HOT right now...
If Alternative Energy is what you want, then...
It's a darn shame you buy so much expensive electricity from your local electric company, when Jeff, Timothy, and Jean make their own using biodiesel! This fantastic eBook will show you how to set up your own electric company running on biodiesel fuel in your back yard. Make sure you read about the FREE BONUSES (methane, free energy notes, and solar energy) at the end of this letter.
Read on..."

Biodiesel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Biodiesel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Biodiesel refers to a diesel-equivalent, processed fuel derived from biological sources. Though derived from biological sources, it's a processed fuel that can be readily used in diesel-engined vehicles, which distinguishes biodiesel from the straight vegetable oils (SVO) or waste vegetable oils (WVO) used as fuels in some modified diesel vehicles.
In this article's context, biodiesel refers to alkyl esters made from the transesterification of both vegetable oils and/or animal fats. Biodiesel is biodegradable and non-toxic, and has significantly fewer emissions than petroleum-based diesel when burned. Biodiesel functions in current diesel engines, and is a possible candidate to replace fossil fuels as the world's primary transport energy source.
Biodiesel can be distributed using today's infrastructure, and its use and production is increasing rapidly. Fuel stations are beginning to make biodiesel available to consumers, and a growing number of transport fleets use it as an additive in their fuel. Biodiesel is generally more expensive to purchase than petroleum diesel, but can be made at home for much cheaper than either. This differential may diminish due to economies of scale, the rising cost of petroleum and government tax subsidies."