From The Workbench - Alternative + Renewable Energy Blog Valuable information for do-it-yourselfers interested in the latest in alternative + renewable energy

Let’s be honest with ourselves for a moment and finally admit that when it comes to the world of alternative energy fuels, we don’t know half as much as we probably should.  There is no shame in admitting it, I’ll be the first to say that I could probably use a primer, an update course on the in’s and out’s of biodiesel.  Given the fact that the landscape of the biodiesel world is ever changing, I think it’s wise we all freshen up.

Good news, I found just the refresher course, from a very awesome source.  So, without further ado on this fine Wednesday, check out 25 things you need to know about biodiesel.  Numbers 1-19 are all the things that are RIGHT about them, while 20-25 are all the other sides of that coin.  It’s always good to play devil’s advocate, right?  As always, head over and check out the full article for more details:

1. “Biodiesels are more available than you may realize
   A lot of people resist the idea of a biofuels simply out of fear of not being able to find any in their area. Well take a look around, you might be very surprised how common biofuel is. Two great maps to search for alternative fuels are Mapmuse and Mapquest.
2. Biodiesel is environmentally friendly
   Biodiesel contains a gentle formula which does not cause near as much harm to the environment as conventional diesel fuel does.
3. Biodiesel can help reduce dependency on foreign oil
   Folks are always wondering how to reduce their dependency on foreign oil, but until the electric vehicle becomes widespread, our options are very slim. Some of the most popular options include walking and biking, but if you need to drive, biodiesel is an effective way to get away from the foreign oil market without changing your lifestyle drastically.
4. Biodiesel helps lubricate the engine by reducing wear
   Biodiesel with its high concentrations of vegetable oil, enables the moving metal mechanical parts in the engine to be constantly bathed in lubrication. This essentially slows the process of diesel engine wear and its eventual failure. Discovery’s How stuff Works estimates that biodiesel in concentrations of no more than 1 percent are able to increase fuel lubricity by as much as 65 percent.
5. Biodiesel cleans the engine
   Biofuels are a much more effective solvent than conventional diesel fuel. They help to loosen deposits inside the engine which could potentially cause clogs. This results in a better running engine in less need of major mechanical maintenance. But for this very reason you will need to change your fuel filter on a regular basis, but we will get to that in fact #20.
6. Biodiesel increases engine life
   Since pure biodiesel leaves no deposits of its own, it actual is able to increase the typical diesel engine’s life substantially.
7. Biodiesel can be used in almost any diesel with little or no engine modification
   A common misconception is that engine modification is needed in order to use biodiesel. Pretty much any diesel engine can burn biodiesel, especially vehicles post-1992. Check with your manufacturer to see their specific recommendations for using these blends. The only caveat is if you are looking into using either waste vegetable oil (WVO) or straight vegetable oil (SVO), you may need a retrofit kit, such as the one discussed in fact #22.
8. Biodiesel is non-toxic
   The basic ingredients of most biodiesels are rather simple. It is fundamentally methanol, sodium hydroxide, and any vegetable oil. It has been said that biodiesel is often 10 times less toxic than regular table salt.
9. Biodiesel does not effect most new vehicle warranties in the US
   It is common myth that using biodiesel in your vehicle will void its warranty. This is just not true for many US made vehicles. This should be one of your first requirements when shopping for a new diesel vehicle.
10. Biodiesel has a higher flashpoint than conventional diesel fuel
    What does this mean to you? Well, it means that if you have a tank of this in a wrecked vehicle, or even in the back seat for an emergency, it is much less likely to accidentally catch fire. It takes more heat for biodiesel to ignite than conventional diesel. This allows for both the commercial and personal transportation and storage of biodiesel to be much safer for all parties involved.
11. Biofuel not only reduces pollution, but can help clean it
    It’s a good idea to know where your biofuel is coming from, as its different sources offers different benefits. Soybean based biofuel crops actually help clean the Earth’s atmosphere of excess carbon.
12. Biofuels can reduce a lot of waste
    Biofuel based on a waste products, such as sawdust, make a great way to use such a fundamentally useless bi-product that would otherwise end up in a landfill somewhere. Sawdust biofuel burns very clean too.
13. Biofuels crops may one day be set-up in landfills
    Rotting material in the landfills creates a liquid called, leachate, which can seep into ground water if not properly processed and cleaned up. Waste Recycling Group has proposed using this leachate as food for algae which would be grown on-site at local landfills. The leachate would then eventually turn to fertilizer, which could then be use to grow willow coppice’s (mostly used in the UK), which can be used for biofuel.
14. Biodiesel is more biodegradable than conventional diesel
    Biodiesel which has bacteria introduced to it can decompose in a manner that is four times faster than conventional diesel. This means that in the event of a tanker spill, its clean-up would be much less devastating to the surrounding water, wildlife, fish, and plants.
15. Biofuels do not always involve food crops
    Biofuels in general get a bad rap for having to use food crops as their source, such as soybeans, corn, sugar cane, etc. However there is a third generation of biodiesels in development today that will allow algae to be used instead.
16. You actually have a say in your biofuel
    The greenest way to contribute to better biofuels is to get active in groups which are lobbying to elected officials to increase funding for viable biodiesel. If you don’t like the source of your fuel in your area, the only way to make a change is to voice your opinion and make sure that you are heard.
17. Brewing your own biodiesel is as easy as 1…2…3…
    Okay, perhaps it is more like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7…but each of these steps are not particularly difficult by any means. The first step involves filtering the oil (if using a waste oil). Second step involves heating oil to remove any water (optional). Third, perform a titration test to determine amount of catalyst needed for the mix. Fourth, is to prepare the sodium methoxide. Fifth, allow mixture to settle and remove glycerin (make some soap with it while you’re at it, fact #18). Then the Sixth step involves washing and drying your batch, until you are ready for the final step, which is testing for quality. There is also the Willie Nelson blend of biofuel that can easily be accomplished with a blender in about 20 minutes.
18. A free bonus that comes with brewing your own biodiesel, is a lifetime supply of soap
    Glycerin is the bi-product formed during the process of making biodiesel. If you make enough batches of biofuel, you will probably find that you will have enough glycerin left over to never have to buy another bar of soap again. You can make high-lathering smelly foo foo soap, thick burly workshop soap, or just plain and simple, clean, natural soap. Its all in how you mix the ingredients together.
19. Another added bonus for those of you who fry your turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas
    Your deep fried Christmas and Thanksgiving turkey may pay for itself if you use the leftover grease to power your diesel.
20. First generation biodiesels may increase poverty by raising food prices
    This is a common case brought against biofuels which are derived from such food crops as soybeans or corn. The belief is that one day, especially in developing nations, the crops that are currently being sold for human and animal consumption, would be sold for biofuel production. This could subsequently cause a food shortage, which could also drive the price of food up substantially.
21. Change fuel filters more often
    Since the composition of biodiesel is partially a solvent, some vehicles may experience substantial clogging in their fuel filters due to the dislodged particles that will accumulate. What happens is the biofuel essentially cleans the path that the old fuel has traveled, essentially leaving fragments in the fuel line that can lead to a blockage or malfunctioning fuel pump. Diesel vehicles prior to 1992 are especially prone to this. The best way to combat this problem is to check with your manufacturer on their recommended biofuel blend. Then make sure that you change the fuel pump and fuel filters shortly after switching to a high-concentration of biodiesel.
22. Biodiesel has been known to breakdown rubber components in engine as well as cause other mechanical failures
    This refers to a diesel vehicles fuel lines and fuel pump seals in older vehicles mostly. This is where a retrofit kit, such as a Greasecar system may come in handy, especially when using SVO.
23. In some engines, there can be a slight decrease in fuel economy and/or power
    On average, when switching to a biofuel blend you should expect about a 10 percent reduction in available power. It has been said that approximately 1.1 gallons of biodiesel equals 1 gallon of conventional diesel, which should give you an idea of how little your fuel economy will be effected in the long run.
24. Blends of 5% biodiesel and over may not flow properly during the cold winter months
    Without a heated fuel line, biodiesel may not flow well enough to reach the engine’s combustion chamber. This is why most retrofit kits designed for high concentration blends will include a heated fuel line, such as the one mentioned in fact #22.
25. The recommended shelf life of biodiesel is only 6 months
    Conventional diesel is about six months as well, but when you are manufacturing this stuff yourself in advance, you certainly don’t want to waste any due to it being out of date.”

Looks like some good news, finally, out of the auto industry!  You know all those massive Toyota Semi-Trucks you see on the highways, the ones that suck up all the gas, and always make you go about 20 miles per hour under the speed limit on 2-lane roads?  Yeah, those.  Well looks like a Toyota Subsidiary company is going to make a new type of Toytoa Truck that is a hybrid style.  If all goes according to plan, the new trucks will be 2.5 times more fuel efficient than current trucks on the market.  Wow, 2.5 times.

According to the articles and reports I’ve been finding:

Hino Motors, Ltd., a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation will introduce a significantly improved fuel efficient hybrid truck in Japan, the U.S. and Australia around 2010.  The new hybrid truck, using a high-capacity battery and improved motor, will be 2.5 times more fuel efficient than conventional models. In fact, the new hybrid truck even doubles the fuel economy compared to Hino’s current hybrid truck models.”

Looks like the price of these new hybrid babies might not even be that scary.  It looks like they could be about 500,000 yen more pricy than the current models, which is only about $5,600 more.  Considering the fact that they are going to be much more efficient, the fuel savings alone make it worth the jump.

Not quite sure just how important this news is?  Try this on for size:  Hino is the fastest growing truck manufacturer in the United States, and the third largest in the entire world.

(image via gas2.org)

Let’s face it, we’re all doing much better than we used to do on really trying to be as Green as possible.  We’re drinking less out of plastic bottles (hopefully), we’re turning off lights when we leave a room (right?), we’re recycling anything and everything that is recyclable in our homes (aren’t we?), and we’re doing our best to cut back on how much gas we need to buy for our vehicles.  If you’re not doing these things, well, you should be, because I’ve been trying my best to get each and every one of you involved, but if not, now is the perfect time to start.

For all of you that think you’re Green, and that think you know all you could know about being Green, I have a challenge for you!  I just found, on the Sierra Club’s website, a “Green IQ” Test that will show you just how Green your mind really thinks!  There are 10 fun questions that can help show you just how green minded you really are.  The quiz wraps up the entire year, a year in which “Green” was a keyword that everyone said, everyone understood and everyone tried to learn a great deal more about.

So, what do you have to lose?  The Sierra Club “Year in Green” Quiz might just open your eyes a bit to the state of things on this beautiful planet of ours.  I’m pleased to say that I got 9 out of the 10 questions correct.  I wish I would have aced it, but alas, it was not meant to be.

Nevertheless, head over, check it out, see how you score.  We’re only 12 days into this new year, what better time to jump head first into making 2009 the Greenest Year yet for you!  Sound off in the comments as to your scores!

Way to Go CHINA!  No, I’m not talking their performance in women’s gymnastics in Beijing, and unfortunately I’m not talking about how they are going to shock the world and free Tibet once and for all, but what I am talking about is a great leap forward they’re taking in the world of alternative energy, and I, for one, am going to give credit where credit is due!

That’s right, word is that China is planning and prepping the world’s largest solar farm to date.  World’s Largest.  We all know that 2008 was a pretty good year in the world of Solar Energy; a lot of new farms were opened, planned, prepped and developed…so far, it looks like 2009 will be just as good, if not better.  According to reports:

“…the China Technology Development Group Corp. and Qinghai New Energy Co. announced plans to build a 1 GW solar farm in China— the largest in the world…Construction will begin this year on the first part of the project— a $150 million, 30 MW crystalline silicon and thin film solar power station in the Qaidam Basin. The full timeline for the project is not currently available.”

1 GW!  AHHH!  Talk about just making my entire month, and yes, it’s only the first week.  Just how big is this planned project?  Try this on for size; if they complete it, it will be almost DOUBLE the size of ANY other announced solar farm project in history.  Double.

Here’s a great New Year’s Resolution I think the world should embrace:  Each State in the United States, each Country in the world, should all develop solar energy farms, plans and methods this 2009.  Lets all write our representatives and do what we can to make 2009 the year of Solar Power!  Come on!

Image via Wikipedia

Well I guess you can’t fault them for trying, right?  Rumor just hit my block that McDonald’s is going to do the right thing and keep their line of Organic Coffee they have been experimenting with.  That’s the good news.  The bad news is, all you Organic Fans will only be able to get the aforementioned coffee in about 600 stores.  While that sounds like a whole heck of a lot of stores, considering the fact that McDonald’s has an estimated 45,000 stores or more in the United States alone, it’s not like they’re taking a giant risk here.

I personally found it pretty cool that they were branching out and experimenting with more Organic products.  According to reports:

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (NASDAQ: GMCR) has extended its agreement with McDonald’s USA, LLC to source, roast and package Newman’s Own® Organics Blend coffee for more than 600 McDonald’s restaurants in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Albany, New York.

Right on Mickey D’s for sticking with them.  I just with they’d fully branch out and start introducing and spreading the Organic message all over America.  It’s not a big secret that the Golden Arches actually have a gigantic amount of sway and influence to their loyal customers, and we all know that even more healthy choices on the menu would hurt exactly no one.

As soon as we hear more about them actually branching out, trust me, you’ll be the first to know.  For now, maybe pick a local coffee shop that knows a thing or two about true organic farming.  Just a thought.

Image via Wikipedia

Wow, just yesterday we were talking about how Ohio is doing great things to incorporate alternative energy, wind power especially, in their energy future, and today, I find this?!  What a week!  As the title says, the United States has officially become the single largest wind power producer in the entire world!  That is an honor we are PROUD to take, and one of the only times the perceived “bigger is better” mentality of us Americans seems, well, awesome!

That’s right, the U.S. has officially overtaken Germany as the largest producer of wind power on the planet.  Try this on for size…using wind power alone, the United States generates enough energy to completely eliminate the burning of 91 MILLION barrels of oil each year.  91 MILLION Barrels!  Wow.  Reports are saying:

“US wind producers enjoyed another record year of growth in 2008—the third in a row. The country now has an installed wind power capacity well in excess of 21,000 megawatts (MW), enough to supply electricity to over 5.5 million American homes…“Wind energy installations are well ahead of the curve for contributing 20% of the U.S. electric power supply by 2030 as envisioned by the U.S. Department of Energy.”

I couldn’t be prouder.  The article mentioned, and I couldn’t agree more, that this makes it all the more exciting for the next 4 years.  All of this progress on alternative energy was made during a political time of almost indifference towards alternative energy.  Imagine what we can do if we have an administration that is pushing for it full steam ahead!  Keep up the great work guys, this is truly great news!

Image via Wikipedia

Hello and Happy Monday once again my green loving friends.  A bit unconventional of a start to the week this frosty December Monday, as I’m kicking things off with a rather disgusting, but entirely exciting article.  The title says it all, almost, and I couldn’t be happier about it.  Here’s the short end of a long story:  Farmers in Michigan have figured out a way, and are actually implementing it, to turn all of the manure their livestock produces into useable energy.  Yeah, poop to power, believe it.

According to the article, almost NOTHING goes to waste, and yes, that includes the waste itself.  Basically, they have a giant building where all of the manure from 3,500 cows and 9,400 pigs is stored, transformed into electricity, and then further recycled.  The article mentions:

“…stinky manure from 3,500 cows and 9,400 pigs is being fermented and turned into electricity. What’s left afterward is a rich, dark pile of soft biofiber that looks like mulch and smells only faintly of its origins. It goes back into the barns as bedding for the cows. Liquid that is leftover is sprayed as fertilizer onto nearby corn, soy, alfalfa and wheat crops.”

Literally, nothing goes to waste.  Even the leftover waste and liquid is reused to better the whole farm.  The best part, the actual manure, almost 60,000 gallons of it a day, is enough to power an 800-kilowatt generator all through the entire day.  Impressive, imagine how many farms around the United States and the rest of the world could actually power their entire operation using nothing more than the waste their livestock automatically produce.  I love this.

What is equally exciting, is that if you’re a farmer looking to get into something like this, government grants are helping pay for and fund a great deal of these digester plants.  If you’ve got the stock, you might get some help as the benefit to the environment is too large to argue.  Check out the article, it’s worth it.

Image by law_keven via Flickr

I’m going to just go out on a limb and say it…if they can do it, why the heck can’t we?  If prison systems in this fine country, filled with some of the hardest, meanest and plain craziest people ever born can get involved with and embrace recycling programs, grow-your-own food systems and composting, then why can’t all the rest of us, who actually still Have our freedoms?!  The simple answer is, we can!

I just read a pretty inspiring and awesome article about how certain prisons, namely the one from the article in Olympia, Washington, are doing more than their part in trying to “green” up the prison systems.  Apparently, “Inmates of the minimum-security facility, 25 miles from Olympia, the state capital, raise bees, grow organic tomatoes and lettuce, compost 100 percent of food waste and even recycle shoe scraps that are made into playground turf.” How insanely awesome is that?!

Because prisons are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week buildings and must always be “on” it is no secret that they are Massive energy “hogs” as it were, and use a great deal of energy, resources, food and electricity to keep up.  Doing this helps “give back” and reduce the already massive carbon footprint that most prisons have become.  The secretary of the Washington State Department of Corrections was quoted as saying, ““It reduces cost, reduces our damaging impact on the environment, engages inmates as students…”  What’s more, a prison in California that is doing similar things, uses solar panels to actually give BACK enough energy to the grid to power over 4,000 local homes.  Wow.

The bottom line is, if prisons can take steps like this to help green up the environment, why can’t the rest of us?  It is far easier for us to start composting, recycling and even starting some amazing gardens in our back yard.  Every tiny step helps, so why don’t we All start taking a few giant leaps?

(Image via Wikipedia)