Bio- diesel opinions

[Anonymous-0]

I would like some thoughts on this premise and what's right/wrong with it. I've read that the NE depends more heavily on fuel oil (diesel) for heat because of lack of infrastructure for Natural gas. Because of gelling I'm assuming most tanks are in the basement so why isn't there more of a push to use manufacture/renewable fuels? Years ago college students drove across country with FREE waste cooking oil. I have to believe that in a NYC/Boston/Washington DC there have to be 1000's of restaurants that pay to dipose of waste oils that could be combined with fuel oil.

 

[bm3501466]

This is already done. Most major fast food chains have contracts with places to remove their oil. Mcdonalds is sold to Griffin Enterprises and they make biodiesel and chicken feed out of it.

 

[Anonymous-0]

There have been posts on some of the truck forums about the Tax Nazis fining people for running veg oil.Same as running red diesel,no road tax paid.Fines have been pretty stiff

 

[Anonymous-0]

So we have four or five restaurants in town disposing of waste oil...may 5 gallons a day for a mom & pop pizza shop, and 20 gallons for McDonalds (probably less). And I'm being generous...going back 20 years ago when I worked in one, I seem to recall changing the oil once a week...maybe twice if it was real busy weekend.

We have No. 2 oil being brought into town by 8,000 gallon tankers and distributed by 1,800 gallon delivery trucks. Restaurant recycling isn't even a blemish on the pimple on an elephant's rear end. I'm pretty frugal...this time of year I'm burning 5 gallons / week just for hotwater (if I left the boiler on all day long )

(Although Frito Lay is putting in their own power plant that can burn natural gas...or oil...)

 

[paul]

Used frier oil is a drop in the bucket, but is a great idea & is being used more & more. It is a rather small source, it doesn't go very far, but most certainly a good idea.

The rendering plant (dead animals) near me is turning the lard of the dead animals into bio-diesel. Again, small amount in the big picture, but something good.

Minnesota is putting 2% biodiesl in all of their diesel fuels. Most is made from crushed soybeans, as well as the rendering plant.

The problem with biodiesel is that it comes from oil seed crops, which tend to be pretty high priced from the start. So, it is a costly fuel, tho fairly easy to make and does return a pretty good net energy increase.

--->Paul

 

[Hotflashjr]

I live in Mass. and there are plenty of people (hippies) with VW's that are burning cooking oil in their cars. I live near the Amherst/Northampton area which is a very "abundant" area so everyone and their brother is trying to save the world. Lots of "This car runs on cooking oil, bio-diesel" bumper stickers. We are having a big crack down on off-road diesel & homemade diesel as well. Same thing here, pretty stiff fines for skipping over the fuel tax. They call it Taxachusetts for a reason!

 

[Mathias NY]

I work with 2 people who built setups to make bio-diesel. One guy gave up because it wasn't worth the effort. The other guy still claims it is worth it, although the last time he did anything with the setup was 2 years ago. Its a great idea and not a bad use for the used oil. But it's not really practical for more than a few people due to supply issues.

 

[rrlund]

What a time for this to come up. The neighbor drove in this morning and said he's making bio diesel out of cooking oil. Said he's selling it for $2.75 a gallon. Said he's running 100% in his 84 Ford diesel pickup. I bought 10 gallons to try. I put 5 in each of 2 tractors. Hauled manure all morning with one of them and it still runs. The guy's had cancer surgery on his throat and is a little hard to understand,but if I followed him right,he said he has some stuff that he wouldn't want to run in a diesel,but should work in a space heater of furnace. Said he gets $2.25 for that. I told him that if he had some of that next winter,maybe I'd do just what you said and try it in the furnace where the barrel sets in the basement. Remind me and I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Mathias NY]

Something to keep in mind is that the bio-diesel seems to have a habit of cleaning the fuel system. Everyone I know that ran the home-brew fuel needed to change their fuel filters shortly after converting.

 

[cj in wisconsin]

In Wisconsin if you get caught on the highway they nail you to the wall. Tax evasion etc. If you use it in your car or truck you better stay quiet. they like to do a little thing called estimating and it is usually more than double what you really owe plus penalties that some times are more than 100 percent of the alleged back tax. I wouldnt be afraid to use it in offroad applications though. Dont even ask how I know how they opperate, cost me 10 grand when they estimated a little run in I had with the revenuers. Should have been about 450 dollars.

 

[Steven f/AZ]

It is ridiculous that people are TAXED for RECYCLING something in their vehicle while providing nearly ZERO emissions!

This kind of backwards thinking/outrageous fines for doing the right thing are good reasons why the country is in the shape it's in.

 

[JDemaris]

I'm in an area of New York where it gets down to 30 below F. Many fuel-oil tanks are outdoors and usually do fine as long as they have kerosene added along with some sort of anti-gel e.g. Power Service. Most areas around here do not have natural gas available - and propane has such low energy - it's pretty much a waste of money. But -that depends on whatever prices you are paying where you live.

In regard to using used deep-fry oil - it's less than a drop in the bucket. I've done it off and on for close to 40 years as have many others. And - I'm not an old hippie (although I did go to Woodstock to chase the hippie girls). The smart people used to keep their mouths shut about it. Now - people new to it seem inclined to start clubs, brag to the newspapers, etc. Subsequently a good thing has been just about ruined.

In regard to the law - there is a Federal exemption up to a certain amount of gallons that can be tax-free for home-made fuel. But - some states require their own tax and are militant about it.

With the question of companies producing it in high volumes? Total waste of time and money.

 

[dej(Jed)]

Guys- Be careful BioFuels create a lot of NOX emissions. This is a know cancer causer. Most tractor stacks aren't set up to keep the exhaust away from you.

 

[John M]

Part of the sales tax you pay on fuel is "supposed" to go to repairing the roads. You not paying a tax, as if you were accually buying fuel, is the same as putting off road in it. Makes perfect sence to me. Having said that, I used to run a 50/50 mix pretty much year round, and never paid a tax on it.

 

[Anonymous-0]

If you have driven Illinois roads, you know the road tax is repairing The State of Chicago and the other 98% of the state is picking dirt with the chickens.

 

[dave guest]

I like the idea, but what is Ford gonna say when I have a warranty problem and the tank is full of chicken grease?

 

[dave guest]

I like the idea, but what is Ford gonna say when I have a warranty problem and the tank is full of chicken grease?