On Wednesday, March 19, 2003, at 01:20 AM, Caffeinate The World wrote:
A while back a list member promoted the idea of using biodiesel in Minneapolis. I did some research and found that with Minnesota winter, biodiesel may not be very effective. If the temperature drop below freezing, biodiesel tend to solidify. To counter solidification, one would have to install a heater or add additional additives to keep biodiesel from solidifying. That means additional costs.
Dead dinosaur diesel has the same problem. To keep the fuel flowing just about every diesel car or truck sold in the U.S. comes with some type of fuel heater. These heaters typically use heated engine coolant or electricity to warm the fuel and are cheap and effective.
Lab reports by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory showed biodiesel produces 78 percent less CO2 than regular diesel. In addition, it reduces cancer risks of diesel exhaust by 94 percent. However biodiesel releases 5.8 percent more nitrous.
... oxide.
The fact that biodiesel is more expensive, and may gel up in Minnesota winter may not make it a very effective alternative earth friendlier diesel fuel source.
Biodiesel is now more expensive because it does not yet have the economies of scale that dino diesel has. Several large plants are now being built that will lower these costs. Dino diesel will become more expensive as reserves dwindle, ultimately giving biodiesel the price advantage.
Some innovative people in warmer climates are using recycled kitchen greese as an alternative to petroleum diesel. I'd imagine that would solidify in Minnesota winter too.
One of the wonderful things about biodiesel is that it can be made from such a wide variety of feedstocks.
hangin' on in Hawthorne,
Dyna Sluyter
Thomas T. Thai / Whittier
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