>Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2004 14:48:49 +0900 >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >From: Keith Addison <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Re: [Biodiesel] NOx/Ozone > >Hi > >>hi there, >> >>Till now, I've been listening in to the discussion group and learning quite >>a bit. Thanks to you all. I have also gained quite a database of >>information related to development of biodiesel in Hong Kong. >> >>One thing being considered by Government at the moment is to limit biodiesel >>to 5 or 10% mixes because of the reported tendancy for biodiesel to increase >>NOx emissions relatvie to ultra-low sulfur diesel, the standard diesel in >>Hong Kong. >> >>I have also heard/seen evidence that biodiesel from waste restaurant greases >>and oils has much less a tendancy to increase NOx, and in fact, has been >>shown to decrease NOx emissions. Furthermore, the main issue of concern is >>ozone formation, and I have read in numerous reports that biodiesel in >>general, and biodiesel from waste greases and oils in particular, decreases >>ozone forming potential of emissions (apart from impact on NOx). >> >>Can anyone refer studies/anecdotes that support that: >>- Biodeisel from waste greases and oils has less tendancy to increase NOx >>or decreases NOx; and/or >>- Biodiesel has a tendancy to decrease ozone forming potential of emissions >>(despite impact on NOx)? >> >>Unfortunately, all other benefits of biodiesel are taking back stage in Hong >>Kong, and NOx and ozone are the focus. > >We've found that where authorities insist on that focus, it's >generally because they're looking for obstacles rather than >solutions. No doubt there are exceptions to that but from our >previous experience there, I doubt Hong Kong would be one of them. >(Do people there still refer to the EPD as the "Environment >Prevention Department"?) The EPD's Mr Mok was quick to seek out >objections to biodiesel's benefits rather than considering its >potential (to the extent that a lot of people enquired whether he >worked for Shell). Of course NOx is the obvious one. > >Try telling them that NOx is not a problem anyway with biodiesel >because there's no sulphur in biodiesel and therefore NOx reduction >is a simple matter... and watch them glaze over. > >>I should also note the following: >>- HK will require that all biodiesel produced meet the most strict >>standards, specifically EN14214; >>- In order to achieve this standard using HK's waste greases and oils, very >>expensive capital equipment will have to be purchased and thus any project >>will have to be large > >I don't think so. Small projects using simple equipment are just as >capable of making standard-spec or better biodiesel from WVO as >large projects are. Large projects have so far built up quite a >reputation of causing problems by producing sub-standard biodiesel >in both the US and Europe, though the industry folks invariably >claim only they can produce quality fuel and homebrewers can't - not >so! > >AFAIK the EN14214 Euro standard has not yet been finalised and >what's mostly been said about it so far isn't much more than >conjecture. Despite the US EPA's finding of "susbstantial >equivalence" or whatever between soy and other feedstocks, though >they only tested soy (SME), probably EN14214 will favour the >characteristics of rapeseed (RME) over soy or WVO, and especially >WVO with high lard-content (common in Hong Kong I think). Its CFPP >(Cold-Filter Plugging Point) and low-temp viscosity considerations >will hardly apply to Hong Kong conditions, but that probably won't >move the Hong Kong authorities much either. > >The Europeans are concerned that soy biodiesel (SME) has problems >with polymerisation, or at least worse problems than RME does. The >rapeseed Iodine Value is 98, soy is 130, so they could have a point. >(Rapeseed and Canola are the same.) I think there are also concerns >over sunflower oil as a feedstock (IV 125). With WVO it's hard to >say what the IV might be, especially if it's been used to cook fish, >and hard to say what the CFPP might be too (tallow and lard content). > >Have you seen what the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers' 2002 >"World-Wide Fuel Charter" has to say about it, and about EN14214? >It's here: >http://www.oica.net/htdocs/fuel%20quality/WWFC_Dec2002_Brochure.pdf > >This is also worth a look: > >Fuel Injection Equipment (FIE) Manufacturers statement on biodiesel >(Delphi, Stanadyne, Denso, Bosch): >Summary -- html >http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_FIEM.html >Full document -- Acrobat file, 104kb >http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/FIEM.pdf > >Actually, as far as the World-Wide Fuel Charter is concerned, it's a >little hard to see why the (US) Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers >and the Engine Manufacturers Association are so concerned, >considering that the quality of petro-diesel supplied in the US is >some of the worst in the world. I don't think one's seen Detroit >squealing too much about that in the past. The Japan Automobile >Manufacturers Association is similar - there is no petro-diesel >standard in Japan, let alone a biodiesel standard, and quality is >generally bad. So, all the super-clean Japanese diesels go to >Europe, not Japan, and neither the Japanese nor the European diesels >go to the US, or at least very few of them do. The US is set to >clean up its fuel with ULSD diesel in 2007, and Japan a little >sooner than that. Perhaps by then EN14214 will be finalised. > >Hong Kong's standard ULSD fuel is imported from Singapore, no? I >suppose everyone's still pretending there's no problem with all the >extremely poor-quality but very cheap petro-diesel smuggled in from >China? And the fact that the trucks fill up on that stuff in China >before returning to Hong Kong? I guess both those things are still >happening, are they? When will China develop - and *apply*!! - >petro-diesel standards equivalent to EN14214? But we have to be all >squeaky-clean about the non-problem of biodiesel and NOx, eh? LOL! > >Trouble with this kind of problem is the intention, which is to >obstruct. If you provide solutions to the current objections, the >evil intention remains and they just find a new excuse. > >Well, best of good luck. > >I suppose you've seen this? > >http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_hk.html >Biodiesel in Hong Kong: Journey to Forever > >http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_hk_text.html >Biodiesel in Hong Kong - News Stories: Journey to Forever > >I don't know how much help you'll get on this rather dysfunctional >list, I hope you do get some. Meanwhile I'll forward this to the >Biofuel list. It would be good if you could forward any further >comments or developments there. There is a current discussion there >on NOx, and quite a few members from Hong Kong and the region. > >http://groups.yahoo.com/group/biofuel > >Best wishes > >Keith Addison >Journey to Forever > > >>and will have to depend on some amount of commercial >>distribution, rather than small-scale, for personal use projects; >>- Although all the waste greases and oils in HK would not likely produce >>biodiesel in excess of 5% total diesel consumption, a 'side-effect' of >>requiring any mix restriction would be that biodiesel producers would have >>to work with one or more of the large oil majors in HK for distribution >>(there are other factors and restrictions involved here somewhat too >>intricate to explain here); >>- Oil majors in HK have not yet demonstrated support of biodiesel, and thus >>cooperating with them would introduce distribution logistics and risks that >>will likely make any large scale biodiesel production unlikely; and >>- Therefore, without evidence supporting that mix restrictions (whether 5, >>10, 50%...), should not be passed by HK Government, and as mentioned above >>NOx and ozone are the major concerns, I am afraid that biodiesel production >>of any kind will be shelved indefinitely. >> >>Thanks in advance for any assistance. >> >>Take good care, >>BK
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