SVO and biodiesel

membruce

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I have been interested in strait vegetable oil (SVO) fuel recently. I imagine that the DR has a lot of wast vegetable oil. Hear is a site that describes a range of biofuels. SVO is only one.

http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make.html

It also strikes me that collecting wast oil and filtering it or making biodiesel would be a good micro business for the impoverished communities.

Bruce
 

Keith R

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Jan 1, 2002
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Bruce,
I wish I could answer whether SVO is being collected, filtered and recycled as biofuel in the DR, but I can't yet, so I'm hoping another DR1er will know. We've been collecting info & contacts for a Green Team blog series on biofuels & the DR, but we're still in early stages.

I do know that the recycling of vegetable oils is gaining advocates and legal support in Argentina, Brazil and Peru. For some briefs on this, check:
http://www.temasactuales.com/whats_new/news_page.php?news_id=489
http://www.temasactuales.com/whats_new/news_page.php?news_id=754

IPES of Peru had an interesting experiment on cooking oil collection and recycling in Lima involving micro-businesses (food stands, small restaurants, etc.). I have a copy somewhere in my archives of a presentation on this made to a conference I attended in 2001, but I can't find it on their website. :(

Regards,
Keith
 

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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Bruce, here is another site with more technical info on making biofuels. http://www.biodieselcommunity.org/

The more I read up about this, and the more people that I make contact with, the more I come to the conclusion that it is suitable for a cottage industry or small economies. If we utilize anything like our existing fuel distribution systems, we'll literally run out of rainforests pronto, as everyone wanting to make a quick buck, will simply cut down the 'green' that they need for biofuel production. Somewhere in my notes I have the links to places where this is already happening as we speak.

Personally we are in the process of making a biofuel still. Not too far down the road, just basically collecting the components as we've not figured what would be the best (read most sustainable) material to utilize here in the DR for feeding the monster, to have biofuel and gas come out on the other side, and without blowing ourselves to smithereens.

I was chatting to a friend who also is interested (but in the economics, i.e., his own pocket economics, not in the environmental aspects) and he suggested that it is easy - we just plant some kind of fast growing reed/weed type thing out of China. We add a few things and we have enough 'green' to make it. This of course made me cringe, thinking of introducing non-native species and impoverishing the soil and all that goes around that. Yes, I did call him a shortsighted boor and all that, but we're good friends... and now he is thinking a little :classic:

Unfortunately, globally we're still market driven and not people driven. We all know that can produce sufficient food today to feed the hungry, if we produce less food for animals and obviously have less focus on animal protein as a food. But, the market talks and more and more cropland is taken over by food production for animals for consumption in the developed nations - and people starve in the 'developing' nations. This is just the fact of it.

With the current popularity of the concept of biofuel, everybody that is somebody is jumping on the bandwagon and my early research is telling me that it is not so simple. Yes, we can make it. Yes, we can make a diesel engine run on it. Yes, it is cheap and relatively easy for a homesteading, ecovillage or small economy type utilization. Yes, it is being sold through conventional outlets. But large scale? There are some other factors that need to shift before this becomes feasible - one of which is the land that will be used to grow the makings.

Globally I get the sense that we are thinking quick fix and short term solution here. Perhaps we should be thinking long term solution and reduce our dependence on fuel - or even come up with a drastically changed method of propulsion.

One of these days I'll be ready to write down all these findings with the citations correctly 'citated' to make Keith happy :classic: It is interesting as my initial viewpoints are changing drastically the deeper I research.

The hippy part of me really enjoys the story of my countrymen driving all over making their biodiesel as they go in the journeytoforever site.
 

membruce

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Chris,

I have seen this argument before and I feel that it is a legitimate concern. I think that the use of biodiesel and SVO can be divided into 2 categories. 1 is the fuel from new crops. The other is fuel from waste oil. Micro industry would be perfect for the latter. It wouldn't stand a chance of being competitive in a mass production market. This means that there is a potential for a large impact on both the poverty and the environment.

As a note, I don't mean to separate poverty and ecology. From my observations, there is nothing more damaging to the ecology then an impoverished population.

Bruce
 

Chris

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I wonder how much waste vegetable oil we have in the DR? In our own household, we never have any to throw away.

Perhaps some of the restauranteers can let us know if they have any waste oil, and what they do with it?

Your final note is just an excellent way of saying it.
 

membruce

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I know that in the US there are large trucks that carry off waist oil from restaurants. It is considered a hazardous waste.

Your question makes me think however. Are there better uses for it then burning in an engine? Maybe the oil would be better used a cooking fuel. I have seen designs for stoves that burn waist cooking oil.

Bruce
 

Keith R

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Chris said:
One of these days I'll be ready to write down all these findings with the citations correctly 'citated' to make Keith happy :classic: It is interesting as my initial viewpoints are changing drastically the deeper I research.
Yeah, that Keith, man what a slave-driver! :cheeky: [sound of cracking whip] :bandit:

Interesting perspectives, Christa. I always love when delving into a subject changes how we look at it -- means we're learning. ;)

I run hot and cold on biofuels. I think it could be quite useful, especially if it means using something we might otherwise treat as waste -- even if that means energy recovery instead of outright material reuse or recycling. But like I suspect you do, I think maybe far too many people have swallowed the sales line that it's the quick-fix save-all answer to the high cost of conventional fossil fuels, and I have serious doubts about that and its possible frightening consequences for exploitation for quick bucks without thinking through the environmental consequences...
 

chola1978

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ao I have read the article that chris suggested and find that the defeoretation is the worst thing that cna hapen. Now that being said remeber back i nthe early 80's where floresta was form i nthe DR to help fight the deforestation. Well I belive that biodiesel cna also help with that same problem. Here i nthe Dr their lots of land that is simply out of nutients for normal crops(yuca,platano etccc) not what if you cna plant Pinon Leche that will help resoted the soild since it will protec the land also it will serve as biodiesel source fro mthe seeds it produce and the best part is that thier no need ot cutting it down We have had son pinos in our finca for over 30years and they are still producing seeds. Now I na not saing lets got nad stop producing our traditional crops no what iam saying is lets develop stategies that would help some of our poverty isises and some of our errotion issues especial along the haitian border and in the south of the country. Jatropa Curcas might work and we dont have to cut any trees to find out.
 

membruce

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Sorry about not replying. I have been off doing other things.

I have been burning byodiesel for about a month now in a Chevy 6.5 Liter Detroit Diesel pickup and I have almost got my first cut at a reactor up and running. I have had the Exhaust analyzed while burning B100 and t is super clean. I have been exchanging oil and a donation to a charity for the fuel from a friend who has a reacher from the apple stead design.

I don't think that BD from WVO will be a fix for the environment but it is becoming one technology that is helping out in the US. Most all of the effort is from home brewers as sort of a green paying hobby.

I think that the fascination on BD is because the Oil companies know that alternative fuels is inevitable. BD needs processing and distribution. This means that there infrastructure gives them the advantage in production over other fuels such as electric and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

In the US most urban and suburban homes are need or have a natural gas connection. You can buy a compressor that is designed to bolt onto the wall of your garage and hook to your natural gas line. You can convert your car or buy a ready made car, hook it to your compressor, and have your car tanked up in the morning.

I understand the CNG is even cleaner then BD and although not renewable, there is ample supply to carry us until better technology emerges.

Bruce