How do I Become a Member?
Becoming a member of the PrairieFire BioFuels Cooperative is easy. All you need to do is go to our "Become a Member" page from the link at the top of this page and follow the instructions. You can download the pdf membership agreement form, fill it out, and either mail it in with your full or half year membership dues or pay online via our PayPal account with a credit card or your own PayPal account and send in the membership agreement separately indicating that you paid your dues online. If you have any questions, please email...
What is SVO?
SVO is an acronym for 'Straight Vegetable Oil'. It is often used interchangeably with the acronym 'WVO' which stands for 'Waste Vegetable Oil' however, the former is usually reserved for oil that has not been used for a previous purpose whereas the latter is used to denote oil taken from restaurant fryers or other places after the oil has served its primary purpose and is now considered 'waste' by that user.
Biodiesel Related Questions
1) What is biodiesel?
Biodiesel is a clean burning alternative to diesel and can power a broad array of vehicles with no engine modifications.. It contains no petroleum and can be created from a number of renewable resources, such as soybeans. Biodiesel can be used pure, or can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel. It is non-toxic, simple to use, biodegradable and better for the health of people and the environment.
2) What are the benefits of using alternative fueling methods?
Both individually and globally, biodiesel benefits humans and the environment. Biodiesel can be made locally and has a much shorter production time than petroleum, which takes millions of years to produce. By being able to produce this alternative locally, biodiesel will wean the United States off our addiction to foreign oil while supporting domestic resources. Biodiesel is the only petroleum alternative to fully complete the health effects testing required by the Clean Air Act of 1990. The use of biodiesel shrinks our ecological footprint because it is produced by renewable resources, it lowers greenhouse gases like CO2 by up to 78%, and it lessens the toxins that enter the environment and our bodies. This reduction will have drastic and positive effects on human health.
3) What are the drawbacks of using biodiesel?
One down side of using biodiesel is that it gels in low temperatures, making the winter seasons more difficult for biodiesel-users. Though diesel petroleum also gels in low temperatures, the gel point for biodiesel is higher. To remedy this problem, petroleum biodiesel blends are effective. Also, because of the organic makeup of biodiesel, it is more susceptible to bacterial growth than petroleum. The solution for this problem is to add biocides and keep the fuel tank as full as possible.
4) Is it safe?
Biodiesel is a thoroughly tested alternative to petroleum diesel. It has been tested on human health effects and deemed completely non-toxic. It is ten times less toxic than table salt and biodegrades quicker than sugar.
5) Can I use biodiesel in a gasoline engine?
No. Biodiesel works only in diesel engines in vehicles such as Volkswagens.
6) Will I have to have alterations made on my vehicle to accept this alternative?
Probably not. Biodiesel will fuel a diesel engine with little or no modifications to the vehicle’s engine or fueling system. Some vehicles will need parts replaced or removed in order to accept biodiesel but this is rare. Most vehicles produced after 1978 are completely fitting for biodiesel.
7) Will the use of biodiesel damage my engine?
No. Biodiesel has shown through testing that, compared to petroleum diesel, it has very similar engine performance and wear. In fact, biodiesel is a better lubricant and solvent so it will actually clear the engine of build-up in the fuel filter and perhaps even lengthen the life of an engine.
8) Does biodiesel cost more than diesel at the pump?
On a large scale, biodiesel is not more costly than diesel; because no engine modifications are necessary, new equipment is not needed and the same vehicles can be used. At the pump, biodiesel is slightly more expensive but a federal tax incentive is expected to help lower the cost in the near future.
9) How does the “mile per gallon” rating compare to that of diesel?
Because of the different chemical makeup between biodiesel and petroleum diesel, biodiesel has a small decrease in efficiency, which is counteracted by its’ higher lubricity. Some users have reported a small reduction in mileage (about 1%), others report an increase.
10) Can I switch back and fourth from diesel to alternatives?
Yes! Biodiesel is an amazingly flexible fueling option. You can switch from B0 (pure diesel) to B100 (pure biodiesel) from day to day. If the tank is half full with petroleum diesel, you can still fill the rest will biodiesel. Also, any level of blending can be used: B100, B20, B5…
11) How is biodiesel made?
To make biodiesel, begin with an animal fat, raw vegetable oil, or recycled cooking oil. These contain fatty acids which are initially attached to glycerin molecules but will detach and reattach to alcohol molecules when alcohol is added. This relatively slow process can be sped up with the addition of heat and a catalyst such as lye. This process creates long chain mono alkyl esters, or biodiesel. The process is simple and the ingredients are commonly found in the household.
12) Who is using biodiesel?
Because biodiesel can be used in any type of diesel engine, a wide range of different kinds of vehicles use this alternative: from airplanes to John Deere tractors to ships. Over 300 fleets are currently using biodiesel. Further, over 300 individuals and businesses around Madison are members or have been involved with PrairieFire Biofuels.
http://www.nbb.org/
http://www.wibiodiesel.org/
http://www.localb100.com/
“Biodiesel: Growing a New Fuel Economy” by Greg Pahl
