Homemade biodiesel save money
- By Heath Allison
- Published 08/4/2008
All it takes to get on the road to making your homemade biodiesel is a strong desire and the motivation to find a source of used cooking oil and the equipment to process it into biodiesel. The rest is easy when you know how.
by Courtney Bacalso
Matt
Nelson lives contrary to his career. The independent Midland landman
hasn't really been thinking much about petroleum outside of his day job.
Instead, the 28-year-old has grown to be more green conscious -- using homemade biodiesel to fuel his Chevy Silverado truck, instead of the stuff he spends hours researching and negotiating leases for all day.
"With the gas prices so high, I just wanted to save money," he said. "I do get some flack about it since I work in the oil industry."
Nelson spent at least $600 a month for diesel fuel until he started using his own concoction -- researched thoroughly with the help of the Internet.
He always thought it was a great idea, but he never acted on it until a few months ago. He was driving around town when he suddenly decided to stop at a local restaurant -- whose name Nelson wouldn't disclose. Biodiesel homemakers keep their suppliers a secret to protect their stock.
"The
restaurants were happy to give the used oil to me for free," Nelson
said. "It saves them money too, because they do not have to pay to
dispose of it."
He provided them with a 50-gallon container, which usually takes the cooks about two weeks to fill up. When Nelson picks up the containers, he swaps it for another one.
And then it's off to his laboratory -- the side of his parents' house -- to put the vegetable oil through his homemade processor.
His device -- comprised of a water heater, valves and pipes placed atop a thick wooden platform -- cost him $600 to make. But Nelson said if people look hard enough, they could probably find the parts for free.
"I wouldn't recommend it though," he said. "It's better to get it brand new."
Right beside it are the chemicals needed to clean the used oil: lye and isopropanol.
The whole process takes 24 hours to do 50 gallons. Of that at least 1 1/2 hours is needed of Nielson's time, he said.
Instead of $4.75 a gallon for diesel, Nelson now pays 40 cents to a gallon for biodiesel.
And his truck still runs just the same, he said.
"Actually, I think it runs better," he said. "The vegetable oil actually helps lubricate the engine which makes it last longer."
The only downside to biodiesel is in the winter when the temperature drops to 30 degrees. The vegetable oil can freeze easily. And when it does, you just have to mix in real diesel fuel with the vegetable oil, he said.
And since he is his sole supplier, traveling great distances can be challenging.
"The solution to that is to figure out how to put an extra tank in my truck bed," he said smiling. "Either way, I'm saving so much more."
Courtney Bacalso can be reached at c.bacalso@mrt.com.
Midland man uses do-it-yourself device for biodiesel
High gas prices lead Matt Nelson into great idea.
by Courtney Bacalso
Midland Reporter-Telegram
Matt
Nelson lives contrary to his career. The independent Midland landman
hasn't really been thinking much about petroleum outside of his day job.Instead, the 28-year-old has grown to be more green conscious -- using homemade biodiesel to fuel his Chevy Silverado truck, instead of the stuff he spends hours researching and negotiating leases for all day.
"With the gas prices so high, I just wanted to save money," he said. "I do get some flack about it since I work in the oil industry."
Nelson spent at least $600 a month for diesel fuel until he started using his own concoction -- researched thoroughly with the help of the Internet.
He always thought it was a great idea, but he never acted on it until a few months ago. He was driving around town when he suddenly decided to stop at a local restaurant -- whose name Nelson wouldn't disclose. Biodiesel homemakers keep their suppliers a secret to protect their stock.
He provided them with a 50-gallon container, which usually takes the cooks about two weeks to fill up. When Nelson picks up the containers, he swaps it for another one.
And then it's off to his laboratory -- the side of his parents' house -- to put the vegetable oil through his homemade processor.
His device -- comprised of a water heater, valves and pipes placed atop a thick wooden platform -- cost him $600 to make. But Nelson said if people look hard enough, they could probably find the parts for free.
"I wouldn't recommend it though," he said. "It's better to get it brand new."
Right beside it are the chemicals needed to clean the used oil: lye and isopropanol.
The whole process takes 24 hours to do 50 gallons. Of that at least 1 1/2 hours is needed of Nielson's time, he said.
Instead of $4.75 a gallon for diesel, Nelson now pays 40 cents to a gallon for biodiesel.
And his truck still runs just the same, he said.
"Actually, I think it runs better," he said. "The vegetable oil actually helps lubricate the engine which makes it last longer."
The only downside to biodiesel is in the winter when the temperature drops to 30 degrees. The vegetable oil can freeze easily. And when it does, you just have to mix in real diesel fuel with the vegetable oil, he said.
And since he is his sole supplier, traveling great distances can be challenging.
"The solution to that is to figure out how to put an extra tank in my truck bed," he said smiling. "Either way, I'm saving so much more."
Courtney Bacalso can be reached at c.bacalso@mrt.com.
