Share a biodiesel barrel anyone?

Tue 4 Apr 2006, 22:25

Cost about 92/litre at current prices. Benefits - as it is derived from cooking oil etc. its a re-use of an existing vegetable oil. Also, because it is grown by plants, who fix carbon dioxide from the atmosphere via photosynthesis, it has a much reduced net carbon emissions effect - fixing CO2 into hydrocarbons and then burning the hydrocarbon puts it back into the atmosphere, where it can hopefully be fixed again with some help from Sunny Jim up on high.

Of course the net benefit is reduced by the production energy inputs of the oil manufacturing process, transport, recovery, chemical processing (this is esterised oil, not pure filtered oil, which means it can be used in unmodified diesels). But its better by some good margin than dinosaur oil hauled out of the ground to which it had been despatched many millions of years back.

But it isn't price alone. It's a values thing.

Tue 4 Apr 2006, 18:26

Malcolm,

Pray contine, when are the benefits, cost minimum quantities etc. I currently run a diesel car and getting over 56 mpg (at current prices that means less tham 8p / mile)

Mon 3 Apr 2006, 20:52

We're going biodiesel, and will have a barrel supplied to us as and when (with a pump).

As it will take us at least a couple of months to get through a barrel, and probably about 3, anyone interested in coming in as a share? That would make delivery rounds by the suppliers more regular.

Additionally anyone interested in the issue of biodiesel who'd like to get in touch with a local supply, contact me - mblackmore@oxlug.org