June 20th, 2009
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Matt Oconnor asked:
Biodiesel has been getting its share of interest among people in the search for alternative fuels. The cost of oils has been steadily going up in the worldwide market and many think it is time to find alternative sources to tone down in some way the rising costs of using gas and other petroleum-derived fuels. One of the alternatives found to have promise is the production of biodiesel.
Biodiesel refers to a type of processed fuel that can be derived from biological sources. It can be readily used in diesel engine vehicles. This distinguishes it from the use of straight vegetable oils (SVO) or waste vegetable oils (WVO) as the chosen alternative which requires vehicles to have modified diesel engines installed in order to make use of such fuels.
What makes biodiesel also an ideal alternative is that it is biodegradable and non-toxic. Biodiesel also provides considerably fewer combustion emissions when compared to petroleum-based diesel fuel.
Since biodiesel can readily be used in current diesel engines without having to modify them, it has the potential to supplement the use of petroleum-based fuels as a primary energy source to fill up the need of the world’s transportation sector. And not only that, biodiesel holds the promise of being used as a cheaper alternative heating fuel for domestic and commercial boilers.
Biodiesel can be used in its pure form or it may also be blended with petroleum diesel. It provides a number of advantages and benefits with its use. One of biodiesel’s better properties is its high lubricity index. Higher than that of pure petrodiesel, this excellent lubricating property of biodiesel can greatly contribute to lengthening the life of an engine’s fuel injector.
Biodiesel is also a better solvent than conventional diesel and has been shown to break down residue deposits in fuel lines that have previously been using conventional diesel products. That’s why fuel filters becoming clogged with residue particles as the biodiesel does its work of cleaning the engine has become so common. A change of filter after running 600-800 miles on biodiesel is recommended to solve this problem.
There are subsequent environmental benefits when choosing to use biodiesel over conventional petroleum based diesel. Biodiesel use results in a significantly reduced emission of carbon monoxide. Biodiesel also contains fewer hydrocarbons and can reduce tailpipe particle emissions by as much as 20 percent.
Biodiesel also has low sulfur content without compromising its natural viscosity and lubricating properties which is usually the case when using ultra-low sulfur petrodiesel varieties. It’s also biodegradable and non-toxic, which makes it a more environmentally friendly alternative.
It is being suggested by many biodiesel advocates that excess or waste vegetable oil can be the best source of oil to produce this alternative fuel. But the current available supply is unfortunately lesser than the amount of petroleum-based fuel that is burned for transportation and home heating all over the world. Gallons upon gallons of waste vegetable oil are produced by US restaurants every day.
But this may not be enough to satisfy the need for more and more fuel. Producing biodiesel from animal fats may not be feasible enough to replace petrodiesel just yet because of its limited supply. However, research is underway to find ways and to develop systems which could make biodiesel more available and help answer the growing needs of alternative fuel.
June 20th, 2009
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John Reed asked:
Unless you ride a bicycle or walk where ever you go, you have certainly noticed that gas prices have sky rocketed. Trend data leans toward them continuing to do so and that seems to be a given. We’ve all felt the reluctance to look at the price total display on the fuel pump as we fuel up. Many of us refuse to look at the read out until the fueling operation is complete and then we balk as the amount spent is realized. This reaction is common due to the fact that most people prefer the quick shock of seeing the price, as opposed to a gradually increasing pain of watching the total grow as fuel is pumped. It just hurts to see that much money go out of the window for what could amount to a single trip. To endure this infringement on the household budget, many drivers have elected to use varying tactics to relieve the financial pressures presented by this unwelcome increase in fuel prices.
Tactics such as driving less, carpooling, low price gas shopping, shopping online, and electing for public transportation, have all been used in an effort to offset the effects of rising fuel costs. However, with all of these options come the same feeling of inconvenience and hindrance. When you aren’t able to drive as you wish, it’s then that you come to appreciate the convenience of driving one’s personal vehicle. For many, the sense of freedom is not only gone, but with substantial oil deposits becoming harder and harder to find, and interruptions to oil production due to wars, weather and human will, regaining that freedom seems unclear at best. While the nation has not needed to resort to rationing fuel, many households haven’t been as fortunate. For many, it is a daily decision whether to travel or not. “Do I go to the store now, or wait until other tasks require me to drive in the vicinity of the store?” “Do I have enough fuel to get there and back without having to fill up again?” Questions similar to these are common in most middle and lower income households. Seven out of ten people surveyed, admit that higher gas prices have affected their driving habits. Four out of ten drivers polled admit to changing travel plans such as vacations, trips and entertainment related maneuvering due to higher gas prices. As many consumers have found, attempting to drive less does not always work, as life demands travel. Six out of ten people surveyed say they have redirected money ear marked for other things to purchasing fuel for their vehicles.
This redistribution of funds within the average household is telling, in that the consumers lifestyle is directly being affected buy the sharp rise in gas prices. It’s no longer just about “go or don’t go.” For many, it is about “have or not have”, and these significantly differ in their scope. It is one thing to simply say “well I won’t go to the store this time.” But it is a totally different thing to say I won’t go to the store because I spent most of my money on gas.” That being said, many drivers are turning to the Internet as a means of purchasing items and accomplishing tasks while minimizing their fuel expenditures. A new resource for supplementing one’s fuel budget called Gas Money Toolbar is changing drivers focus from merely lowering fuel expenses to actually increasing the size of the driver’s gas budget. The Gas Money Toolbar is providing a means for drivers to pay for the higher gas prices with less of a burden being placed on their household finances. Through its sister dot com website TypoBounty, GasMoneyToolbar dot com presents the user with the opportunity to earn money for gas by helping locate and report errors on the websites that they visit. With average two dollar bounty offered for reported errors, users are able to earn money for gas relatively quickly. “I have been to this gas station 3 times this week” says Larnell White, “I haven’t seen the same price yet. This is madness.”
“The average driver can earn enough money to fill up his/her gas tank in a couple of hours of surfing the web”, says Douglas Angston, ‘that’s appealing when you fill up twice a week at $54 each.”
“Users need gas money, website owners need web traffic and the internet needs correcting.” Says John Michaels. “This approach combines and provides for these differing needs, while merging them into a workable arrangement that benefits everyone. The Gas Money Toolbar idea is essentially solving three very high profile problems at the same time.”
Consumers can feel empowered once again by the ability to fill their fuel tanks without totally destroying their household budgets. Since they are surfing the Internet for some reason anyway, consumers simply help their favorite websites be better by pointing out the errors they encounter. The websites enjoy rich amounts of traffic and correct their errors promptly to prevent their image from being damaged. It is a win win win situation for all parties.
June 16th, 2009
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Matt Oconnor asked:
The processing of biodiesel may require a number of biodiesel filters in order to ensure that the end product is of excellent quality. When you try to recycle waste vegetable or surplus corn oil and make them into biodiesel, you might need a biodiesel filter for your engine to make sure that contaminants can’t enter into the engine and damage it. Different biodiesel filters may be required for a number of different applications.
Biodiesel filters should have the following properties in order to work best in any given conditions:
1. High Temperature Properties. Almost any filter media can be used for water-based products. But in the case of filtering hot oils, resins and other high temperature products, a filter media that can withstand prolonged exposure to high temperatures is preferred. Biodiesel filters should be able to have excellent high temperature properties to be able to handle the filtration of biodiesel well enough.
2. Excellent Filtering. Biodiesel filters should be able to filter out the contaminants well enough in order to make a better grade product. All filters have a micron rating that determines the size of the particles that can be effectively captured by the filter media. A biodiesel filter having a 5 micron rating is preferred to provide excellent filtering properties.
3. Chemical Compatibility. A biodiesel filter should be able to withstand exposure to such chemicals as solvents, acids and alkaline solutions. A lesser quality filter may break down when exposed to such chemicals. Make sure that the biodiesel filter that you use has the property to withstand breaking down when exposed to such chemicals.
Biodiesel has become a very popular fuel alternative to petroleum-based fuel today. That is why more and more people are trying to make use of biodiesel in order to lessen their reliance on fuels based on fossil oil, which can pollute the environment. With biodiesel, people have the option to make use of a cleaner alternative. Here are just some of the key advantages of using biodiesel:
1. The use of biodiesel produces at least an 80 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. Not only that, biodiesel contains little or even no sulfur content that can result in as much as a hundred percent less sulfur dioxide being released in the air.
2. Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel available that can run in any conventional diesel engine. Other alternative fuels such as waste or straight vegetable oil may require your diesel engines to be modified. This is not so with biodiesel. Anyone can use biodiesel immediately to fuel any conventional diesel engine today.
3. Biodiesel contain less unwanted contaminants that can do some damage to diesel engines. Biodiesel also has better lubricating properties than petroleum-based diesel and can help protect and extend the life of diesel engines. It’s a better solvent than petro-diesel and may therefore help clean the fuel lines and the engine itself by dissolving fuel residues and flush them out.
4. Biodiesel in non-toxic. It is safer to handle and transport. It is also highly biodegradable and has a higher flashpoint than conventional diesel.
5. Biodiesel can be produced from renewable oilseed crops such as soybeans, canola and mustard seed. As a renewable resource, production of this alternative fuel can go on and on as long as cultivation of such crops is continued. There is also research being done in trying to raise and harvest oil-rich algae as another source for the production of biodiesel.
June 14th, 2009
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Tim Whiston asked:
Gas prices just keep going up. It’s no fun and for many people this is making the monthly budget even tighter. But don’t make a tough spot a disaster by listening to the proponents of doom.
It’s not the end of civilization. U.S. fuel prices are raising to the point of being comparable to what people in Canada, Germany, and the UK have been paying for years.
It’s a downer in a lot of ways but it’s not doomsday incarnate and it’s probably not a sign that god is about to wipe humanity off the face of the planet. So your first real step might simply be to get a grip and stop telling yourself and everyone else who will listen that the whole show is on its way down the drain.
Start looking for ways to thrive in the current adversity and stop putting so much stock in what you are told by the news media. The U.S. press is not what it once was and frankly the majority of reporting is hype, drama, sensationalism, and the generation of fear-based social obedience.
The fact is, most ultra-successful people in any society don’t even bother watching the news! You won’t find much legitimate info on the evening news or through the daily paper anyway and you can save yourself a great deal of stress and anxiety by simply cutting these sources of “information” out of your life.
If you want to stay connected to local and national events you can achieve this by browsing the headlines of any news site. Relevant updates such as election results, weather reports, and stock market activity can all be acquired in less than 15 minutes of daily skimming.
In addition to adjusting your intake of pre-packaged “news” it is highly recommended that you avoid being part of the social herd mentality. Fear is the main focus of the public consensus at this time, whether it’s fear of terrorism, fear of higher gas prices, fear of identity theft, or whatever.
Ask yourself these questions:
How did people feel during the Cuban missile crisis?
How did the public react to the oil shocks of the 70’s?
What was the public response to the Y2K scare?
How did the masses respond to the events of Sep. 11 2001?
In the above scenarios there was panic, fear, and extreme anxiety. Yet here we are today, survivors of these and other periods of turmoil.
Problems are part of life. But the nature of life is perseverance and even prosperity. You aren’t going to die if gas prices keep going up, nor will many other dramas reported urgently by the media spell the end of your days.
So decide right now to take charge of your attitude and stop letting the gloom and doom reporting of today’s press beat you into a state of fear and melancholy!
Life is great. Live every moment in as much gratitude as possible and look joyously forward to the next one. This is pretty far from the marching orders you’re currently receiving from your evening news anchor but if you try it on for just a couple of weeks you may never go back to letting the “official” line dictate your attitude toward life.
June 12th, 2009
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Marlon Dirk asked:
Within this article, we are going to discuss the biodiesel recipe.
It isn’t any surprise that with the increasing cost of fuel, there appears to be a sincere interest within alternative fuels in order to help solve our environmental and energy problems. There are several individuals that have no choice but to drive their cars daily and they are searching for fuel options that are less expensive. If you were to ask the majority of individuals what two things they would like to have in a fuel, they would like the fuel to be inexpensive and they would also like for it to be green.
In case you are unaware of what green fuel means, it means that the fuel doesn’t harm the environment. Today, you will see a number of different fuel options that are being introduced and there are some of them that have proved to show really great results when it comes down to environmental friendliness and fuel economy. Biodiesel fuel is only one of the alternative fuels that are known to offer a realistic alternative fuel. However, the main problem with the biodiesel fuel is that it isn’t available all that many place quiet yet.
The Variety of Different Blends of Biodiesel Fuel
In the event that you are among the lucky ones that are able to locate biodiesel fuel nearby your home, you should know that the majority of the biodiesel fuel that is commercially available is blended. What this means is that in order to create it regular diesel and biodiesel have to be mixed together. Now you are probably wondering why they aren’t just using pure biodiesel? Well, unfortunately over time the rubber hoses and all of the other rubber parts are going to wear down and they are going to come into contact with the biodiesel on a regular basis. One of the ways that you are able to prevent this from happening is to mix some of the pure biodiesel with the regular diesel.
One hundred percent biodiesel is pure, which means that it isn’t mixed with the regular diesel. Biodiesel is produced for all of those individual that have made the necessary adjustments to their vehicles and taken out any of the rubber components that otherwise could be affected by the use of the biodiesel. However, unfortunately, there is a very small amount of individuals that are able to receive all of their benefits by using biodiesel because of the fact that there are several people that haven’t made all of the changes that are necessarily to their cars so that they are able to use pure biodiesel.
In the end, you will find the biodiesel recipe is made up out of pure biodiesel.
June 11th, 2009
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Doug Firebaugh asked:
You gotta love it.
All these folks that are screaming about the high price of gasoline. It is impacting everyone and everything. If you turn on the television, it is there. If you turn on the radio, it is there. If you pick up a magazine, it is there as well. You cannot deny the fact that it is creating a financial headache for a lot of folks.
I was talking with someone recently, and all he talked about was how the price of gas was going to destroy his business. He is in the delivery business and profit margins are not that high any way. And he said they were getting ready to tank.
All businesses are feeling it. Even home businesses. A friend of mine was talking about she might have to close her travel part of her business down. She has a skin care business, and travels all over the region doing skin care appointments. But she said the price of gas has gotten so high that she cannot afford that level of travel anymore, as she discovered she was losing money the way she was doing it. And the price of her products has skyrocketed due to gas prices.
Sound familiar?
There was talk about 2 years ago about 5.00 per gallon of gasoline. but everone was saying, “never happen in the US.”
Yeah right.
That is why that the price of gas has everyone complaining, moaning, and crying the blues. No doubt, it has impacted the landscape of the home business world. And I am sure that you are aware of the extreme price increase in a gallon of gas, as well as many other things. The price of gas has been reportedly to be impacting many different areas of life, as well as business. And it is only going to get worse, before it gets better. We all better get used to the fact that things are going to be increasing in price a lot for a whle- and it may be a long while.
The prices of many things are increasing dramatically. For instance:
Food.
Electricity.
Vacations.
Airline flights.
Anything plastic.
Delivery of goods.
Manufacturing costs.
Hospitality costs.
And the list is long and almost endless.
BUT!
What if you could turn this horrible thing into a powerful Recruiting and Home Business Building Tool for your Network Marketing Home business?
You can!
You can turn the high price of gas into a Recruiting swarm! You DO NOT have to be part of the “woe is me” crowd. I want you to get this next thought and get it deep down in your heart:
The high price of gas could possibly be one of the best things that has happened to your home business! And will continue to be!
How?
By talking about your “Gas Fund” and asking everyone you know–”Do you have one as well?”
Here is a sample script that you can use:
“Wow Mary, can you believe the price of gasoline today? It is unbelievable. And it seems to be going higher weekly. I read where the average home expenses will increase by $400-500 dollars monthly because of it. It is impacting everything from food to electricity. But you know- I ran across an idea that actually has helped me pay for the higher price and helped me establish a “Gas Fund” at home.
Have you heard of this? It is where your gas is paid for - no matter how high it goes-but not out of your current income. Would that help you? It involves being able to establish a secondary revenue source out of your home. And no matter how high the price of gas goes, you can still afford it. Let me explain how this home Gas Fund is created with a home business…”
And there you have it. Use this over and over. You will be glad you did for your Network marketing home business.
blessings…doug
June 10th, 2009
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Elhusseiny Shahin asked:
Trend is by yet more driven by government recommendation and sometimes backing of alternative energy research and development, the rising cost of oil and other Fossil fuels, concerns about environmental cheap to status, and intended to become energy independent.
Carbon Free concludes that, assuming traditional energy prices stay at their current levels or rise, microgeneration (meeting all of a home energy needs by installing alternative energy technology such as solar panels or wind Turbines) will be the home energy supply what the Internet has become the home communications and data gathering, and ultimately it has a profound effect on the business of the existing supply of energy companies.
Carbon Free also analyzes show that the energy companies themselves have to take the game and seek to leverage microgeneration to their own advantage for opening up new markets for themselves. Carbon Free cites the example of the electricity company (UK) on reporting is seriously research and development of ideas for new geothermal energy facilities, as companies see geothermal energy production as a highly important wave of the future. Another conclusion of Carbon Free is that solar energy warm water technology is an excellent technology for reducing home water heating costs in the long run, even if it is initially quite expensive to install.
However, solar power is not cost-effective for corporations, as they require too much in the way of plumbing to implement solar energy warm water. Finally, Carbon Free tells us that the installation of air Turbines is a great way of reducing electricity costs at home, while also more independent. However, again it is beginning very expensive things to install, and the company is well to begin slashing their prices on these devices or they will find themselves losing market share.
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June 8th, 2009
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Matthew C. Keegan asked:
As autumn weather spreads across the lower forty-eight states, gas prices and temperatures seem to be dropping in unison. After pushing above $4 per gallon early in the summer, prices have been gradually retreating and have dropped to below $3 per gallon in some places. This is good news for drivers who have been especially squeezed at the pump all year.
But, not all areas are feeling the effects of lower gas prices, particularly in some parts of the Southeast which were hit hard by pipeline shutdowns due to Hurricane Ike in September. In Raleigh, the average price of a gallon of regular gas is still about $3.89, while in Corpus Christi prices are now average a full dollar less at $2.89 per gallon. Indeed, outside of Alaska and Hawaii – two states which consistently charge the highest rates – cities like Charlotte, Atlanta, and Durham are paying the most for gas.
Since peaking around $150 for a barrel of oil this past summer, price have dropped below the $100 per barrel level and seem to be heading even lower. A recent spike in prices in late September due to the economic meltdown have eased, suggesting that prices will eventually drop below $90 per barrel. With the meltdown, US consumption continues to drop, further pushing prices downward.
Yet, it is the Southeast which is having the most difficult time seeing lower prices, thanks in part to disruptions from Hurricane Ike which whacked the Texas coast in September. A major pipeline from Texas that serves the Carolinas and Georgia was cut off, forcing gas stations to shut down or ration out what they had. To this day, many independent gas stations are without fuel, waiting for supplies to be restored which should happen later this week. Once gas has been made widely available, then prices will begin to drop, perhaps by 50 cents or more almost immediately, before settling below $3 per gallon this winter.
Top and Bottom 5 Cities
The following lists, supplied by information gleaned from GasBuddy.com, reflects the top five and bottom five cities price wise:
Top 5
Corpus Christi 2.889
Oklahoma City 2.948
Kansas City 2.998
Des Moines 3.020
Tulsa 3.053
Bottom 5
Raleigh 3.891
Charlotte 3.902
Atlanta 3.945
Anchorage 3.994
Honolulu 4.007
Clearly, the price advantage can be found in the middle of the country while the Southeast, Hawaii, and Alaska continue to pay the highest prices in the nation.
June 7th, 2009
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Muna wa Wanjiru asked:
Algae is a major renewable fuel which can be used to manufacture Biodiesel. One of the companies in New Zealand successfully developed a system for using sewage waste as a substrate for algae and then it produce bio-diesel. An alga is considered as the highest yield feedstock for biodiesel that can produce more enough oil compared to soybeans when grew in an acre.
Actual Biomass algae produced from field trials, which is conducted during the NREL’s aquatic species program. It is being converted using the actual oil content of the algae species grown in the specific program.
There are various advantages of producing biodiesel from algae, which include rapid growth of the plant. Using Algae Biodiesel gives high per acre yield. Algae biodiesel does not used to contain sulfur, toxic materials and it is highly biodegradable. There are some species, which are ideally suited for algae biodiesel production, because their high oil contents in some species.
Algae used to develop from small, singled celled organisms to cellular organisms, some algae have complex distinguished form. Algae can be easily seen at places like damp, bodies of water. Algae are common in terrestrial as well as aquatic environments. Like any other plants algae require three elements to spring up sunlight, carbon-di-oxide and water. Plant algae and some other bacteria convert sunlight to chemical energy, which process call as photosynthesis. Algae used to contain 2% and 40% of lipids or oils by weight. If algae have greater oil, it may results in lower yield annual food crops such as soybeans. Currently only 0.3% of the land of the US, it is getting utilized to produce enough biodiesel.
Species of algae with up to 50% oil content have conclude that only 28000km land getting used to produce biodiesel. Unused desert land could be used for effective growing of algae.
Following is the productions which obtained in an entire year. In the winter months algae productivity used to drop.
Metric Tons / Hectare/ Year
M. minutum alage 1989 35.8
M. minutum alage 1989 30.3
M. minutum alage 1990 38.3
Algae 1978 43.8
Sugarcane 79.2
Oil Palm 50
Arundo Donax 50
To cultivate Algae for Liquid Fuel production requires,
Gallons of Oil per Acre per year
Corn required 15
Safflower required 48
Sunflower required 83
Rapessed required 127
Oil Palm required
Micro Algae required 1850
Micro Algae required 5000-15000
Company, which produces Biodiesel from Algae
The Enhance Biofuels and Technology generate algae process which combines a bioreactor with an open pond. Here both using waste co2 from coal fired power plant flue gases as a fertilizer. Biodiesel and ethanol can be used an alternative fuel and also it is being sold.
GreenFuel Technology, where emissions to Biofuels process, photosynthesis which grows algae, it capture CO2 and it produce high energy biomass. The algae can be economically converted to solid fuel, methane or liquid transportation fuels like biodiesel and ethanol.
June 5th, 2009
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Keith McGregor asked:
As November 1st 2008 approaches and the end to UK Red Diesel derogation, yacht owners are sharing an interest in alternative fuels one being Biodiesel. What are the benefits for boat owners and who will supply it?
Biodiesel refers to a non-petroleum-based diesel fuel made vegetable oils or animal fats.
There are many advantages of marine biodiesel as a marine fuel
Biodiesel serves as a drop-in replacement for petro diesel — no conversion necessary.
Biodiesel when used in boats causes less water pollution – there is less smoke and it is safer to store.
Biodiesel production uses a third less energy than petroleum diesel production.
High lubricity extends engine life
Higher cetane rating (46-62) almost always smoothes engine operation
Biodiesel can be blended with petroleum-based diesel at any ratio
Biodiesel contains essentially no sulfur or aromatics. Blends as low as B20 have reduced soot exhaust by 83%. Biodiesel removes deposits in tanks and fuel systems left by petro diesel.
Cheaper than the current red diesel prices of 88pence per litre even before the additional 54.94p in duty to be added from 1st Nov 2008.
Disadvantages
Doesn’t store as well as petro diesel
Possibility of blocked filters as it cleans the lines out and failed rubber seals as Biodiesel is a better solvent than mineral diesel
Blends of more than 5% (B5) to 95% (B95) may invalidate engine warranties
No Bio Diesel suppliers and blending facilities in marinas or boatyards at present.
Conclusion
Whilst at present there are no direct suppliers of marine biodiesel for boat owners, there are plans for the 2009 Portland Marina in Dorset to supply biodiesel and several marinas advise they have spare tank capacity to store another grade of oil.
A recent farm-based bio-diesel plant in North Wales has been reported as receiving interest from yacht and boat owners already. BML Biofuels, based at Llanfihangel GM, near Corwen is the first plant in Wales - and only the second in Britain - to extract oil by cold pressing oilseed rape (OSR). At the resulting cost 45p-55p/litre for the first 2,500 litres plus tax, it’s then no surprise BML Biofuels has already received maritime inquiries as far afield as Portsmouth since its official June opening.
With the higher cost or red diesel and a government under pressure to meet renewable fuel targets Biodiesel is likely to become a key ingredient in the refueling of motor yachts over the next decade.
