What is Biodiesel?
Biodiesel is a cleaner-burning
alternative "diesel" fuel, made from 100% natural, 100%
renewable sources. Biodiesel can be used in place of standard diesel
(which is made from fossil fuels) in almost any place that regular
diesel is called for.
On Maui most biodiesel is made from used cooking
oil. This cooking oil is collected primarily from restaurants that have
deep fat fryers that cook foods like French fries. These restaurants
usually hire a pumping company to collect their oil after they are done
with it, who then bring it to the biodiesel processor. Once at the
processor, the oil is filtered, (if made from used cooking oil) and put
through a process called transesterification which
basically mixes vegetable oil with an alcohol (usually methanol) and a
catalyst, (usually lye.) This process separates and creates two
commodities, biodiesel (the chemical name being methyl esters) and
glycerin (which is an ingredient in a lot of soaps.)
Virgin vegetable oils can also be used to make biodiesel. Quite often
oils that are turned down as food grade vegetable oil are used to make
biodiesel. Different plants contain different amounts of oils.
Depending on where it is farmed, one can use several different plants
to make biodiesel. Some of the commonly used vegetable oils to make
biodiesel include: - mustard, rapeseed (a.k.a. canola), palm, olive,
peanut, soy bean, safflower, sunflower, castor, etc.
It is interesting to note that Rudolf Diesel, the
person who invented the diesel engine, intended and ran his engines on
vegetable oil!
Why
Biodiesel?
Fossil fuel
is the primary cause of pollution in the world. Biodiesel offers those
who want a clean environment the option to make a significant
beneficial impact by using a renewable fuel. Sustainability? Or
business (pollution) as usual? Biodiesel dramatically reduces
particulate matter emissions and other federally targeted emissions
while helping to stabilize greenhouse gases. Biodiesel is also
non-toxic, biodegradable and free of sulfur.
By choosing biodiesel over fossil fuels, you will be supporting local
farmers and the local economy,instead of supporting the oil industry
and all the negative affects things that come along with it... such as
terorism, wars, oil spills, global warming plus will be creating a
healthier environment for yourself and those around you!
Where
do I fuel up on Maui?
Our cars
average 35-40 miles a gallon and over 400 miles on a tank, which means
most renters easily drive a week without having to fuel up! That
includes driving Lahaina, Kihei, Haleakala, and Hana, etc...
Pacific Biodiesel is centerally located near the airport in Kahului, at
40 Hobron street. Their hours are 7:30-5:30 Monday-Friday, and are
closed weekends and Holidays. We do have access, for our renters after
hours if necessary.
Even though there is only one station on Maui, the island is small, and
no one is ever over 65 miles from the station at the farthest spot! If
you are driving to Haleakala or the road to Hana, besides kahaului,
etc... you will pass very close to the station.
In cases of emergency, one can use regular diesel, in place of
biodiesel.
Pacific Biodiesel is one of the original producers of biodiesel. Their
biodiesel is always up to ASTM standards and are committed to only
using sustainable oils for their biodiesel.
For
more information on Biodiesel visit: biodiesel.org
or biodiesel discussion forum
or Pacific Biodiesel
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