Art-ology

During the great recession, the auto industry in the USA took a hammering and this served to accelerate a trend toward more efficient cars. Those days of $.50 gasoline and huge, inefficient cars are certainly on the way out, and we have now seen that sky-high gas prices can plague us, even when recessionary forces are not apparent.

We are now likely to see more European-style cars on the road in the US. In Europe, efficient vehicles are the norm and you never see those big American clunkers on this continent. Following trends, we can imagine an influx of European vehicles including a much higher proportion of diesel engine vehicles as well. The diesel engine is much more efficient than the petrol engine, even though the petro diesel fuel is a little more costly.

If we can foresee a definite upward trend from the one in 20 or so diesel engine cars currently in the US toward the huge numbers popular in Europe, then we can see how biodiesel may have a considerable future there. Not surprisingly, biodiesel fuel is much more environmentally friendly, emits very little greenhouse gases and can be made from readily available materials. Vegetable oil or animal fats form the basis for making biodiesel and the process of transesterification is not that difficult to master.

Some of us have tried making homemade biodiesel in our garage and been pleasantly surprised. You might smell the makings of a cottage industry and be aware that in your particular locale there are no dedicated or existing biodiesel distributors.

As an entrepreneur, commercial biodiesel may be in your future. Look at your supply chain and see where you could get the oils or fats, the caustic soda and the methanol in required quantities. You will need a reasonably sized space to be able to set up the production process and while it will require a bit more than just a simple ramping up from wherever you are now, the basic parameters remain the same.

Please note that before you will be able to sell your products you will have to ensure a certain level of purity and achieve certification and will of course need relevant business operational licenses. The good news is that local governments, being keenly aware of climate related news, may make grants and incentives available to you to help you fund your operation. It is very trendy to be sustainable these days and authorities realise that they should make public funding available to those who are following this trend.

Learn lessons from those who are already set up. Certain areas of the country have a higher concentration of biodiesel users, especially the Northwest and some parts of New England. If you research well, there is no reason why you should not benefit from an emerging trend. With so much change coming on the horizon, ever so much faster than we may realise, it only makes sense to become more sustainable as quickly as we can by turning to environmentally sound energy sources. Try biodiesel today, and see for yourself what the experience brings!