Duhh... So THAT's what biodiesel really is! Yes, well, all jolly nice, but where are the independent tests that it doesn't cause coking problems, as with other veggie oils? There's the paper Hanns provided, but as he said the guy has an interest.
With people using high blends (?) of apparently unpurified coconut and palm oil, we can expect more mechanical problems (see previous), and more manufacturers and insurers to refuse cover for biodiesel, even real biodiesel, since even Greenpeace is confused about which is which. And anyway, if you have to purify it, why not do the job properly and transesterify it? Then you can use any old oil you like and dispense with the expensive dinodiesel altogether, and no problems with breakdowns. http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=11040 Planet Ark Thai king promotes home-grown green palm fuels THAILAND: June 1, 2001 BANGKOK - Portraits of Thailand's king, already adorning almost every building in the country, could soon be helping to sell cheap, clean fuel at Thai gasoline stations. When King Bhumipol Adulyadej personally patented a palm oil formula at the beginning of May, many observers speculated a clean fuel craze could sweep Thailand. High oil prices and the lingering effects of an economic crisis were already persuading many Thais to explore palm oil, coconut oil and ethanol as cheap alternatives to diesel. But the highly revered king's stamp of approval could turn royal palm oil pumps into reality, green campaigners say. "This is definitely a positive move," said Jiragorn Gajaseni, chief executive director of Greenpeace Thailand. "Biodiesel hasn't been promoted by the government or other agencies, which are focusing on fossil fuels. With the king's interest, we will see much more emphasis on clean energies." Palm oil is extracted from the yellow fruit of the palm tree, which grows abundantly in countries near the equator such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Colombia and Nigeria. The oil is used mostly for cooking and making margarine and cosmetics. But the state-run Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT), which has been conducting tests for the king, says palm oil, when mixed with diesel, can also power vehicles. MAKE IT YOURSELF According to Sawang Boonyasuwat, executive director of the PTT Research and Technology Institute, with little regulation over what people put in their engines, the Thai public can easily copy the cost-saving formula. "Crude palm oil prices are about eight baht (17 cents) at the moment, while diesel is 15 baht per litre, so this will be widely used because it's cheap, and people can make the fuel themselves," Sawang said. "But we have to advise the public on the right formula to use." Sawang said research found a formula of one part crude palm oil to nine parts diesel did no harm to engine performance. If purified palm oil was used, its share in the mix could be increased to 30 percent. Some researchers say the petroleum industry is underplaying the benefits of palm oil in order to protect its own fossil fuel interests. "Many people in southern Thailand have been using 60 percent palm oil mixtures for years in factory engines and vehicles," said Chatchawal Wat-Aksorn, an independent researcher with links to the king's alternative fuel projects. "People respect the king and if he says something is good, they will trust it. It's good that he's coming out to promote alternative fuels, because the petroleum business is trying to protect their own business." Chatchawal said the king's patent would mean the palm oil formula would "belong to the people" and would help in marketing the fuel. LESS AIR POLLUTION FROM PALM OIL Greenpeace's Jiragorn said palm oil would cut down hazardous exhaust emissions, particularly carbon dioxide - one of the causes of global warming. "Tests have shown there's less air pollution from palm oil - almost no carbon dioxide because combustion is more complete, less carbon dioxide than fossil fuels, and no sulphur emissions at all," he said. By reducing dependency on imported gasoline, palm oil also fits into the "back to basics" self-sufficiency philosophy Thailand's king put forward after a currency crisis rocked the country's economy in 1997. "Palm oil is also very efficient because by-products (from the palm fruit) can be used for animal feed," said Jiragorn. "And by using local products, we could see an increase in agricultural product prices and less dependence on international markets." The king's move has already brought a reaction from the Thai government, which has said it would ask PTT to assist with mass-producing palm oil fuel. Many politicians are also calling for a complete tax exemption for palm oil fuel. Malaysia, which accounts for more than half of the world's palm oil production, and Indonesia are also developing palm oil fuel. Sweden, Brazil, Australia, Canada and Mexico are using ethanol, which can be produced from cane sugar, and palm and coconut trees. Story by Dominic Whiting REUTERS NEWS SERVICE Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
