(Apologies for cross-posting)...this is in response to a discussion on the "biofuels" list EB
Damian, Keith and all: Going to jump in here for a minute: I was going to go to an electric a few years ago. Then I drove one. No range, need for $$batteries, etc. led me to look for something better. Biodiesel and SVO were it. Emissions, range, cost,safety, simplicity, renewability on an annual basis, etc. were all favourable compared to other fuels. But I needed to convince myself first. So I spent a year researching and writing a sustainability-focused thesis in the topic. What really prompted to work in this field was reading Josh Tickell's book, as so many others have done. In my case, the interesting part was the last section, not the parts on making biodiesel or blends. The economy and simplicity of SVO was appealing, but the welded aluminum tank, and hose-in-hose, etc. were overly complicated and too expensive. There had to be a simpler way! Also, a motivating statement was one in that book made by a researcher that, to parapharse: "Clearly the use of straight vegetable oil is not practical, since the whole system has to be heated from one end to the other" - something like that. I am always suspicious when researchers sniff and use the words "Clearly....blah,blah,blah"!! It just did not make sense. I felt they were tossing out the baby with the bath water - maybe because they were working in an area that sees a lot of -30C in the winter!! But that is not every place, and certainly not every place that has a lot of problems with air quality (PM from diesels being a major contributor in urban areas). So, I really jsut wanted to see if it was a correct statement or not. Well, it wasn't. And the design in the book was lousy. Being convinced that this was a good way to go but that there would be an emerging market for simpler systems that cost less and made it easy and inexpensive for people to use SVO, I started a company, along with local machinist and inventor Henry Mackaay. We're going into our third year and the business is now growing fast - this will be by far our best year - it seems we are not alone in our thinking, since we've sold the kit to many countries around the world, and are getting quite a bit of positive feedback. We continue to try and make it better and will be working on more sophisticated options for the newer engines as time goes along. NOTE:(By the way, on a side note, we are having VERY good results on a recent switch to use of a looped SVO return, and return-to-tank Diesel arrangement, using a 10 micron filter, even in cold weather. That is now the standard, and the way the kit ships. We have had no air bubble problems - we used to, in early days, so shied away from loops for a while...but they way we have it all sorted out now, it is working very well) As for the thesis: I have put in on line as a pdf, as supporting documentation for the overall concept. It is not overly technical, it covers many of the "hows and why's" of both general and specific aspects of use of these fuels. It is free, online, or if anyone wants a hard copy printed off and mailed, I can to that on an as-requested basis, for a fee, just send an email. So, if anyone cares to have a read, the thesis is on our web site under the tab called "articles" "Renewable Oil Fuels and Diesel Engines as Components of Sustainable System Design" Research Question: "Are renewable oils as fuels in unmodified compression ignition (diesel) engines a technically and economically feasible component of sustainable system design, in both developing and developed countries?" I have been rebuilding the web site for a better look, easier navigation, etc. and will be adding more links, information, products, etc. soon. We are probably going to go to PayPal, as well since it is so popular as an online ordering service (we use KAGI for now, also a good service but not as well known.) In the meantime, there are extensive links to interesting research listed at the end of the thesis pdf. ,in the references section. I think many will find some of these of interest, as well as having a look at the thesis sub-topics per their specific interests. Sincerely, Edward Beggs B.E.S., M.Sc. President, Neoteric Biofuels Inc. Westbank, British Columbia, Canada http://www.biofuels.ca On Wednesday, January 29, 2003, at 08:23 AM, Damian J. Anderson wrote: > > On Wed, 29 Jan 2003, Keith Addison wrote: > >>> Some people might argue that oil, coal and other petrochemical >>> stocks are >>> derived from ancient biological sources, and so they might be >>> included, but, >>> true BioFuels come from renewable sources, that do not add to the >>> burden on >>> the atmosphere. Some people ask, " How can BioFuels be better for >>> the >>> atmosphere, if you still burn them? ". It is simple, the carbon >>> dioxide >>> (CO2 ), that is made when biofuels are burnt, recycles, back in the >>> the plant >>> material which they came from. >> >> So, fossil fuel is a finite resource, not renewable, it pollutes, and >> it raises atmospheric CO2 levels - (SNIP) Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://archive.nnytech.net/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! 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