Hello Ircham There have been rumours of such a glycerine glut from biodiesel manufacture in Europe, for a couple of years now, but I only ever saw one reference to it and was never able to confirm it. Perhaps it was an apocryphal tale.
Given the requirement for localised production of biodiesel, what Pan and Balaji are discussing seems to make the most sense to me - use the stuff to generate heat and power, for the processing and beyond. Using it as part at least of the feedstock in a biogas operation could have some of the same benefits. >Econimics is fundamental to the future of Biodiesel, >since it is presently more expensive to produce than >petroleum diesel, The impact of this higher cost may >not be significant if it is used at blend rates of >only a few percent in petroleum diesel. However, for >any higher usage rates, it is vital to the future of >this renewable fuel that its price be more competitive >with that of conventional diesel fuel. By having >markets for crude and refined glycerol, biodiesel >producers stand a better chance of conferring economic >viability upon their operation. The other option is cost-reduction via on-site re-use, closing the circle. It's important that these costs be calculated properly though. One thing that Balaji said is a caution here: "The plants at village level should nominally be viable at > 20 kWe output, if you compare it with grid delivered and unsubsidised power. However, in most cases this prognosis holds little meaning, as you are providing villagers something they never possessed and the cascading impact on the village economy and quality of life of the people now made powerful, in more ways than one, cannot be easily and directly reckoned." But that impact must be rationally allowed for anyway. >Econimics is fundamental to the future of Biodiesel, >since it is presently more expensive to produce than >petroleum diesel, Is it? Once you take ALL the subsidies away from all factors involved in both, and really level the playing field, is biodiesel really more expensive? I wonder. There are often some false sacred cows in this (hey!), the subsidies and props and everything else involved in making fossil fuels seem (only seem) pocket-friendly are somehow regarded by the powers-that-be as "natural" or something, a non-negotiable "given", but of course the same doesn't apply to any suggestion to subsidise renewable alternatives, that would be anti-"free" market, titlting the playing field, sheer sacrilege. A conspiracy, as you said, whether knowing or not. Best wishes Keith >I got some interesting article..... > >Glycerol Abundance??? > >Glycerol constitutes about 10% of all animal and >vegetable fats and oilsin the form of triglycerides. >Crude glycerol is gennerally produced as by product-or >coproduct-of fats and oil hydrolysis for the >production of fatty acids and soaps, but synthetih >glycerol, produced from propylene, is also widely used >product. Crude glycerol is refined to meet United >States Pharmacopeia (USP) grade requirements for use >in most commercial applications. >But since glycerol is also a by-product of biodiesel >fuel production, with the steady growth since >mid-1990s in biodiesel fuel consumption, many in the >biodiesel community, such as Haas, foresee an eventual >glycerol gut. A glycerol surplus would depress proces >and possibly hinder future growth in biodiesel fuel >consumption. >Presently, biodiesel production is increasing rapidly. >For the year 2000, biodiesel production in North >America alone was about 2,000 tons. In 2002, it rose >to 100,000 tons, and is estimated to have been about >250,000 tons for 2003. It’s about 10 times that level >for world production. Most Biodiesel is produced in >Western Europe, where proces for petroleum fuels are >higher than in the United States and where >environmental awareness may also be greater. Although >there are many uses for glycerol, the market is not >growing rapidly. The amount of new glycerol on the >market is going to be substantial, especially when you >consider projected growth for Biodiesel production. >Biodiesel fuel production is spurring cause for >concern for glycerol markets. >According to Cleveland, Ohio-based market research >group Freedonia Group, Inc., demand for biodiesel is >forecast to grow 30% in the United States to 100 >million gallons by 2006, spurred by Environmental >Protection Agency (EPA) regulations requiring diesel >fuel to reduce sulfuc content from the current 500 ppm >minimum to 15 ppm by June 2006. >Econimics is fundamental to the future of Biodiesel, >since it is presently more expensive to produce than >petroleum diesel, The impact of this higher cost may >not be significant if it is used at blend rates of >only a few percent in petroleum diesel. However, for >any higher usage rates, it is vital to the future of >this renewable fuel that its price be more competitive >with that of conventional diesel fuel. By having >markets for crude and refined glycerol, biodiesel >producers stand a better chance of conferring economic >viability upon their operation. > >inform magazine, March 2004 > >regards >Ircham ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/FGYolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/biofuel/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/biofuel/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
