Biodiesel: or Biodiesel: or “Your fries give “Your fries give

me gas”me gas”

Who are we?Who are we?• Jill ParleeJill Parlee

• Handel CallenderHandel Callender

Objectives of this Objectives of this workshopworkshop

What is biodieselWhat is biodiesel

The components of biodiesel productionThe components of biodiesel productionWhat equipment is requiredWhat equipment is requiredFitting it all togetherFitting it all togetherOperating the businessOperating the business

How it is done in BarbadosHow it is done in Barbados

Discover the feasibility of a business in Discover the feasibility of a business in DominicaDominica

Some of the social, economic and Some of the social, economic and environmental benefitsenvironmental benefits

What is Biodiesel?What is Biodiesel?Biodiesel is fuel from Biodiesel is fuel from vegetable oilvegetable oil

The diesel engine The diesel engine was invented in 1895, was invented in 1895, and ran on peanut oil and ran on peanut oil for 10 yearsfor 10 years

Biodiesel can be Biodiesel can be made from either made from either new oil or used new oil or used (waste cooking oil)(waste cooking oil)

Sources of Sources of feedstockfeedstock

RestaurantsRestaurants

HotelsHotels

SnackettesSnackettes

School cafeteriasSchool cafeterias

CruiseshipsCruiseships

You can also grow You can also grow your own fuel.your own fuel.

Dominica has a Dominica has a range of oil crops, range of oil crops, coconut being the coconut being the most popularmost popular

Coconut yields Coconut yields 2,260 kg 2,260 kg oil/hectareoil/hectare

Jatropha yields Jatropha yields 1,590 kg 1,590 kg oil/hectareoil/hectare

Castor bean yields Castor bean yields 1188 kg oil/hectare 1188 kg oil/hectare

Raw materials Raw materials neededneeded

• Vegetable oil (feedstock)Vegetable oil (feedstock)

• MethanolMethanol

• Potassium Hydroxide or Sodium HydroxidePotassium Hydroxide or Sodium Hydroxide

• Safety precautions:Safety precautions:

• Methanol is a highly toxic and flammable Methanol is a highly toxic and flammable alcohol. Gloves, masks, long sleeved work alcohol. Gloves, masks, long sleeved work clothes and a well ventilated area should be all clothes and a well ventilated area should be all accessible when working with itaccessible when working with it

• Sodium Hydroxide is highly alkaline and will Sodium Hydroxide is highly alkaline and will produce severe burns when in contact with skinproduce severe burns when in contact with skin

The chemistry of The chemistry of biodieselbiodiesel

• Vegetable oil + Methanol + Potassium Vegetable oil + Methanol + Potassium Hydroxide = Methylester (biodiesel)Hydroxide = Methylester (biodiesel)

TRIGLYCERIDE MOLECULE (VEGE OIL)

What’s the equipment you What’s the equipment you need? need?

(piecing it together)(piecing it together)Requirement Description

Feedstock storage To hold all vegetable oil collected or produced

Biodiesel reactor For mixing oil and chemicals

Byproduct storage To hold glycerin byproduct

Water storage Rain or river water

Biodiesel wash system Cleaning the crude biodiesel before placing in vehicles

Waste water treatment and storage Cleaning up the water used to wash biodiesel

Biodiesel storage

Distribution Pumps or fuel containers to deliver fuel to vehicle tank

A small room for a lab Fuel quality testing and chemical prep

Stage 1: Feedstock storage and Stage 1: Feedstock storage and pretreatmentpretreatment

You may need:•55 gallon metal drums•1000 litre containers•Water tanks•Large metal storage tanks

Some basic requirements for feedstock storage:•Ideally it should have a cone shaped bottom•It should be able to take some heat (up to70 Celsius)•It should have fittings to easily connect plumbing•It should be easily and safely filled

Additional components for feedstock storage:•A pump and plumbing fittings are needed to transfer prepared oil to reactor

Stage 2: The ReactorStage 2: The Reactor

You may need:You may need:

55 gallon metal drum55 gallon metal drum

HDPE prefabricated plastic HDPE prefabricated plastic containercontainer

Stainless steel vesselStainless steel vessel

Some basic requirements for Some basic requirements for biodiesel reactorbiodiesel reactor

It should be sealed or have a It should be sealed or have a cover to prevent fume leakscover to prevent fume leaks

Ideally it should have a cone Ideally it should have a cone shaped bottomshaped bottom

It must have a pump or a high It must have a pump or a high to medium speed mixer of to medium speed mixer of some kindsome kind

The Reactor cont.The Reactor cont.

It should be able to take It should be able to take heat. The reaction temp heat. The reaction temp is optimal at around 55 is optimal at around 55 CelsiusCelsius

It should have fittings to It should have fittings to easily connect plumbingeasily connect plumbing

It should be easily and It should be easily and safely filledsafely filled

Some welding may be Some welding may be requiredrequired

Plumbing will be needed Plumbing will be needed to transfer crude to transfer crude biodiesel to the wash biodiesel to the wash stagestage

The biodiesel The biodiesel reactionreactionOil and methanol are Oil and methanol are

mixed in the mixed in the presence of a presence of a catalyst NaOH or catalyst NaOH or KOH.KOH.

100 Gallons of oil 100 Gallons of oil produces 80 gallons produces 80 gallons of biodiesel and 25 of biodiesel and 25 gallons of glycerin.gallons of glycerin.

Glycerin can be Glycerin can be disposed of as disposed of as biodegradable biodegradable waste, used as soap, waste, used as soap, or refined into pure or refined into pure glycerin.glycerin.

The biodiesel The biodiesel reactionreaction

Stage 3: Washing and drying the Stage 3: Washing and drying the BiodieselBiodiesel

Washing biodiesel involves the removal of chemical impurities and soaps created in the production process, that would cause harm to a vehicle engine. Washing involves mixing water with the crude biodiesel

Drying biodiesel requires the removal of water, via heat or settling, from the biodiesel after it has been washed.

There is new technology now, that does allow for cleaning biodiesel without the use of water.

Stage 3: Washing and drying the Stage 3: Washing and drying the biodiesel cont.biodiesel cont.

Stage 3: Washing and drying the Stage 3: Washing and drying the biodiesel cont.biodiesel cont.

You will need:You will need:

Thorough mixing of Thorough mixing of biodiesel and water biodiesel and water via pumps or mixersvia pumps or mixers

Application of heat for Application of heat for drying, to remove drying, to remove moisture from moisture from biodiesel after biodiesel after washingwashing

Good drainageGood drainage

Plumbing to transfer Plumbing to transfer from washing to from washing to storagestorage

Treating the wash Treating the wash waterwater

The water after washing, may contain The water after washing, may contain traces of methanol, NaOH or KOH and traces of methanol, NaOH or KOH and some soaps.some soaps.

Solar distillation seems to be an Solar distillation seems to be an effective way to clean up water before effective way to clean up water before disposaldisposal

Alternatively, investing in zero water Alternatively, investing in zero water technology may be possible with technology may be possible with funding.funding.

Stage 4: Biodiesel storage and Stage 4: Biodiesel storage and distributiondistribution

You will need:You will need:

TanksTanks

Pump fed or gravity Pump fed or gravity fed nozzlesfed nozzles

Metering devicesMetering devices

Economics of Economics of biodieselbiodieselInputsInputs

SupplySupply

Demand Demand

Niche MarketNiche Market

ExpensesExpenses

RevenuesRevenues

Pricing structurePricing structure

Business structureBusiness structure

FundingFunding

Raw material Raw material inputsinputsSecuring raw materialsSecuring raw materials

Vege oil collectionVege oil collectionFree?Free?Shared?Shared?Strategic Strategic partnerships partnerships with suppliers? with suppliers? Friends? Friends? Communities?Communities?

Chemical Chemical importation costsimportation costs

Shared?Shared?

Bulk?Bulk?

Alternatives?Alternatives?

Concessions and Concessions and incentives from incentives from Gov.Gov.

Your marketYour marketRegular usersRegular users

Power GenerationPower Generation

Public transportPublic transport

Fishing industryFishing industry

Private housesPrivate houses

High end users (yachts, etc.) High end users (yachts, etc.)

Supply to state controlled distributorSupply to state controlled distributor

Your expensesYour expenses• ElectricityElectricity

– Used mainly to heat oil and biodiesel, and power pumpsUsed mainly to heat oil and biodiesel, and power pumps– Conventional?Conventional?– Alternatives?Alternatives?

• WaterWater– Mainly for cleaning up biodieselMainly for cleaning up biodiesel– Cleaning your water is a huge plus, even if it was Cleaning your water is a huge plus, even if it was

originally free.originally free.

• Human labourHuman labour– Collecting oilCollecting oil– Processing biodieselProcessing biodiesel– Sales and marketingSales and marketing– Admin.Admin.

• FuelFuel– Energy is also used in the vehicle to collect oil and drop Energy is also used in the vehicle to collect oil and drop

off biodieseloff biodiesel

• Where can you save?Where can you save?

Your revenuesYour revenuesDeveloping the byproduct, glycerinDeveloping the byproduct, glycerin

Unique opportunities exist in Dominica Unique opportunities exist in Dominica to develop assisting technologiesto develop assisting technologies

Coconut drying technologyCoconut drying technologyWater harvestersWater harvestersCoconut oil businesses specifically for biodieselCoconut oil businesses specifically for biodiesel

How you generate income can influence How you generate income can influence your pricing structure, how you promote your pricing structure, how you promote the fuel and your business philosophy.the fuel and your business philosophy.

Business structureBusiness structureCentralised Decentralised

Pros Cons Pros Cons

Relatively easily managed

High capital investment Significant job creation More training

Rapid accountability Expensive training Community cohesiveness Red tape due to regulatory bodies

A consolidated operation

Expensive overheads Low capital investment costs

Lack of control over production supplies (strike potential)

A singular vision and goal

High maintenance costs Better funding potential from non traditional, community supportive entities (undp)

Potential conflict in goal and visions

Quality control More efficient access to used cooking oil

Challenges in monitoring

High fire, natural disaster risk due to consolidated nature

Increased likelihood of Dominican users receiving required volumes

High risk due to storage of chemicals

A central controlling interest in lessened

Inflexibility when faced with upheavals

Broad education potential

Higher marketing / public education costs

Less likelihood of complete shutdown of supply if one plant is down

Significantly reduced overheads

Significantly lower maintenance costs

Greater business-to-business support

Why support Why support biodiesel?biodiesel?Biodiesel is produced primarily with local materials, Biodiesel is produced primarily with local materials,

significantly reducing foreign exchange expenditure significantly reducing foreign exchange expenditure

Reduced vulnerability to external fluctuations in fuel Reduced vulnerability to external fluctuations in fuel prices.prices.

Improves Barbados’ image as an eco destination.Improves Barbados’ image as an eco destination.

Provides a solution to current waste disposal Provides a solution to current waste disposal problems and reduces costs incurred through problems and reduces costs incurred through disposal.disposal.

Health/environmental benefits due to use of the fuel.Health/environmental benefits due to use of the fuel.

Significant savings in health care costsSignificant savings in health care costs

Job creation.Job creation.

Establishes linkages to agriculture that might help Establishes linkages to agriculture that might help solidify new avenues for the sectorsolidify new avenues for the sector

Can take Barbados steps ahead to true sustainable Can take Barbados steps ahead to true sustainable developmentdevelopment

Benefits of Benefits of biodieselbiodiesel

Health/EnvironmentHealth/Environment

Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) by 100% Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) by 100%

Reduction of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions by 100% Reduction of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions by 100%

Reduction of soot emissions by 40-60% Reduction of soot emissions by 40-60%

Reduction of carbon monoxide (CO) emissions by 10-50% Reduction of carbon monoxide (CO) emissions by 10-50%

Reduction of hydrocarbon (HC) emissions by 10-50% Reduction of hydrocarbon (HC) emissions by 10-50%

Reduction of all polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Reduction of all polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and specifically the reduction of the following carcinogenic PAHs: specifically the reduction of the following carcinogenic PAHs:

Reduction of phenanthren by 97%Reduction of phenanthren by 97%Reduction of benzofloroanthen by 56%Reduction of benzofloroanthen by 56%Reduction of benzapyren by 71%Reduction of benzapyren by 71%Reduction of aldehydes and aromatic compounds by 13%Reduction of aldehydes and aromatic compounds by 13%

Reduction or increase in nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions by 5-10% Reduction or increase in nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions by 5-10% depending on the age and type of engine. depending on the age and type of engine.

Benefits of Benefits of biodiesel.biodiesel.

Biodiesel runs in any conventional, unmodified diesel Biodiesel runs in any conventional, unmodified diesel engine. In other words, “you just pour it into the fuel engine. In other words, “you just pour it into the fuel tank.” tank.”

Biodiesel can be stored anywhere that petroleum Biodiesel can be stored anywhere that petroleum diesel fuel is stored. diesel fuel is stored.

• Biodiesel can be used alone or mixed in any amount Biodiesel can be used alone or mixed in any amount with petroleum diesel fuel. with petroleum diesel fuel.

• Biodiesel is more lubricating than diesel fuel. Its Biodiesel is more lubricating than diesel fuel. Its higher lubricity enhances the lifetime of the engine.higher lubricity enhances the lifetime of the engine.

Benefits of Benefits of biodieselbiodiesel

• Biodiesel is safe to handle because it is Biodiesel is safe to handle because it is biodegradable and non-toxic. According to the biodegradable and non-toxic. According to the National Biodiesel Board, “neat biodiesel is as National Biodiesel Board, “neat biodiesel is as biodegradable as sugar and less toxic than biodegradable as sugar and less toxic than salt.” salt.”

• Biodiesel is safe to transport. Biodiesel has a Biodiesel is safe to transport. Biodiesel has a high flash point, or ignition temperature, of high flash point, or ignition temperature, of about 300 deg. F compared to petroleum diesel about 300 deg. F compared to petroleum diesel fuel, which has a flash point of 125 deg. F. fuel, which has a flash point of 125 deg. F.

• Engines running on biodiesel run normally and Engines running on biodiesel run normally and have similar fuel mileage to engines running on have similar fuel mileage to engines running on diesel fuel. Auto ignition, fuel consumption, diesel fuel. Auto ignition, fuel consumption, power output, and engine torque are relatively power output, and engine torque are relatively unaffected by biodiesel. unaffected by biodiesel.

• When burned in an engine, the exhaust fumes When burned in an engine, the exhaust fumes have the pleasant aroma of popcorn or French have the pleasant aroma of popcorn or French fries.fries.

Starting up in Starting up in DominicaDominica• Consider starting as a Consider starting as a

group. Discuss funding group. Discuss funding options, business options, business structure etc.structure etc.

• Seek affordable group Seek affordable group trainingtraining

• Consider collecting raw Consider collecting raw material. It might be material. It might be wiser to begin wiser to begin collecting early.collecting early.

• Get the materials you Get the materials you have to purchase, in have to purchase, in bulkbulk

• Discuss how much you Discuss how much you want to produce and want to produce and start for yourselves start for yourselves first.first.

ObstaclesObstacles• Efficient collectionEfficient collection

• Finding a source of methanolFinding a source of methanol

• Finding the right people to work withFinding the right people to work with

ReferencesReferences• http://www.journeytoforever.org

• http://www.biofuels.coop/http://www.biofuels.coop/

Thank you for Thank you for your time and your time and

attention!attention!

•??????????

• Is biodiesel and biofuel a viable choice?Is biodiesel and biofuel a viable choice?