Pura-Vida-Ventures Blog

In an effort to learn more about bioDiesel technologies, business practices, and equipment I attended the 2009 National bioDiesel Conference in San Francisco.

During the four day conference I sat in on mostly distribution presentations. Topics ranged from cold weather additives to product testing. Unfortunately a lot of the
presenters were from the Midwest or Northeast, therefore the distribution presentations focused on lower blends (B2-B10) because they are inhibited by cold weather.
Other topics included bioDiesel sustainability, Feedstock opportunities, ASTM Specifications, bioDiesel production, and engine performance.
I was most impressed by the opening keynote speakers that discussed how San Francisco is pioneering the bioDiesel movement by using B20 in ALL, yes ALL of its
diesel Fleet vehicles. This includes ambulances, fire trucks, garbage trucks, ferry boats, trains and transit buses. Hopefully other municipalities, including Sarasota County
will follow this example. Not only are they decreasing pollution they are using less diesel fuel…. by millions of gallons.

More information about this years conference can be found here: http://blog.biodieselconference.org

e-fest is a local eco/environmental festival that takes place in Sarasota Florida.

This two day extravaganza hosts nearly 25,000 guests. Vendors, artists, educators, and musicians 
come together to provide entertainment and information about current green products and services.  

Using bioDiesel (2go) in the light towers and generators allowed the event to reduce emissions by nearly 80% vs petroleum diesel.

Interview from Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Ah… the green life
Dusty Swartz, owner of bioDiesel2go, said there are challenges to ushering in green alternatives, but that once their benefits are known, they become popular quickly. That is one reason he donated about 300 gallons of biodiesel fuel to support the mission of e-fest. The biodegradeable and nontoxic fuel will reduce e-fest’s emissions, he added.

Biodiesel is primarily made from chicken fat, wasted begetable oil and virgin soy oil, he said, and a biodiesel spill can be cleaned up with water alone. “it breakes down at the same rate as sugar, he said. I actually spilled some while setting up this morning and I put my finger in it and licked it. It freaked everyone out.”

We began the trip with 52 gallons of b99.
Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel SUV: 22 gallons in the tank, 30 gallons in fuel canisters stored in our airstream.
Since we were towing a 16ft Airstream: Basecamp, we maintained a 14 mpg average.
We were able to find b20 at stations in Northern Florida and Louisiana.

We mixed the (b99) fuel from the canisters to make a 60% blend of bioDiesel.
Which got us to our next big city.
The next b100 stop was at DFW Biodiesel in Ft.Worth Texas.
They had a great set up with an automated pump. We reloaded the fuel canisters,
filled the tank, and continued on our western route.

We were unable to find bioDiesel on our route through Kansas.
(Most stations were for fleets only or in the eastern portion of KS)
Therefore we only had to purchase 13 gallons of diesel to mix with b100 from the canisters
to get from Dallas to Denver.

We purchased b100 from Denver BioDiesel. We refilled the canisters and fueled up the Jeep SUV.

We intended to purchase bioDiesel in Salt Lake City, but the station listed on Nearbio.com didn’t carry it any longer.
Therefore, we used the b100 in the tank, our canisters and about 22 gallons of diesel between Denver, CO and Reno, NV

We refueled in Reno with b100, filling the tank & our canisters.
Reno was where the off road/camping part of the trip began. After camping in the mountains for a
couple of weeks, we hopped on I-80 headed east and refueled in Reno again.

Overall we used approximately 225 gallons of fuel:
b20: 34 gallons
b99/100: 156 gallons
diesel: 35 gallons

our total consumption was roughly 73% biodiesel

bioDiesel2go takes the show on the road!

Planning a three week round trip journey from Florida to California and back all on bioDiesel.
My wife and I have been taking cross country trips for years, but this is our first using alternative fuels.
This trip will promote the use of bioDiesel and show others how easy it is to use an alternative fuel for long trips.
In the process we’ll use NO fossil fuel and we’ll decrease our emissions by 80% from our trip last year.
Another goal is to observe how retailers sell and distribute bioDiesel in other regions of the country.
I’ll bring back the knowledge and suggestions from these vendors to Sarasota to implement in our retail operation.

Can you buy bioDiesel throughout the country?
The best resource I’ve found is www.nearbio.com

You can mark your route on a map and the interface will list all biodiesel resources within 10-20 miles of your route.
I will also be taking a few fuel canisters to have extra fuel with me during the trip to insure that I’ve always got bioDiesel in the tank.

check this blog to learn more about the progress of the trip

Buyer beware…

It’s not difficult to make bioDiesel in your garage. All you need are the chemicals, feedstock (waste veggie oil, virgin oils, etc) and the mini refinery.
Many back-yard-chemists are springing up throughout the region.

Don’t be swayed by cheap price, you’ll pay for what you get in more ways than one. These unlicensed companies/individuals aren’t paying taxes and have no liability for their product. These small operations don’t get fuel tested to ASTM standards for fuel.
Nor do they usually have a consistent product.

• Purchasing bioDiesel from a non-licensed individual/company can result in fines of $10 for every gallon of fuel you purchase with a minimum of a $1000 fine.  (For example, purchasing 250 gallons would result in a $2500 fine)
• Selling bioDiesel without a license is a felony in the State of Florida.
• Only purchase from a vendor that provides a receipt detailing the taxes paid, an FEIN number and a valid Fuel license number.

How can you avoid buying from an illegal source? Ask if the fuel is ASTM certified and for their license number.

Florida licenses can be checked online: http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/fuel/fuel.html

We’re all for the widespread use of bioDiesel, but it doesn’t help the industry or the reputation of the product if non-licensed, non-regulated individuals are tainting the marketplace.

FAQ: This blog was created to post answers to a lot of the questions about using bioDiesel.

introducing bioDiesel 2go

biodiesel in Sarasota county.

more information:          www.bioDiesel2go.com

Any (diesel) vehicle can run on Biodiesel

Any diesel engine in good working condition can run on biodiesel without conversion. Biodiesel can also fuel diesel generators, boat motors, heavy equipment, and can be used as home heating oil.

Biodiesel is good for your vehicle

Biodiesel has a higher lubricity than petro-diesel, and has been shown to contribute to longer engine life. The solvent quality of biodiesel will remove any deposits left in your fuel system by dirty fuels. Biodiesel also has a higher Cetane rating, which means it burns more completely than diesel. Vehicles tend to run quieter and more smoothly when fueled with biodiesel.

Biodiesel and the EnvironmentBiodiesel itself is considered to be carbon neutral. During the life-cycle of the fuel, as much carbon dioxide is absorbed as is emitted. Using biodiesel in place of gasoline or petroleum-diesel significantly reduces your vehicle emissions. In comparing B100 biodiesel to petroleum-diesel you’ll see roughly 80% decrease in emissions.
Biodiesel is a great way to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

Blending Biodiesel with Petroleum Diesel

Biodiesel can be blended with petroleum-diesel. If you are traveling and cannot find biodiesel, there is no problem in topping off your tank with petroleum-diesel. When buying petroleum-diesel, be aware that most diesel is only filtered to 30 microns. This means that the fuel may introduce particulates into your fuel tank, which biodiesel will clean out and move into your fuel filter. We recommend diesel filtered to at least 10 microns. If you do not see a filter on the pump, ask your retailer to install one.

Biodiesel and Fuel Filters

If you have been fueling with petroleum-diesel, its possible that diesel may have left particulates or residue in your fuel tank. This also applies if you are blending biodiesel with petroleum-diesel. Because biodiesel has a solvent quality, it will clean out any residue deposits and move them into your fuel filter. We suggest that after your first 2 or 3 tanks of biodiesel you check and change your filter. If you experience sluggishness or a loss of power, this is an indicator that your fuel filter is clogged and needs to be changed.

Biodiesel and vehicle Hoses

It is very rare that there are incompatibility issues with hoses or gaskets. Vehicles manufactured in the early 80’s with natural rubber hoses may have issues, but there are no problems with synthetic hoses. If you have concerns, check the hoses and switch natural rubber hoses to biodiesel compatible  (synthetic) hoses.

Biodiesel and Vehicle Warranties

The vehicle manufacturer is not responsible for problems created by any fuel, whether that fuel is gasoline, petroleum-diesel or biodiesel. Warranties are for parts.