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I'm planning on experimenting with biodiesel as soon as we get moved, and am looking at ways to make the process totally self-sustainable. Growing rapeseed for the oil is relatively straight forward, but what about the methanol and sodium hydroxide?
As it turns out, you can substitute ethanol for the methanol, and you can make ethanol pretty easily with a still.
Small copper stills can be had for $300 - $400 or so from suppliers like www.hillbillystills.com and since these are made by real hillbillies, you know they will work. But is this legal?
With the big push towards alternative fuels, it's not hard to get a small ethanol producer's permit these days. Just fill out the application and, once approved, away you go. The form is here... Application for an Alcohol Fuel Producer
There are all kinds of state and federal grants and loans for this kind of stuff, so it might be possible for the gov to pick up 25% or the cost or so. Hey, if they are gonna pay me to make moonsh... errrrr, alternative fuels, it's something to consider. Here's more info on grants and loans and whatnot... Ethanol Laws and Incentives
In any SHTF scenario, alcohol could be a barter item, it could be used for cooking fuel, heating, fuel for vehicles and generators (would probably require modifications), and of course, sipping from a Mason jar. EeeeeeHawww!
Oh, I think you can also "bake" hardwood chunks in a still and condense off the wood alcohol (methanol). You would be left with tar and charcoal. The charcoal could be used to heat the next batch, and the ashes from this can be used (I think) to produce potassium hydroxide, which can be used in place of sodium hydroxide to make biodiesel. So yeah, it seems like the process could be totally self-sustainable.
As it turns out, you can substitute ethanol for the methanol, and you can make ethanol pretty easily with a still.
Small copper stills can be had for $300 - $400 or so from suppliers like www.hillbillystills.com and since these are made by real hillbillies, you know they will work. But is this legal?
With the big push towards alternative fuels, it's not hard to get a small ethanol producer's permit these days. Just fill out the application and, once approved, away you go. The form is here... Application for an Alcohol Fuel Producer
There are all kinds of state and federal grants and loans for this kind of stuff, so it might be possible for the gov to pick up 25% or the cost or so. Hey, if they are gonna pay me to make moonsh... errrrr, alternative fuels, it's something to consider. Here's more info on grants and loans and whatnot... Ethanol Laws and Incentives
In any SHTF scenario, alcohol could be a barter item, it could be used for cooking fuel, heating, fuel for vehicles and generators (would probably require modifications), and of course, sipping from a Mason jar. EeeeeeHawww!
Oh, I think you can also "bake" hardwood chunks in a still and condense off the wood alcohol (methanol). You would be left with tar and charcoal. The charcoal could be used to heat the next batch, and the ashes from this can be used (I think) to produce potassium hydroxide, which can be used in place of sodium hydroxide to make biodiesel. So yeah, it seems like the process could be totally self-sustainable.