Air-France-KLM airlines will soon be flying on used cooking oil. Image: FacemePLS/Flickr/CC BY

Next September, Air France-KLM, Europe’s largest airline, will begin using a mixture of kerosene and used cooking oil to fuel its planes. It will be a major step toward lessening the world’s dependence on fossil fuels.

Over 200 flights will use alternative fuels

Over 200 scheduled flights between Paris and Amsterdam will be the first to use the alternative fuel. Biokerosene, made from used cooking oil, is chemically almost identical to traditional kerosene. It will require absolutely no modification to the airliners, and will pose no added danger whatsoever. The fuel can be refined from a variety of sources, including vegetable oil, grease and animal fat.

‘Authorization will soon be granted’

Camiel Eurlings, managing director of Air France-KLM, is optimistic that biokerosene will change commercial flight:

“In November 2009 we demonstrated that it was technically possible to fly on biokerosene,” he said. “Now, a year and a half after our first demonstration flight on Camelina, a new phase has been entered around the world, that of certification. Authorization will soon be granted to operate commercial flights on biofuel.”

Government and industry incentives

In 2007, the International Air Transport Association set a goal to make all air travel emissions free of carbon dioxide by 2050. And last year, the French government announced a major renewable energy investment plan. The plan will include  $577 million in subsidies. Another $1.15 billion will be earmarked for low–interest loans to “cutting edge technology projects.”

On June 9, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), which develops international standards for the construction, manufacturing and transportation industries, granted initial approval for airlines to use blends of traditional fuel and biofuels. The percentage of biokerosene to traditional kerosene that is to be used by Air France-KLM remains uncertain at this time.

Costs are still prohibitive

The largest obstacle to 100 percent use of biofuels, according to Eurlings, is still cost.

“The costs of biofuels need to come down substantially and permanently. This can be achieved through innovation, collaboration and the right legislation that stimulates biofuel in the airline industry — but with an eye on honest competition.”

Sources

Glove Box
Edmonton Journal
Mother Nature Network

Make your own biodiesel fuel and save a bundle. (Photo Credit: CC BY-ND/Chemistryland)

Gasoline prices are out of control, prompting more consumers to consider alternative fuels. For diesel vehicle owners, biodiesel is an environmentally conscious option that costs less than $1 per gallon. Biodiesel fuel can even be made at home. While there are pros and cons to the process, it’s hard to deny that running a diesel vehicle on biofuel is cheaper in the long run than gasoline.

Biodiesel requires a diesel car and production kit

Your vehicle must have a diesel engine in order to take advantage of biodiesel fuel, and you’ll need some equipment to make biodiesel. Bankrate writes that several companies offer do-it-yourself biodiesel kits, ranging in price from $400 to $5,000, depending upon the quantity of biodiesel you want to produce, pump and store at one time. Thankfully, the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit can make up for up to 30 percent of the cost of making biodiesel fuel at your primary residence. Remember that for your 2011 taxes.

Putting the bio in biodiesel

The time required to make the fuel can be as little as a few hours, depending upon the production kit used. The big question is what suitable organic substance you’ll use to make biodiesel fuel. Soybean oil is most commonly used in the U.S., although any old yellow grease taken from cooking oil will work. Get friendly with your local greasy spoon restaurants and they may let you haul away their grease for free.

The only caveat to this path is that restaurant grease may be too dirty to produce the highest-functioning biodiesel fuel. Impure biodiesel can also expose your gas tank to bacteria, mold and fungus and can end up costing thousands of dollars to repair. The more expensive production kits filter out impurities, but of course you have to pay more for the most efficient kits. The purest biodiesel is B100 or B99. That means the fuel is 100 or 99 percent biodiesel, with the rest being petroleum diesel, says Bankrate. However, an 80/20 mix may be less likely to clog your fuel injectors if you live in a colder climate. Consult with your automaker if you’re unsure of which mix to use.

Cost on percentage

How much you save using biodiesel fuel instead of standard petroleum diesel depends in part upon the mix. If you’re able to obtain free soybean or cooking grease, production costs should ideally average out to about 70 cents per gallon for the other required ingredients specified by your production kit. As stated above, equipment will cost extra. But it beats living with high gasoline prices.

Sources

Bankrate.com

How Stuff Works

Journey to Forever

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