Bathed in ermine white, it rumbled down the street, demanding to be noticed. Then
it screeched to a halt, turned, and parked where no parking spaces existed.
It was Sunday, September 12, 2004, and my sister Tuney, son Roberto (aka Fuss Budget),
and I were leaving My Friends Caf� by Green Lake. The day was routinely hideous,
akin to any Sunday we had experienced this September; post-church, pre-monsoon,
and an opportunity to run a gamut of ideas past my unsuspecting sister. But then
came "it."
"It" was some annoying automotive concoction of Jeep-meets-Hummer, and its juvenescent
plea for attention reached its manifest destiny in milliseconds by raising the hackles
of at least one ardent anti-SUV vigilante (read: me). I left the caf� with Fuss
in arm, keenly interested in the motives of the owner of said vehicle, but keenly
aware of The Path: To converse with, and to criticize not, the enemy. I took a deep
breath and approached.
But my attention was drawn to the periphery, where a quick glance of my environs
compelled me to stop and assess. A rock band was warming up in the beatness of the
Baskin-Robbins parking lot, and a slew of booths, sandwich boarders, and banners
promoting environmental awareness were everywhere. It was Green Day, a Sunday designated
to showcase and embrace all that is environmentally friendly, with more than a faint
specter of politics softly riding the mid-September breeze. I looked down the street
at what I initially thought was Hedonistic Vehicle (the Jeep-Hummer synthesis),
and was taken aback; this vehicle turned out to be a Mercedes Unimog, and a sign
next to it spoke volumes: "This vehicle runs on 100% biodiesel." Biodiesel? A short
course:
Biodiesel is a mono-alkyd ester-based oxygenated fuel, produced from a variety of
renewable resources, including waste vegetable oils, cooking oil, soybean oil, and
animal fats. Biodiesel can be used in virtually any diesel engine, with no or few
considerations to be addressed. Biodiesel acts like petroleum diesel, but produces
significantly less air pollution, is renewable, is biodegradable, and is safe for
the environment.1
Pros:
- Virtually any diesel engine can run on biodiesel fuel. 100% biodiesel (B100) or
an 80% petroleum diesel/20% biodiesel (B20) are popular options, the latter for
enhanced cold-weather functionality.
- Increased lubricity. Ultra-low sulfur diesels fuels (to reduced sulfur levels) result
in reduced lubricity, but adding even small amounts of biodiesel (roughly 2%) is
sufficient to cure this problem.
- Engine performance generally unaffected. Some users of B100 claim a loss in high-end
performance, but generally the performance seems quite similar to that of diesel.
- Significantly lower emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and particulate
matter compared to regular diesel. Only trace amounts of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in
biodiesel.
- Renewable, non-toxic, and biodegradable.
- Higher flash point than gasoline and regular diesel, making it safer to handle and
store.
- Available in Seattle. Dr. Dan's Alternative Fuel Werks is located in Ballard: www.fuelwerks.com
Cons:
- Currently selling at $3/gallon.
- Can gel at low temps. Insulation, fuel heaters, and other storage measures may be
required.
- Solvent effect may release deposits on tank walls and pipes. Reduced problem if
blends (e.g., B20) are used.
- Natural rubbers can be degraded by B100, so older engines may require replacement
of fuel system seals. Again, a reduced problem with B20.
The owner of the Unimog was dressed like any typical chap in his 30s, but armed
with one powerful weapon: a vehicle that resembled any U.S.-made SUV but one that
ran on biodiesel. By its quirky appearance as an SUVwannabe, the Unimog served literally
as the "vehicle" that enabled him to talk to the SUV folks - and enlighten them,
one by one, to the potential of biodiesel. How positively cunning, I thought.
Next to the Unimog was a more conventional Volkswagen Jetta TDI (turbo diesel injection),
but its owner made his own biodiesel. The cookbook: Go to Chinese restaurants in
Renton, ask for permission to pump used vegetable oil from barrels, hook his pump
to his car battery for power, fill up a 10-gallon barrel, process it at home, put
into his tank. Total equipment expenditure: $800. Mileage: 40-45 mpg highway.
I wouldn't expect the U.S. to stop importing oil if we all bought Volkswagen Jetta
or Passat TDI models (or any diesel) tomorrow. One looming problem is the volume
limitations of soybeans or source material present; there simply isn't enough to
produce the amount of fuel necessary to meet nation-wide automotive demand. But
this is an excellent start, and yours truly is seriously considering one of the
two vehicles above as his next automotive purchase, anticipated in 2005 or 2006.
The diesel engines are only getting more refined as a function of time, and expect
the major auto manufacturers to produce more robust diesel engines in upcoming years.
Resources:
All commentary welcome. And think big. Thanks.
1 Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition
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