Making Biodiesel Fuel For Fun and Savings

All of us have a little chemist in us that likes to come out and play.  Experimenting with different concoctions is part of what makes cooking so much fun, but can you imagine a chemistry experiment that could end up saving you thousands of dollars on your gasoline bills?  As farfetched as it sounds, there is a new gasoline alternative that not only saves money, but it can actually be made in your own kitchen.

Biodiesel is the newest fuel alternative to come along and it is proving to be a much better alternative than previous vegetable oil based fuels.  In the past, the alternative fuels derived from vegetable oils required modified engines to be effective.  No one wanted to invest the time, effort or money it would take to modify their car or truck, so alternative fuels didn't meet the everyday needs of fuel consuming public. Biodiesel can be used in the engine of the car you already have, without any modifications.  It is biodegradable, clean burning, and made of renewable resources.  Biodiesel is so non toxic that it is safe to be around than common table salt.

Biodiesel is made using three easy to find ingredients, alcohol, lye, and vegetable oil.  If you are interested in making a batch of biodiesel, start by mixing the alcohol and the lye creating sodium methoxide.  Biodiesel is then created when you mix the sodium methoxide with the vegetable oil.  This mixture needs to be mixed for twenty minutes before it is allowed to sit for 8 hours.  During this time, it will separate into two separate concoctions, biodiesel and glycerin.  The glycerin needs to be removed from the container and you can use it to make soap.  The biodiesel is ready to be put into your gas tank.  Conceivably, you can make biodiesel for about seventy cents a gallon, which is a substantial savings when you think about what gas cost per gallon.

Biodiesel burns much cleaner than any other fuels or alternative fuels available for your car.  It is the only alternative fuel that has completely passed all of the health effects testing requirements of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments.  It has even passed the requirements set by the environmental protection agency allowing it to be sold as a legal motor fuel.

If you are interested in burning a fuel that is environmentally friendly and inexpensive, biodiesel may be just what you are looking for.  It can be purchased directly from manufacturers or distributors, but if you are looking for an interesting activity, try whipping up a batch for yourself.  There is something extremely satisfying about filling the tank of your car with a substance you created from all natural ingredients.