Turkish chemists discuss biodiesel fueled generators.

[NNadir]

From the upcoming issue of Energy and Fuels, the abstract:

"Biodiesel has proven itself as a technically sufficient alternative diesel fuel in the fuel market since the beginning of 1990s. Its applications in automobiles, ships, and heating systems have
been accepted by both European countries and the U.S.A. Generators are crucial equipment of industry and have a wide usage area in agriculture. Also, engine performance and emissions of
electric generators get very important due to their indoor applications. The objective of this study was to investigate the engine performance and smoke results of used cooking oil originated
biodiesel utilization in electric generators. The engine performance and emission tests were conducted with 90-mm stroke, 1 cylinder, and a 9-kW 3 LD 510 coded diesel engine, and generator performance tests were performed in a generator set consisting of 90-mm stroke, 1 cylinder, 4 LD 640 code, and a 10.5-kW diesel engine and 10-kVA max output, 14.4-A current, and 400-V A 100 LB coded Rotating Field Three Phases AC Generator. Consecutive tests on No. 2 Diesel fuel,
B100, and B20 were conducted, and the results were compared with each other. When compared to No. 2 Diesel fuel, both B100 (100% used cooking oil originated biodiesel) and B20 (20% used cooking oil originated biodiesel + 80% of No. 2 Diesel fuel) utilizations showed improved results on engine performance and emissions. B100 application resulted in lower smoke production than that of B20, whereas B20 resulted in higher power generation and lower brake specific fuel consumption when compared to B100. According to the result obtained, used cooking oil originated biodiesel can be utilized as a neat fuel or as a blend component during generator applications in rural areas and indoor applications."

http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/enfuem/asap/abs/ef049890k.html

[Dogmudgeon]

1. Biodiesel uses

Would it be practical to convert automobiles to biodiesel? I don't think so. I do not have the numbers, as they say, but I've read in many places that experts do not believe we can grow, process, and market enough biodiesel to make a big enough cut into gasoline consumption to greatly delay the inevitable Day of Reckoning.

BUT ... agriculture is very dependent on powered farm equipment. One of the big problems we could face in an era of expensive gasoline would be big increases in the price of food. Biodiesel could be an efficient, cheap replacement or stopgap for gasoline.

Does this make sense at all? Or am I underestimating the potential of biodiesel?

--p!

[NNadir]

3. There will never be enough biodiesel to provide for 100%

of fuel needs, but it may make a significant fraction.

At this point any thing that helps helps. There are better long term fuel options, but biodiesel can be quickly and effectively installed before any of these can accomplished on a large enough scale.

Biodiesel is a good short term palliative bridging tool.

[NickB79]

4. Your vision is probably the best we could do

As you said, we could never grow enough crop to produce biodiesel to power all of the vehicles in our country, or even a fraction of them. The best bet would be to devote biodiesel production to powering tractors and vehicles used to ship food, simply to keep everyone fed.

[Wilms]

2. GaryBeck's Solar Bus

http://www.solarbus.org/index.shtml