Biodiesel 101

An Introductory Guide to Brewing
And Using Biodiesel in Arizona

version 1.10
October 23, 2008

In August, 2004, I had the pleasure of attending a grand opening celebration of Fourth Dimension Fuels in Oracle, Arizona. It was on that day that I was introduced to a vast grass-roots community of biodiesel homebrewers; essentially, backyard chemists who were converting waste vegetable oil to fuel for their modern vehicles. I had to try this out myself so I purchased an old 1982 Mercedes 240D diesel for $1800, and started homebrewing in my backyard.

One thing led to another and today, my family drives two old Benzes using biodiesel rendered almost entirely from waste restaurant oil. Given the steep learning curve associated with this activity, I’ve prepared this manual. Here, you’ll find answers to some very common questions- everything ranging from how to make and use biodiesel to legal challenges as I understand them.


Here is a 15-second timelapse video of what the biodiesel-rendering process looks like when observed in a masonry jar. This sample was removed from my processor; it contains waste vegetable oil, methanol, and sodium hydroxide. The solution is heated, mixed, and allowed to settle. The clear layer that materializes at the top is unwashed biodiesel. The dark layer on the bottom is gylcerin and can be used to make soap.

 

My manual costs nothing to download. It's written for "do-it-yourself" types and can save you hundreds to thousands of dollars compared to what you would pay for a kit purchased through a commercial retailer. Even if you purchase a kit, please consider downloading the manual; it contains valuable information such as photos, safety, and legal information typically not included with kits.

Associated links for the manual follow:

Thanks for visiting!

Hans Huth
 

Last Updated on October 23, 2008