Naz News, Gappers and FLE's

[baletwine]

Regarding vegetable oil in diesels...

Yep, great idea to burn the used stuff in cars -- or for heat.

Diesel engines can run ---- once started ---- on used or "new" vegetable oils. People use the stuff not by pouring it straight in the tank, but by adding a second tank to the car.

This second tank must have a heating element in it, and good filtration as part of the package. One starts the car on regular diesel, and then once the car is warmed up (and the veg. oil is warmed up), you can switch over to the veggie stuff. Prior to turning off the car, one must switch back to have regular diesel in the lines.

Kits for the modifications (complete with custom made tanks for various cars' trunks) are available, and lots and lots of cities have shops that make this conversion.

I know people who've gone clear across the country driving on used veggie oil. Way cool.

However, growing crops simply to turn them into fuels such as biodiesel (pour that stuff in the tank -- same as diesel), or oils "straight" (SVO - straight vegetable oil), continues to be a net negative in terms of energy IN vs. energy OUT.

And THAT remains, regardless of one's antics with math, as the hurdle to cross before this is truly sensible.