Generating electricity Bio Diesel?

Question

Just one of my hairbrain ideas. I once saw a episode on HorsePowerTV about making Bio Diesel in your own garage. They said that you could make your own fuel for around 70 cents a gallon. Would this make it even remotely possible to generate electricity with a diesel generator at a cost comparable or possibly cheaper than what most utility companys charge. I'm sure the answer is no, but I thought it would be interesting to find out what someone with some knowledge might have to say.

Answer 1

The problem is that in small quantities the local restaurants are willing to give away used cooking oil -- or sell it at a very low price. Once this becomes larger scale, the prices will rise.

A 12.5 kW diesel generator has a fuel consumption of around 1.16 gallons per hour at full load. With these numbers, the fuel cost is:

1.16 gallons x $.70 / gallon ÷ 12.5 kW = 6.5¢ per kWh.

I suspect this is lower than what your utility is charging you.

Keep in mind that this is only your fuel cost and does not include generator maintenance, the capital cost of the generating equipment, or the labor costs to operate the equipment.

Answer 2

There is no change in the whole process of generating electricity by the generator. Only you have mix, bio fuels up to certain ratio to the Diesel.

In our Country , we are already mixing 20% of bio fuel, obtained by a plant called " Jetropa ". to the regular Diesel & Petrol, It is mandatory. Hence cutting the cost and mainly the pollution.

Answer 3

The answer is yes - if you can do it for yourself. But we don't eat enough fried foods for this to be viable on a large scale.

If enough bio fuel is made, then it would be more effective to replace the fuel oil in power plants with bio fuel - they're more efficient.

Last - think of the noise and pollution. On many days, it's cheaper to make electricity (for a commercial site) than it is to buy it - but because of the pollution from diesels, it's not allowed except under certain circumstances.