Links

LINKS

Below are some links related to Biodiesel-

Note that links on this page do not mean that we endorse or recommend the products or information on the website. The links are provided for educational purposes only and to help you further your knowledge of biodiesel and the rapidly evolving industry.

For Quick Navigation, click a subject below

General Biodiesel Informational sites

Information about Making Biodiesel

Information About Selling Biodiesel

Where to obtain your chemicals

Information about Feedstocks, growing for oil, suppliers etc

Oilseed press companies

Plant Safety - Highly recommended reading if you are looking to produce large amounts of biodiesel

Biodiesel as a home heating oil

Free Downloads

Other areas of interest

Testing equipment & testing labs

Additional Links to related Vendors

General Biodiesel Informational Sites:

Blue Sun Biodiesel - A commercial biodiesel producer with some good information about biodiesel, fleet use, etc.
The National Biodiesel Board - this is the official site of the national biodiesel board. Some very good information can be found here.
The Department of Energy website - this link will take you to their page which has a lot of information about Biodiesel.
Composting information - There is some real good information on composting here. Composting is one good way to dispose of the glycerin byproduct.
EPA Website - There's some more good information on composting from the EPA here

Information about making Biodiesel:

Improving cold weather performance - Here's some interesting information on improving biodiesel's cold weather performance.
National Biodiesel Board - There's a lot of good information on this website. Probably the best place to go for a huge amount of the most accurate information on biodiesel.

Information About Selling Biodiesel

EPA Certification

Register with the Environmental Protection Agency

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that all fuel manufacturers who will sell their fuel in the United States to register with them by completing Form 3520-12. Additional information about this process is available from the EPA website at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/regs/fuels/ffarsfrms.htm. The EPA registration process currently requires biodiesel producers to provide to the EPA with a laboratory analysis of the fuel being registered. This laboratory analysis will need to indicate the fuel’s compliance with ASTM D6751. Due to this laboratory analysis requirement, biodiesel producers will NOT be able to complete this registration with the EPA until they are able to begin producing fuel. Without EPA registration, biodiesel producers are not legally able to sell their fuel in the United States. Once the EPA has received all required documentation, the biodiesel producer normally will receive their registration within one month.

BQ-9000 Certification Program information can be found here. The National Biodiesel Accreditation Program is a cooperative and voluntary program for the accreditation of producers and marketers of biodiesel fuel called BQ-9000. The program is a unique combination of the ASTM standard for biodiesel, ASTM D 6751, and a quality systems program that includes storage, sampling, testing, blending, shipping, distribution, and fuel management practices.

BQ-9000 is open to any biodiesel manufacturer, marketer or distributor of biodiesel and biodiesel blends in the United States and Canada.

Where to obtain your chemicals
Lye (NaOH) or Sodium Hydroxide -

Lye used to be commonly found as Red Devil Lye and can still be found in many places. But they have discontinued production of Red Devil Lye, so it is getting harder to find. But there are other sources for Sodium Hydroxide. Try the local chemical supply store, (look under 'Chemical Suppliers' in the phone book). I discussed LYE all through my book, but just because that has been the common catalyst. But using KOH flakes can be easier, so you might want to use KOH instead of NaOH. Try to get the flakes as opposed to the beads as they dissolve much easier.

NOTE: if you are in an area of High Humidity, LYE will generally work better as KOH flakes will absorb moisture extremely quick and can cause dispensing problems as it gets somewhat gummy, whereas lye comes in beads and will tend to flow a little better.

Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) –

This is the catalyst we currently use. As of 3/2006 our price was about $50.00 for a 50 lb bag. You can usually find this at the local chemical supply company in the phone book. Or sometimes at a farm & ranch type store.

NOTE: You can also order from us and we will drop ship the chemicals to you. More information on our Methanol Sales page.

Methanol –

We currently get our methanol from a chemical supply company that supplies chemicals to drilling companies. As of 3/2010 our price is $100.00 for a 55 gallon barrel. Our local company is found under the following heading "Oil Industry & Oil Field Equipment & Services".

Methanol is commonly available at racetracks sold as racing fuel. We have bought it at a local go-kart track (professional karts). But you might find it at a dragstrip, circle track, etc.

Or call your local auto parts stores, or engine builders, hot rod shops etc, and ask if they know where you can buy methanol.

You can look on the net for distributors of Sunoco Race Fuels.

Or try a Chemical Supply Company for Oil Drilling companies.

Also try your local fuel suppliers.

Finally, if all else fails, try searching on the internet for keywords such as 'chemical supplier' 'potassium hydroxide', 'sodium hydroxide', 'methanol' with your city as the 2nd search term.

You may also order your methanol from us. More information on our Methanol Sales page.

Information about Feedstocks, growing for oil, suppliers etc:

Bulk Oil Vendors - You'll find about every type of oil for sale at this site.
Oilseed Processing for small scale producers -
Oil yields of various feedstocks -

Oilseed press companies:

The Dupps Company - manufacturers of oilseed presses
Hybren Oilseed press - Available mid-September of 2006: a new 60 kg/hour version of the Hybren press. Approximate cost: $14,000 US. Note that Hybren presses are not designed for soybeans, palm, etc., they are specifically intended for small seeds such as Canola, mustard, etc.
http://www.oekotec.ibg-monforts.de/en/index.html - We have particularly specialised in the study and the construction of production units destined for the manufacturing of high quality cold pressed vegetable oils.
http://www.jatropha.org/expellers/sundhara-1.htm - The Sundhara Oil Expeller
http://www.umas-india.com/ - The House of UMAS have nearly half a century of experience in the design, manufacture and supply of oil mill machinery and equipment for mechanical extraction, solvent extraction, filtration and oil refining
http://www.swea.dk/GB-menu.html - SWEA has several different oilpress-models for pressing rape, sunflower and other kinds of seeds.
http://www.bt-maskinfabrik.dk/ - Oilseed presses, etc

Biodiesel as a home heating oil:

Here's a little information from the National Biodiesel Board at: http://www.biodiesel.org/markets/hom/default2.asp

One fuel oil dealer in Maine claims to be providing a homeowner with 100% biodiesel at the request of his customer and has enjoyed problem free operation. It is not recommend at this time for blends higher than 20% to be used until industry leadership completes the well thought out testing protocols which have been designed to validate all parameters of biodiesel blends performance from emissions to overall operational impacts.

Biodiesel has proven environmentally superior over No. 2 heating oil as a sole heating fuel. But not surprisingly its cost and generic handling characteristics are potential roadblocks to go it alone. At this time the recommended maximum blend ratio appears to be 20%. Two factors place biodiesel in a strong, timely market position as consumers are increasingly environmentally conscience while at the same time cognizant of the problems associated with our nations continued dependency on foreign oil.