[AT] Canola to diesel

Ralph Goff alfg at sasktel.net
Sat Feb 3 16:21:50 PST 2007


carl gogol wrote:
> Anyone else hearing interesting things about converting Canola to diesel 
> fuel?  I believe that one efficiency study that said ethanol from corn 
> was 18% energy positive calculated canola to diesel was in the range of 
> 400%, using the same protocols.  Please don't hold me to these being the 
> exact numbers, but the economics of canola are much more favorable.  It 
> may have even been the Cornell study, but I think that their result was 
> the ethanol from corn was about 20% to the bad.  Canola is easy to grow 
> (at least in the northern states and Canada) requires few inputs and is 
> weather tolerant.  I know there is a small group in this area that is 
> trying it on a very small scale, but are just getting underway.
> Anyone else doing anything with Canola?

Carl, the canola to bio-diesel process is the light at the end of the 
tunnel for us canola growers here in Sask. At least that is what we are 
led to believe. Lots of talk of crushing plants going up this year and a 
whole new market for our canola right here in Sask. Its all good news if 
you believe what you read.
 From what I can read there is not a lot of it in use right now but 
manufacturers warranty will permit 5% bio diesel mixed with regular 
petroleum diesel. According to this website their bio diesel will work 
quite well by itself in most diesels today.
http://www.milliganbiotech.com/
I'm considering trying their fuel conditioner  mainly for the low sulfur 
fuel that we are getting now. There is some doubt about the lubricity of 
today's diesel fuel without sulfur and causing premature failure of the 
diesel injection system.

Ralph in Sask.



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