Bio fuel home brewers battle big refiners in Utah's grease war

MrErlo

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Apr 25, 2006
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Omaha, NE
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2003 Golf 4dr 5sp
great article Normal. it sucks that people are already trying to stop BioD before it even gets going. i found a supplier of 5 gals/week near my house, but i haven't started to build my own processor yet. i'm tempted to start collecting since it would take 3 months to fill a 55gal barrel and by then i could have easily built a processor. however, i'm going to be very careful about the quality of the BioD that i can produce before i put it in my Jetta.

anyone around Omaha want to start a Co-Op?
 

Bioninja

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Jun 12, 2006
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PA
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Big guys vs. Little guys

It's a shame that big oil money-makers aren't endorsing biodiesel, but unfortunately some of that (aside from plain greed) is due to a lack of education about what Biodiesel really is. Real Biodiesel has to go through several forms of testing to be considered "Biodiesel." It must be lab-tested to meet ASTM 6751 D, and have gone through the refining process known as transesterification. (basically strips the water & glycerine out of the fuel) Many people don't understand that, and they make what they think qualifies as fuel to run in their vehicles. Unfortunately, this also (or can) cause problems in the long run...problems which are blamed on "biodiesel." For instance, in Michigan there was a B2 mandate (correct me if I'm wrong), and for awhile they had to discontinue the mandate due to biodiesel that was produced that did NOT meet specs. This off-spec product caused MAJOR damage to some businesses. Now, they have restated their mandate & the first refinery just achieved BQ-9000 certification. (which is the TOP certification a producer can get!)
At the same time, you know that it won't be long before the IRS starts taxing people for making their own fuel. I personally, don't have any problem with people making their own, as long as they aren't marketing it to others/businesses. (bc then it has to be regulated) Does that make any sense?
One of the best sites I've found is the National Biodiesel Board site. It always has updates on the latest legislation regarding biodiesel. The people are very helpful there too, and are willing to answer any questions you have. It's www.nationalbiodieselboard.org
 

nagal

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Yucca Valley, CA
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2003 VW NB
Bioninja said:
At the same time, you know that it won't be long before the IRS starts taxing people for making their own fuel.
You are suppose to be paying Federal road use tax on ANY fuel that you use which has not be taxed. In California, you are also required to pay that state.
 

Bioninja

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PA
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Jetta TDI 99'
I agree

Yeah, I agree with you although I know that there are a lot of people who aren't doing that!
 

McBrew

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Oct 30, 2002
Location
Annapolis, MD
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2003 Golf GLS TDI, 5 speed, Silver/Grey
Last night, I collected 165 gallons. That'll make enough fuel for my family for a week. Of course, my uncle just got rid of his 300TD and bought a new Jetta TDI, so he'll only be using 1/2 the amount of fuel. On the other hand, we also use the RV a lot more in the summer. AT 12 MPG, it sucks our supplies down pretty quick.

Geez... I gotta remember to pay those fuel taxes.
 

MrErlo

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Location
Omaha, NE
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2003 Golf 4dr 5sp
McBrew said:
Last night, I collected 165 gallons. That'll make enough fuel for my family for a week.
holy crap... are you serious that you use that much fuel in a week? if you dont mind my asking, i'd love to hear how that breaks down between cars/drivers. i guess i'm by myself, but i'm down at about 12gallons every 2 weeks or so. congrats on making your own, that's great.
 

McBrew

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Annapolis, MD
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2003 Golf GLS TDI, 5 speed, Silver/Grey
Eric, We've got 5 TDIs, two diesel Mercedes (early 80s), a Sprinter van, two tractors (don't use much fuel), and a motorhome (uses a lot of fuel).

Three of the TDIs are driven about 80 miles per day, each. The other two only travel about 20-30 miles per day. The Sprinter varies a lot, but we usually drive it from MD to OH and back twice a month, plus local tasks. The two Mercedes only see about 20-30 miles per day. The motorhome varies a lot. I haven't driven it at all this month... but a full tank is 65 gallons!

It is hard to average out. Sometimes 160 gallons will last more than two weeks... sometimes it goes in less than a week.
 

KS_Jetta

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Apr 30, 2006
Location
Central Kansas
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2013 Passat TDI SE 6 Speed Manual
I've read on this site you can produce up to 400 gal for personal use per year before the IRS expects $$. I wonder if that is per houshold, or per person...
Since I drive 150 miles per weekday, 400 gal would be enough IF blended at VW's maximum 5% inclusion for PD engines.

3.6 gal/day. 260 work days. 960 gal/yr. *5%=47 gal/yr biodiesel needed. wahoo. Even blended at 20% it's only 192 gallons.

Sorry for my math ramblings... ;)
 

Lightflyer1

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Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
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2015 Beetle tdi dsg
KS_Jetta said:
I've read on this site you can produce up to 400 gal for personal use per year before the IRS expects $$. I wonder if that is per houshold, or per person...
Since I drive 150 miles per weekday, 400 gal would be enough IF blended at VW's maximum 5% inclusion for PD engines.

3.6 gal/day. 260 work days. 960 gal/yr. *5%=47 gal/yr biodiesel needed. wahoo. Even blended at 20% it's only 192 gallons.

Sorry for my math ramblings... ;)
Two different taxes. Federal road use and Federal income tax.

I tought it was 400 gallons quarter, not year. I could easily get by on 400 year, 400 quarter would just be gravy! :)
 

MrErlo

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Apr 25, 2006
Location
Omaha, NE
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2003 Golf 4dr 5sp
if you run 40mpg, then 400 gals/year would allow 16,000 miles/year or about 43miles/day. and at 400gals/quarter... that might even be enough for that motorhome
 

McBrew

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Oct 30, 2002
Location
Annapolis, MD
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2003 Golf GLS TDI, 5 speed, Silver/Grey
Right... right...

And the other 6 cars/trucks somehow don't use any fuel... don't ask me how that works, Mr. Taxman. The tractors are offroad, so they don't count.

I just drove the RV about 160 miles on Friday/Saturday. That took about $10 worth of homemade biodiesel. $10 would take a Honda Civic about 100 miles. Gotta love it!
 
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