This coop fuels their entire fleet with biodiesel they make themselves.

A couple of weeks ago I was back in Minnesota visiting family and friends. My parents and I decided to go to the Green Expo in St. Paul. My friend Tyler the mechanical engineer decided to go to since he was considering adding a

heat pump to his new house. (On a side note check out this company. They use methanol, hydrogen peroxide, and a secret catalyst to blast through hard quartz containing rocks. The drill tip uses plasma so only fluid makes contact. This is much cheaper compared to the current drilling techniques which usually work in soft sedimentary rocks chasing oil.) 

I ran into Griesel Coop at the event. This company brings those that want grease and those who want to get rid of grease together. They had a bunch of Mercedes cars which they had converted to run on used cooking oil.


Also at the event was Organic Valley Family Farms. I talked with their Fleet Manager who takes care of all their trucks during the spring, summer, fall, and winter. They go through literally tons of biodiesel each year and have lots of experience overcoming this renewable fuel's obstacles (like using it in the dead of winter). They heat the biodiesel and blend it with regular diesel. 

The trailer they brought is a portable fuel station. The first step is growing the feed stock. Then they grind it up to get the oil. Finally it is processed with a machine they keep towards the back. The final product is biodiesel.

Perhaps we will go back to a time when farmers make their own food and fuel. I've heard it was the prohibition of alcohol that stopped farmers from making their own fuel to burn. There was a version of the Ford Model T designed to burn farm made alcohol. Does anyone out there know anything about this? Maybe a few old timers actually remember the good old days?