Introduction

Recently I developed an interest in Biodiesel Production which lead me to scour the internet trying to find explanations and advice on how to safely and effectively produce biodiesel at home.

I discovered a wealth of information scattered around which can seem a little overwhelming and confusing to begin with. Should I produce biodiesel or try to run my car on straight vegetable oil? Are these possible, what are the dangers and consequences? What space do I need, what equipment do I need?

These and many other questions sprang to mind, finally prompting me to conclude that the only way to be clear about it would be to have a go. In so doing I thought it would be an ideal opportunity to try and gather my thoughts and as much information on the process as possible, hopefully to help other people find out if it's possible for themselves to become part of the growing trend of Biodiesel home producers.

Online Progress

My idea with this site was to try and track my progress from compete beginner to hopefully an effective home producer of biodiesel, charting the steps and advice I receive at different points to help others get a clearer picture of what's involved.

My first steps to discovering more about Biodiesel showed there are a huge number of home producers out there and quite a few companies who offer to sell you the homebrew equipment. So I figured that it should be fairly easy for me to develop a homebrew setup with their help.

The thing I found missing from the internet was a clear and simple explanation of the steps from start to finish - mostly I think because people are concentrating on production, rather than explaining production. By the time they are proficient enough to confidently explain the process they've already passed through the learner stage, so it's all hindsight stuff. I thought here we go then, a chance for me to chart step by step from idiot to confident online. Only time will tell if this is successful or not.

A Greeener Future

Much is made these days of environmentally friendly driving - offset your carbon emissions, get a hybrid, and so on. Usually the methods that are promoted through the mainstream media are continuing to help big business make a profit and leave the motorist frustrated or ripped off. This is where I found Biodiesel production to be hugely different.

The culture of home Biodiesel manufacturing is largely an underground one - mostly homebrew setups, just to provide enough of a supply for their own personal use. Hence it gets little media coverage and remains very much below the radar. Occasionally something goes wrong and you get a horror story about someone injuring themselves or damaging their car - this makes the news and so a lot of misinformation and misrepresentation continues.

What is the truth - can you really run your car on used vegetable oil? Is it safe? Is it legal? Most people don't know the answer to these questions, so my hope is to help clarify these and other questions with the help of my own and others experience, to help show the real picture behind the myths of Biodiesel which is truly a greener, more environmentally conscious way to run a diesel car in the 21st century.