Product Description

How to Make Biodiesel is a hands-on guide for those who wish to make biodiesel on a small scale. It is also an introduction to this exciting new fuel for vehicle users, policymakers and the general public. The book has grown out of the manual we have developed to use on the LILI biodiesel course over the last 3 years. Key areas covered include the chemistry of biodiesel, an introduction to Diesel engines, the environmental benefits of biodiesel, in-depth instructions about making biodiesel on a small scale, hints for building a small plant, and up-to-date coverage of relevant UK regulations. Also covered are simple fuel testing and wider ramifications of biodiesel use. A resources section gives UK and international contacts for equipment and research

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10810 in Books
• Published on: 2005-03-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 124 pages

Synopsis
How To Make Biodiesel is a practical guide to how to make diesel fuel from vegetable oil. It covers the environmental benefits of biodiesel, gives a beginners' introduction to the chemistry involved, step by step instructions, and also explains the legal situation for making biodiesel in the UK.

About the Author
Jon Hallé and Dan Carter
are directors of GoldenFuels Ltd, a biodiesel production cooperative in Oxfordshire, UK: goldenfuels.com. Jon and Dan tutor on LILI's biodiesel course.

Dave Darby
is director of LILI.

Customer Reviews

A little too quick and easy
This book contains a recipe for making biodiesel on your own, but I wouldn't follow it.

The book looks a little like it's copied piecemeal from various websites, and it propagates a lot of the myths about biodiesel [...]. The authors don't have any credentials that they tell us of, and they don't cite many sources, and sometimes the ones they cite are parodies. At least one of them was a wikipedia clone!

Making biodiesel is serious business, you'll be dealing with explosive fumes, and methanol can easily blind and kill you if you're careless or unlucky. While the authors do warn about that, it seems like they've done most of their research for this book on web forums, and that does not inspire confidence.

What an interesting read.
A must for all of you interested in recycling, renewables and saving money.

If you have any engines that run on diesel (e.g. car, boat, generator), and an interest in chemistry then this book is for you.

It is very well structured with explanations in the right order so that everything makes sense.

The background surrounding environmental issues and how a diesel engine actually works are covered before moving onto the chemistry of biodiesel manufacture and what is needed for a reactor.

The chemistry section is explained very clearly, albeit longwinded (which it has to be due to the nature of the subject - remember organic chemistry lectures - say no more!).

By the time you're reading the section about the reactor, you will already be thinking how you are going to clear a space in the garden shed and start building.

The last main section of the book explains how to go about doing it all legally and keeping Customs & Excise happy.

I reccomend this to anyone who is interested in setting up their own reactor to produce biodiesel - the fuel of the future.