AutoblogGreen

Propel Fuels adding hundreds of biofuel stations soon

Jon LeSage — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:02:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, Vegetable Oil, Carbon Offset

Propel Fuels is acquiring $21 million in funding to add more than 200 fuel stations in new and existing markets over the next two years, offering more drivers E85 ethanol and biodiesel blends. The company currently sells fuel out of 31 existing retail stations in California and Washington, sharing gas pumps with gasoline and diesel.

The company has closed the initial phase of its Series D round of funding for $11 million in equity capital from existing investors Nth Power, Craton Equity Partners and @Ventures, and a new investor, Gentry Venture Partners. Propel Fuels has also secured an additional $10 million in debt financing.

Propel's mission is to create a network of fueling stations offering drivers the cleanest, most sustainable, domestically produced fuels on the market today. Along with clean fuel, the company is focused on offering consumers a satisfying station experience; to do that, Propel offers services including a CarbonOffset program, improvements in vehicle fuel economy, finding rideshare opportunities, tuning bicycles and recycling on the go.

The company is seeing fast growth, being named the 17th fastest growing energy company in Inc. Magazine's ranking of Fastest Growing Private Companies, the 8th Fastest Growing Private Company in Silicon Valley by the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal and the 14th Fastest Growing Private Company in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Business Times.

Along with receiving funding from California, Propel has lobbied in Washington for favorable implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard. The political climate for biofuels is difficult to work through, with the food versus fuel debate and diminishing support from politicians. Propel Fuels is supporting advanced biofuels like algae-based diesel, but for now, corn ethanol makes up most of the biofuel used in E85 and E10 (and, slowly, in E15) blends found in gas stations across the country. Corn ethanol has its share of critics, but for those looking for E85 and biodiesel, Propel is working hard at bringing these fuels to the public.

Continue reading Propel Fuels adding hundreds of biofuel stations soon

Propel Fuels adding hundreds of biofuel stations soon originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cor-Vegge puts veggie oil to the Corvette test at LeMons

Jon LeSage — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 09:44:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Green Culture, Vegetable Oil, First Drive, Racing

There might be only one veggie-powered Chevrolet Corvette in the world, and it's part of the 24 Hours of LeMons endurance racing series that showcases $500 beater cars. "Spank," the owner and builder, has pieced together the Cor-Vegge on a a C4 Corvette body, powered by a 1980s Oldsmobile diesel engine and fueled by waste vegetable oil.

The 350-cubic-inch diesel V8 engine puts out 77 horsepower, and the Cor-Vegge's 20 gallon gas tank keeps its running up to five hours on the track. The fuel is stored in a large single tank, where Spank makes the vegetable fuel by draining oil from the tank, adding some diesel fuel to warm up the engine, and then adding back the vegetable oil. A pair of heat exchangers have been installed to keep the veggie oil flowing smoothly.

The Cor-Vegge has raced twice so far in its C4 Corvette body, built sometime between 1984 and 1996. Spank is protected by a professional roll cage and new front disk brakes.

For those interested in buying the unique Cor-Vegge, Spank is offering it for $3,500 with a $550 deposit for the upcoming Chuckwalla season-ending race, the third one that his veggie racer will be entering. See pictures of the car in action at the previous events in the gallery, thanks to Murilee Martin.

Cor-Vegge puts veggie oil to the Corvette test at LeMons originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 03 Nov 2012 09:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Nutmobile: Mr. Peanut goes green with new set of wheels

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:48:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Diesel, Etc., Solar, Vegetable Oil

Planters Nutmobile - Click above for high-res image gallery

Mr. Peanut can't be relegated to just any automobile. After all, as the face of Nabisco's Planters division and as one of the most beloved (though just a wee bit creepy, if we're being honest) mascots in American history, Sir Nut needs a ride suitable of his stature. And, since he's apparently over 12 feet tall and carries a six-foot-long cane, we're talking some significant stature.

Fittingly then, Planters has seen fit to replace Mr. Peanut's old set of wheels with a brand new Nutmobile. And this is no ordinary Nutmobile... if such a thing actually existed. Based on a 2011 Isuzu NPR truck with a diesel engine running a five-percent mixture of biodiesel (oddly, though, it's not actually nut-based), this latest Nutmobile will be making appearances all around the country to "promote the peanut lifestyle" and draw support for The Corps Network.

According to The New York Times, this latest Nutmobile is quite the green machine. In addition to the biodiesel blend, it features "a wind turbine, solar panels, LED interior lighting, recycled parts and wood floors reclaimed from a 19th century Pennsylvania barn." Guess it's not very nutty after all, is it?

[Source: Wired, The New York Times]

The Nutmobile: Mr. Peanut goes green with new set of wheels originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Veggie Van smashes Guinness record for longest journey on alternative fuels

Nik Bristow — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:56:00 EST

Filed under: Vegetable Oil, Mitsubishi, North America

Veggie Van - Click above to watch video after the jump

Diesels continue to set records all over the place. Audi and Peugeot are dominating the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) with their diesel-powered race cars. The mighty Touareg TDI destroys the offroad competition at Dakkar. Volkwagen's TDI cup is gaining popularity and respect. And who could forget Willie Run '08 (hehe)? Well now, a team of Canadians are on the verge of completing a 45,000-km (27,962-mi) trip in their waste vegetable oil (WVO)-burning Mitsubishi Delica diesel minivan.

In March, Cloe Whittaker and Tyson Jerry broke the standing record of 38,137 km (23,697 mi), set back in 2006 by a German team, as they crisscrossed the continent, stopping to talk to local schools about sustainability. By the time they're done, they'll have driven through every state, province and territory in the U.S. and Canada, all on WVO donated by restaurants they pass along the way. Check out a video interview with Whittaker and Jerry after the jump and check out the team's website here.

[Source: Treehugger]

Continue reading Veggie Van smashes Guinness record for longest journey on alternative fuels

Veggie Van smashes Guinness record for longest journey on alternative fuels originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There's a fungus among us (other biodiesel feedstocks)

Nik Bristow — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:05:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Emerging Technologies, Vegetable Oil, Europe/EU

Researchers in Spain have demonstrated that they can transform fungus directly into commercial-grade biodiesel.Through a process we admittedly don't pretend to completely understand, the fungus mucor circinelloides is made into ASTM-D6751-spec biodiesel without first having its oils extracted, a process called direct transesterification. For all you home-brew folks, or for those familiar with the process of good, old-fashioned transesterification, this all sounds pretty cool.

Oils from lots of different oleaginous (oily) microorganisms are being looked at as possible biodiesel feedstock alternatives to plant-based, and especially food-crop-based oil sources like soybeans. Microalgae are the most well-known of these organisms, but the list also includes yeasts, bacteria and fungi like the above mentioned m. cicinelloides.

As with many alternative biodiesel feedstocks, scalability is an issue at the moment, but the team in Spain believes that could be overcome by genetic manipulation of the fungus to produce higher lipid content (which means more oil in the fungus). Direct transesterification is already providing greater yields than expected, which could help make biodiesel from m.circinelloides profitable down the road.

[Source: Green Car Congress | Image: Skidrd - C.C. License 2.0]

There's a fungus among us (other biodiesel feedstocks) originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dallas collects waste grease from residents, gives away Whole Food gift cards

Sebastian Blanco — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:27:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Vegetable Oil

While Wired got into the Christmas spirit by thinking of ways to turn holiday waste into alternative energy, two stores in Dallas, Texas quite literally offered the service, with a bit of free food thrown in for fun. Over the weekend, a Whole Foods grocery store in Lakewood accepted leftover holiday cooking oil and grease and gave customers a $10 gift card and a free Better Bag in return (with the help of a local radio station's Street Team). The collected grease was then given to a local biodiesel producer, Green Spot Market & Fuels, which will now convert and sell the oil. Whole Foods has been supporting biodiesel since at least 2005.

The effort was part of Dallas' Cease the Grease program, which "urges residents not to pour grease down drains." If getting a few freebies aren't a convincing enough reason to participate, maybe the animated drain pipe called Perry the Pipe (that's him waving to you up there) can do the trick. Check out his video here.

[Source: Dallas Morning News]

Dallas collects waste grease from residents, gives away Whole Food gift cards originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meet the MAX: Homemade biodiesel-powered Lotus Seven replica

Xavier Navarro — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:10:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Diesel, MPG, Vegetable Oil, Green Daily, Automotive X-Prize, Lightweight, USA

Generally speaking, purchasing an eco-friendly automobile is an expensive proposition. One way to reduce that cost is by going homemade. Such is the case with Jack McCormack from Kinetic Vehicles, who decided that he would love to have fun, practical, affordable and high-mileage two seater under $10 grand.

The resulting car is called the MAX: Mother's Automotive eXperiment. Although the initial goal was to reach the 100 mpg mark set for the Auto X Prize, the resulting car turned out to be a little far from this objective and was totaled in an accident. Thankfully, nobody was seriously injured.

McCormack has rebuilt the car and hopes to accomplish the X Prize target with a custom-built streamlined body on a Locost chassis, a 32-horsepower three-cylinder diesel engine from Kubota, old Toyota Corolla parts and plenty of custom bits and pieces. The car is driven either with diesel, biodiesel or SVO (Straight Vegetable Oil). You can read the complete story at his site. We wish McCormack the best!

[Source: Kinetic Vehicles]

Meet the MAX: Homemade biodiesel-powered Lotus Seven replica originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Should I switch to straight veggie oil? What is holding SVO back?

Sebastian Blanco — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:15:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Vegetable Oil, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Greenlings

We like to answer reader questions with our Greenlings series whenever possible, and thought that Timothy H. had a good topic. He sent in the following question/suggestion about straight vegetable oil (SVO):

I have seen several articles dealing specifically with SVO, but not as it concerns the economic viability compared to petro-diesel. I mean there are articles out there, but I'm interested in knowing why I should/should not use SVO in my car, what benefits I have to look forward to, what problems people have had from using it, etc. Is it really as simple as heading to a Chinese restaurant and heckling $5 for a 50 gallon jug of WVO, then filtering the oil before it goes in the tank? If it isn't that easy, what is making it hard? Why are so few people making the jump if the conversion can pay itself off in two to three years?

We've got the answers for him - and everyone else who's interested - after the jump.

[Image: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images]

Continue reading Should I switch to straight veggie oil? What is holding SVO back?

Should I switch to straight veggie oil? What is holding SVO back? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Can I convert an older vehicle to something more environmentally-friendly?

Sebastian Blanco — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:55:00 EST

Filed under: Diesel, Ethanol, EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, Vegetable Oil, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Natural Gas, Green Daily, Greenlings

Converted plug-in Prius - Click above for high-res image gallery

Cash For Clunkers is officially over and helped put almost 700,000 new cars on the road. Now that the easy $4,500 are no longer available to buyers with low-mpg cars, we thought it'd be a good time to answer AutoblogGreen reader Adam's question that he submitted for our Greenlings series. Adam said he would like to know:

What efforts are being made via research & development that will convert existing vehicles to green vehicles? Is it not important to use the existing fleet vs. constant production of new and more vehicles? I am thinking of classic or special vehicles owners want to keep on the road once alternative engines / fuels are commercially available.

We tackle the question after the jump.

Gallery: EVS23: Kim Adelman's Plug-in Conversion Prius

Continue reading Can I convert an older vehicle to something more environmentally-friendly?

Can I convert an older vehicle to something more environmentally-friendly? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Red... Yellow... GREEN! Alternative vehicles take over drag strip

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 11:25:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Ethanol, EV/Plug-in, Flex-Fuel, Hydrogen, Vegetable Oil, On Two Wheels, Green Daily, UK, Racing

Green means go. It's one of the first universal truths taught in school and it will be proven once again at the upcoming Santa Pod's Alternative Energy Race Day. According to Managing Director, David Lloyd Jones, "As a venue, we derive a great deal from Motorsport, so it's important that we do something that helps to plot the future of the sport. Somewhere in this eclectic line-up will be the genuine long-term future of Drag Racing and the direction that we all need to look toward. Trucks, cars, bikes, trikes are all welcome. Zero emissions does not mean zero fun or competitive edge."

Manufacturers like Vectrix and Lotus will be in attendance on Friday, April 24th, racing their two- and four-wheeled vehicles down the good ol' quarter-mile drag strip; anything that's not powered by fossil fuels is welcome and encouraged to attend. Entrance is free and the fastest vehicle wins. Sounds like a great time!

[Source: AE Racing via London Bikers]

Red... Yellow... GREEN! Alternative vehicles take over drag strip originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 24 Jan 2009 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA 2008: Making Green Cool Zone trucks

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:49:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Diesel, Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, Vegetable Oil, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, SEMA Show

Click above for high-res gallery of Making Green Cool Zone trucks from SEMA

We are so used to huge trucks with outlandish paint jobs at SEMA, that we barely noticed these monstrosities in one corner of the upper level of the South Hall. But then we spotted the "Making Green Cool Zone" banner hanging over them and decided to take a closer look. Along with the dozen or so cars and bikes on display there were some seriously non-green-looking trucks. Their carbon footprints might be small, but godalmighty were they huge.

There was an enormous 2006 Chevy Dually done up by eXtreme-Biodiesel to showcase their 4-hour, 40-gallon portable Extreme Green Machines that make biodiesel just about anywhere they want to. The truck itself gets 25 mpg, which might not seem too impressive until you read that the turbodiesel engine pumps out 1,000 hp and 1,200 ft. lbs. of torque.

Dino Fuel Alternatives (DFA) was also on hand with not one, but two veggie oil trucks. They had a Vegistroke Ford, which we already know is one fast truck, having won the Thundertruck drags with a time of 15.81 seconds, but they also claim it gets 144 mpg. DFA's Vegistroke system has been available for any PowerStroke motor, but the company just finished its new VegiRam system for the Cummins diesel engine also. It was displayed in a VegiRam Dodge dually painted up like a NASCAR Craftsman truck series competitor.

Johnathan Goodwin had another super-efficient Hummer in Vegas, this one an H1 model with E85, Biodiesel, and water boy stickers on it. We already told you about the other Hummer H1 at SEMA that has been converted by Zero South with tracks to do a South Pole run next year. Right now it's a rolling education center with video screens facing in so passengers can see project presentations. Wild Gator Racing brought out a specially-prepped E85 Chevy Silverado that looked trail-ready.

Then we saw our favorite vehicle of the day, Baby. It's an old Japanese fire truck that was converted to run on natural oils and has become an ambassador for alternative fuels and environmental issues as it made its way around the world. Baby was featured in the award-winning documentary Oil + Water, and is now on the Kavu Elements Nature Propelled educational tour. Besides being able to run on just about any kind of oil, Baby also uses vehicle motion, sun, wind and water to store and use energy so the team can run off the grid when parked. The whole thing opens up too, with sleeping areas and a stage for movie showings, concerts and presentations. Very, very cool. See it in the gallery below (of just click here).

Gallery: SEMA 2008: Green trucks

SEMA 2008: Making Green Cool Zone trucks originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: L.A. Premiere of Josh Tickell's "Fuel"

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Diesel, Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, Green Culture, Vegetable Oil, AutoblogGreen Exclusive

Josh Tickell with producer and fiancee Rebecca Harrell

"America is addicted to oil...It's time for an intervention." That is the tagline for FUEL, Josh Tickell's redo of 2008's Sundance Audience Award winner, Fields of Fuel. We talked to Josh about that movie a couple of years, before he actually started putting it together. We made it to the L.A. premier of FUEL where we saw the flick, the principals and several celebs who support the cause. We even saw a Honda FCX Clarity in the parking lot along with dozens of hybrids, biodiesels and flex fuel vehicles. FUEL keeps the basic premise of Fields, but addresses some of the controversies surrounding biofuels and other alternative energy sources as well.

Fields of Fuel was basically a documentary of Tickell's 11-year quest to spread the gospel of renewable, sustainable biodiesel from behind the wheel of his used-cooking-oil-powered "Veggie Van." Sister site Cinematical did an excellent review of that film when it came out. The new film that premiered in L.A. last night is simply called FUEL because it adds info on solar and wind, biomass and algae, and a bunch of other alternative energy sources, along with answers to criticisms some of these fuels have generated. It's an entertaining and educational movie that speaks directly to us. Follow the jump for more info about the movie from the L.A. premiere.

Gallery: L.A. Premiere of FUEL film

Continue reading Review: L.A. Premiere of Josh Tickell's "Fuel"

Review: L.A. Premiere of Josh Tickell's "Fuel" originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You can do it, too: Convert a Toyota 4runner to diesel, then to veggie oil

Sebastian Blanco — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:02:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Diesel, Vegetable Oil

Interested in a Toyota 4Runner but wish it had a diesel powerplant? In the U.S., your engine options are limited to a 4 liter V6 or a 4.7 liter V8 (and you don't get the V8 in all states). But, if you're not in the U.S. and buying a Toyota Hilux Surf (i.e., a 4Runner with a different name), then you can opt for a diesel engine. Since a diesel engine is made for this vehicle, AutoblogGreen reader Mark G. had an idea. He wrote in to tell us about how he went about taking his 1999 U.S. 4Runner into a diesel SUV (importing an engine from Japan), and then had the engine converted over to run on veggie oil by Diesel Toyz. He writes:

Everything is completely factory in appearance and function. I now am getting 35+ mpg in a Toyota 4runner with 4wd that I used to get 15mpg. I am also now running on a waste product like waste vegetable oil. The ridiculous thing is that the rest of the world gets these vehicles standard, we have to pay to convert them.

That's quite a jump in miles per gallon, but we know that diesel get inherently more mpg than petrol engines. I've asked Mark how much these conversions cost him, but suffice to say this is one way to get the car you want to run on the fuel you want.

UPDATE: Mark responded:

The conversion including engine, trans, wiring, gauges, and labor to install was around $15k. They gave me all of the gas engine etc back and I sold them on eBay and recouped approx. $2500. The vegoil conversion added another $3k onto the price. Absolutely the most honest, straight-forward guys I've ever dealt with.

[Source: Diesel Toyz]

You can do it, too: Convert a Toyota 4runner to diesel, then to veggie oil originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michigan students power buses with veggie oil

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Vegetable Oil, USA

It's no secret to the majority of our readers that it is possible to run many older diesel engines on nothing more than straight vegetable oil. In fact, the first diesel engine, invented by Rudolph Diesel, ran on peanut oil. This fact is also well known by the students at the Michigan Technical Academy who have converted their own school buses to run on waste vegetable oil. Garden Fresh Foods in Ferndale, Michigan is providing used veggie oil that was first used to fry tortilla chips for no charge. The total cost of the fuel for the two buses that are running on 100-percent veggie oil is estimated at about 80-cents a gallon. Other buses are running on a 10-percent blend of oil and diesel fuel. As the temps in Michigan go down, the blend will be adjusted, though the students are currently hard at work solving that problem with heaters. Great work.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Michigan students power buses with veggie oil originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 16 Sep 2008 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AltWheels returns to Boston area next month

Sebastian Blanco — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Diesel, Emerging Technologies, Ethanol, EV/Plug-in, Flex-Fuel, Green Culture, Hybrid, Hydrogen, Vegetable Oil, Boston AltWheels, Green Daily, NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle)

Last year, the fifth annual AltWheels festival featured a lot of cool green car goodness - along with things like Darth Vader discussing HUMMER and a vegoil MINI. This year, the show returns to the Boston area for ~~three days~~ one day of greener transportation discussion and presentations, including a one-day fleet-centered show on September 29 that will feature what organizers are calling the "Largest Display of Alternative Fleet Vehicles on East Coast." It certainly looks like a tempting way to spend the day, and should give the people responsible for spending the real big bucks on fuel a chance to figure out how best to reduce costs.

For the general public, the two-day show takes place on September 26 and 27 at the Boston City Hall Plaza (the Fleet Day is in Framingham, MA) and is part educational event and part fun fair. I have no inside information on whether or not the evil Anakin will make an appearance, but the organizers are promising "jugglers, unicyclists, clowns, face painting, and much more fun for families." More details on Fleet Day are in the press release pasted after the jump and the general AltWheels site is here. I'm sure attendees will be posting their own reports online, but if any AutoblogGreen readers are headed to the show and want to share their photos or thoughts, drop us a line.

UPDATE: I misread the AltWheels website. There is in fact no two-day festival this year. One of the organizers wrote in to ABG with the following note: Thank you for posting about AltWheels Fleet Day but there will not be any two-day festival this year, just the Fleet Day. The economy had a dramatic effect on funders and potential funders. The festival was unable to secure enough sponsorship/support to guarantee the vibrant festival we've all come to know and love. Apologies.

[Source: AltWheels]

Continue reading AltWheels returns to Boston area next month

AltWheels returns to Boston area next month originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fendt announces new greener tractors

Xavier Navarro — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:57:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Diesel, Vegetable Oil

Although we haven't spoken too much about tractors, I think it's good to know that green technologies are improving these vehicles. Take this example, German tractor manufacturer Fendt has announced that its new lineup of Vario tractors which reach the Com III emission standards which come in effect next year. Not only does it improve emissions, but consumption. Fendt has installed a system which makes exhaust gases recirculate back to the combustion chamber. A new CVT-like transmission system also allows its tractors to run in the ~~lowest~~ highest gear possible, thus improving consumption further. Not only that, the 820 Variogreentec model is one of the first tractors which are factory-ready to work with Vegetable Oil. With the push of a button, the 820 switches between diesel and rapeseed oil.

[Source: Fendt via Agroinformacion]

Fendt announces new greener tractors originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Manila Police to use WVO from McDonalds

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:03:00 EST

Filed under: Vegetable Oil, Green Daily, Asia

Police in Manila, the capitol city of the Philippines, have taken up a cool new effort in order to save some green, though they will be spreading some green in the process. It seems that the Police force will be converting its cruisers to run on a mixture of waste vegetable oil (WVO) and diesel fuel. The oil in question will be donated by McDonalds. Other local area restaurants are also considering making similar donations. So far, just one vehicle has had the conversion done, though more are likely to closely follow. If the program in Manila proves successful, other nearby cities are likely to follow suit.

If the government authorities begin using veggie oil, how far could commercial use be behind? Along with the electric Jeepneys which are now proliferating through city centers in the area, the Philippines may just have a green-transportation revolution on their hands.

[Source: Breitbart.com]

Manila Police to use WVO from McDonalds originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Craigslist Find of the Day: '67 Mercury Cougar with Mercedes diesel engine

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 20 May 2008 16:25:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Diesel, Vegetable Oil, Mercedes Benz, Mercury, Green Daily, USA

Click on the image for high-res shots of this diesel 1967 Mercury Cougar

Much of the vegetable oil and biodiesel movement centers around the classic Mercedes-Benz inline six cylinder engine, but fine examples of the genre are getting tougher to find. As is always the case with older machines, time and driving in general take their toll on the bodies and chassis of our favorite classics. But, these old Mercedes lumps can be rebuilt to fine running order. Wondering what to do with that good-running or rebuilt turbodiesel engine? How about dropping it into the engine bay of some classic Detroit iron? Many of these older American vehicles were built with engine-bays capable of accepting everything from a straight-six to a huge big block V8 engine. If that sounds like too much trouble, perhaps you should take a look at an example that's already been converted. Right now on Craigslist in L.A. is a cherry 1967 Mercury Cougar with a Mercedes OM617 cast iron turbodiesel engine from a Mercedes-Benz 300SD. Mated to a four-speed manual tranny, we'd imagine that many trouble-free miles of burbling diesel goodness are in store for this particular gem. Thanks for the tip, Geeky1!

Gallery: Craigslist Find: 1967 Cougar Diesel

[Source: Craigslist]

Craigslist Find of the Day: '67 Mercury Cougar with Mercedes diesel engine originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 20 May 2008 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Veggie oil explained easy

Xavier Navarro — Sun, 04 May 2008 08:19:00 EST

Filed under: Vegetable Oil

Gavin Shappiro sent us a very well edited video of a green hobby: driving a 2005 Volkswagen Golf TDI with vegetable oil. As most of our readers know, converting a diesel car to run on vegetable oil is not a difficult thing to do, and virtually any diesel car can run with it. Gavin's friend Chase Emmons, who owns the Golf TDI, obtains the oil for free from restaurants, which would usually have to pay to get their waste oil removed. The video also shows the important switch that is used to switch from diesel to vegetable oil, since these cars need to be started with regular diesel to warm the veggie oil.

UPDATE: actually, the owner of this car is Chase Emmons, and Shappiro created the video with him. Minor edits made to the story to reflect this.

Find the video after the jump.

Continue reading Video: Veggie oil explained easy

Video: Veggie oil explained easy originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 04 May 2008 08:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NorthStar Moving powers their fleet with biodiesel

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:23:00 EST

Filed under: Biodiesel, Vegetable Oil, USA

California's NorthStar Moving Corporation has just converted all of its trucks to run on biodiesel fuel. All of the fuel used by the moving and storage company will now be veggie-based. Additionally, their fleet of vehicles has also been fitted with battery-powered rear lift gates as opposed to hydraulic, meaning that the engine does not need to idle for extended periods.

NorthStar reportedly has tried greening other aspects of their operation. All of their boxes and stationery are made from recycled material and are reused when possible. The company claims that skylights and windows are used for natural lighting when possible and their warehouses are well-insulated. We applaud these efforts, of course, especially the use of biodiesel. With diesel prices as high as they are, we wonder what impact biodiesel may have on the market, considering that cost is often a driving factor when it comes to our energy needs.

Continue reading NorthStar Moving powers their fleet with biodiesel

NorthStar Moving powers their fleet with biodiesel originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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