This latest edition of Domestic Fuel Cast we look at an exciting new development from the Indiana Soybean Alliance that might just put to rest some of the complaints about biodiesel’s tendency to gel at extremely cold temperatures.
The group has developed a type of biodiesel that, even at a 100 percent mix, won’t gel at more than 60 degrees below zero. That’s even colder than what conventional petroleum diesel clouds at (about -15 for the not-so-green fuel). It’s Permaflo Biodiesel, and to put it to the test, Ryan West, Director of New Uses for the alliance, led a group on a 1,400 mile trip across Alaska to the Arctic Circle. Along the way, they ran B100 in their vehicle and generator as they camped their way across the state in temperatures this winter of more than 20 below!
West says the fuel held up just fine, and it gives hope to many areas, including some of the remote Alaskan villages that can’t produce their own fuel and rely on a once-a-year supply truck, that they can be independent from fossil fuels.
It’s an amazing trip and an amazing product. You can hear all about by listening to this week’s Domestic Fuel Cast here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/domesticfuel/DFCast-3-19-09.mp3]