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[Don Bowen <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>]

At 6/6/2007, you wrote:
>  But my question was and
> still is: is it feasible for a small farmer or
> homesteader to have his/her own bio diesel plant?
> When I googled it I didn't find a site that addressed
> that issue in terms I was comfortable with.

Soybeans        48 gal/acre
Sunflowers      102 gal/acre
Peanuts 113 gal/acre
Rapeseed        127 gal/acre
Avocado 282 gal/acre
Florida Aspen   689 gal/acre

Subtract from the above the energy cost of production (tilling, planting, 
fertilizing, harvesting, and processing).  To make bio Diesel you need to 
add the costs of production of about 10% methanol.  Methanol in the best 
facilities returns about 15-20% over the energy invested.  BioDiesel from 
Soybeans costs about $2-3 a gallon in facilities of 3M gallons or less.  In 
larger facilities the cost can be driven down to well under $1.


Don Bowen              Awl Knotted Up                       KI6DIU
http://www.braingarage.com
My travel journal
http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html

I am omnivagant.  
> From don.bowen AT earthlink.net  Wed Jun  6 11:38:27 2007
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Subject: Re: [Homestead] gas prices
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At 6/6/2007, you wrote:
> Research methane digesters. I have read of Indian farmers who use
> dung to produce methane gas that is used for cooking and heating. A
> gas would have to be compressed to operate a vehicle. Sounds to me
> like a bigger project than the typical homesteader needs.

A methane digester for heating and cooking is easy and cheap to make, well 
within the abilities of a homestead shop.  To compress the methane for auto 
fuel use is expensive and not so easily done.  That is why the use in India 
is confined to mostly cooking.  It is one of them most life improving 
activities of Indian housewives.  Before much of the day was spent in 
gathering firewood and the smoke filled houses caused many breathing 
problems.  The process drives off some carbon and most of the hydrogen from 
manure, leaving the nitrogen available for fertilizer.



Don Bowen              Awl Knotted Up                       KI6DIU
http://www.braingarage.com
My travel journal
http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html

I am omnivagant.  
> From shepperd AT austincc.edu  Wed Jun  6 11:41:05 2007
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This discussion prompted a memory of an article about a home methane 
gas producer which appeared in Mother Earth News shortly after the 
1973 oil embargo, which pushed energy prices up.  The average 
homesteader may not have enough manure and garbage to make it 
worthwhile, but here is the link to the article:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Alternative-Energy/1974-01-01/Mothers-Methane-Maker-Past-Present-and-Future.aspx

A list of Mother Earth News' articles on energy:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/article-categories.aspx?id=4


Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.
                        -- Confucius

He is a man of sense who does not grieve for what he has not, but 
rejoices in what he has.
                        -- Epictetus

What matters is not what you learn but what you teach.
                -- Michael Josephson

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.
Leave the rest to God...