Help create a more sustainable campus.

National Small Farms Trade Show & Conference

Josh Hirner, Will Petry, & Dr. Tom Marshall

7 November 2008

Today’s Discussion

• History of Bulldog Biodiesel

• Where we are now

• How biodiesel is made

• Advantages

History

• Student group founded Fall 2007

• Purchased automatic processor in January 2008

• Received Truman State University charter in April 2008

Current Monthly Statistics

• 15 students actively producing biodiesel

• Oil collection: 200+ gallons

• Production capacity: 400 gallons

How Biodiesel is Made

Glyceride

Fatty acid tail

Fatty acid tail

Fatty acid tail

Glycerol

Biodiesel

Biodiesel

Biodiesel

MethanolKOH

Biodiesel Processors

Processors range from…

very simple & very cheap to… not so simple & not so cheap.

Wash TankReaction Tank

Biodiesel Processors

Methanol+ KOH/NaOH

Filtered Oil

Glycerin Biodiesel

Water

Water out

BIODIESEL

Advantages of Biodiesel

• Lower emissions

– Acid rain-forming gasses

– Carbon monoxide

• Diverts waste from a landfill

Advantages of Biodiesel

• Economic benefit

– $5.5 million exported every hour for crude oil

– 20% comes from Saudi Arabia and Venezuela

Domestic oil

Foreign oil

Midwest Diesel Price

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Jan 01, 2000 May 15, 2001 Sep 27, 2002 Feb 09, 2004 Jun 23, 2005 Nov 05, 2006 Mar 19, 2008

Time

Cent

s pe

r gal

lon

How much does biodiesel save for you?

• Processor cost: $8000; pays for itself after ~3200 gallons (64 batches)

• Processors can be homemade much cheaper

• We are currently making biodiesel at a cost of $1.50/gallon

• Biodiesel cost per gallon fluctuates slightly based on cost of methanol, hydroxide

Savings From Biodiesel(Petroleum $4.00/gal Biodiesel $1.50/gal)

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000

Biodiesel Production (Gallons)

Mo

ne

tary

Sa

vin

gs

($

)

Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO) vs. Grown for Fuel Oil

** Yield given in lbs of oil/acre

From: http://www.bioenergy.wa.gov/OilSeed.aspx

Why use WVO?• It’s waste that otherwise isn’t used

• WVO is often given away to biodiesel producers NO COST

• Eco-friendly and cost effective

• Eliminates concerns about global food supplies due to food/fuel crop competition

Help create a more sustainable campus.

National Small Farms Trade Show & Conference

Columbia, Missouri

7 November 2008