How To Make Biodiesel

May 16–PONTIAC — The oil had been used earlier in the week to fry up tenderloins at Pontiac Township High School and now Ryan Kelly was pouring it into a John Deere tractor to get it started. Kelly, 18, of Pontiac, said he was skeptical when his agriculture class along with the school’s ecology and automotive classes started a project to create biodiesel out of the used cooking oil from the school’s cafeteria. The three classes got a chance Tuesday to test their work on a John Deere brought over by Kelly Sauder Rupiper Equipment in Pontiac. In addition to the tractor, which runs on a 12 percent blend of biodiesel, students also had a chance to use their biodiesel in a pick-up truck from the Waste Management and Research Center in Champaign that runs on 100 percent biodiesel. After getting in the tractor and starting it up, the once skeptical Kelly was convinced. “I didn’t think there was anyway we were going to do this,” Kelly said. “And it doesn’t smell bad either, kind of like french fries.” Kegan Chavez, 16, of Pontiac said he was excited by the project and the results. “I didn’t even know it was possible when we started this,” Chavez said. “It doesn’t even look the same.” The cloudy, brown cooking oil had been turned into a clear liquid with a dark orange tint after a process where methanol and sodium hydroxide were added creating the biodiesel and the byproduct glycerin. Parker Bane, the high school’s agriculture teacher, said he initially was concerned about the processing because the chemicals added to the oil can be dangerous. However, after working with ecology teacher Paul Ritter and Doug Bennett, an energy resource scientist with the state-funded waste management center, Bane said he was comfortable with the process. The project included about 185 students between Ritter, Bane and Chuck Prong’s three classes. “This is something Paul and I have been thinking about doing for a long time and once I learned we could do it safely, I knew it would make a great project for the kids,” Bane said. Bane added that making biodiesel is more than just a chemistry lesson for the students. “This gets them thinking about renewable energy sources and how we can reduce our dependency on foreign oil,” Bane said. So far, the classes have made about 40 gallons of biodiesel. Bane said if the project is allowed to continue, it could be possible for the school to produce enough biodiesel to keep running some of the school’s equipment such as it’s mowers. For now, the classes are using processing equipment loaned to them by Bennett. Ritter said he wants the school to have it’s own equipment and make it a part of the curriculum. Ritter has applied for several national grants to find funding for the project. “What we want to do is get a sufficient amount of money not only to provide the equipment but to upgrade it as the technology improves,” Ritter said. “This is a way for us to do our part for the future for the students and the environment.” Credit: The Pantagraph, Bloomington, Ill.

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