Skip to main content

Coconut Crude

Coconut Crude | Ethan Zuckerman

A Newly Electric Green – Sustainable Energy, Resources and Design see all posts in this category

CoconutCrude1.jpgPrice of gasoline got you down? If you're driving a diesel vehicle in the South Pacific, you may be in luck. Vanuatan entrepreneur Tony Deamer has adapted his fleet of rental cars to run on coconut oil, a plentiful local commodity. Unlike with many biofuels, coconut oil doens't need to be transesterized - mixed with sodium hydroxide and alcohol to change its chemical composition - to run in a diesel engine. Filtered and warmed to temperatures about 25C, coconut oil is a better than satisfactory substitute for "mineral diesel" - it burns more slowly, which produces more even pressure on engine pistons, reducing engine wear, and lubricates the engine more effectively. Deamer runs most of his vehicles on a mixture of 85% coconut oil and 15% kerosene, but has demonstrated that modified diesel engines run filtered coconut oil quite happily.

Even before recent price increases, diesel fuel was extremely expensive in the South Pacific due to the cost of shipping fuel from refineries. Coconut oil, on the other hand, is comparatively cheap - produced locally by boiling copra (dried coconut flesh) in water, it retails on the world market for $0.55 a liter, as compared to significantly higher prices for mineral diesel. Used as a basic ingredient in margarine and in cosmetics, copra prices tend to fluctuate widely, destabilizing economies like Vanuatu's which are heavily dependent on copra exports. An increased use of copra to produce fuel oils would likely raise copra prices and benefit local economies, as well as reducing the costs of imported fuels.

SOPAC - the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission, based in Fiji, is funding projects to study the use of coconut oil for power generation and transportation - their introductory paper is a useful overview of efforts thus far to utilize this promising biofuel. UNDP's Equator Initiative also has an excellent case on "Coconut Crude", focusing in part on Tony Deamer's work.

Posted by Ethan Zuckerman at September 22, 2005 11:34 AM
Source: worldchanging.com

Popular posts from this blog

Daftar Alamat Bank Jabar Banten (BJB) Jakarta

Alamat dan telpon Kantor Cabang , Kantor Cabang Pembantu, dan Kantor Kas Bank Jabar dan Banten yang berlokasi di Jakarta meliputi wilayah Jakarta Pusat, Jakarta Timur , Jakarta Barat, Jakarta Utara, Jakarta Selatan Kantor Cabang - Bank Jabar Banten - Jakarta Nama KC Alamat Telpon Fax JAKARTA Bank DEVISA Jl.Jend.Sudirman Kav.2 Gedung Arthaloka Lt.Dasar & Lt.4 Jakarta Pusat 021-2511448, 2511449 021-2511450, 2514415 HASYIM ASHARI Jl. KH. Hasyim Ashari No. 32-34, Jakarta Pusat 021-6330676 021-6324430 MANGGA DUA Gedung Masterina Jl. Mangga Dua Raya Blok F1 No. 1-3 Jakarta Pusat 021-62204094, 62204095, 62204096 021-62204093 KEBAYORAN BARU Graha Iskandarsyah Lt. 2 JL. Iskandarsyah Raya no. 66 C Kebayoran Baru 12160 - Jakarta Selatan 021-7229777, 7207334 021-7206990, 7209941 RAWAMANGUN Jl. Pemuda No. 97 Kec. Pulogadung - Jakarta Timur 021-47861771, 47868072, 47868073 021-47863209 Kantor Cabang Pembantu - Bank Jabar Banten - Jakarta NAMA KCP ALAMAT TELPON ...
Read more

Contoh Checklist saat beli mobil bekas

Diambil dari Majalah AutoBild Edisi 54 100 Checklist Mobil Bekas Berkualitas Kriteria Penilaian : (A) Problem minor. Biasanya karena habis dipakai dan normal terjadi di mobil yang sudah berumur. Tapi hal ini bisa dijadikan bahan negosiasi harga. Dan jika mobilnya masih relatif baru, problem ini juga bisa berarti biaya mahal. (B) Cacat yang bisa menjadi serius, jika membutuhkan investigasi lebih lanjut. (C) Kemungkinan adalah problem serius yang mahal dan sulit diperbaiki hingga normal. (D) JANGAN beli mobil ini!!!!!!!!!! Kesan Pertama 1. Dimana anda mobil tersebut? Jika diperlukan, dapatkah Anda menemukan penjualnya kembali? (D) 2. Apakah alamat penjualnya jelas? (D) 3. Bicara langsung ke penjual; apakah pertanyaan Anda dijawab dengan sigap? (D) 4. Lihat dan perhatikan sisi kendaraan, apakah terlihat lurus dan simetris? (D) 5. Periksa setiap sisi untuk mengenali kerusakan berat. (C) 6. Periksa celah antar panel, seharusnya rata dan konsisten. Jika tidak, ada kemungkinan...
Read more

11 makanan yang bikin bodoh

http://www.fitnea.com/11-intelligence-killing-foods-you-need-to-avoid/ 11 Intelligence Killing Foods You Need To Avoid When it comes to nutrition, it must be mentioned that there are all sorts of foods: some super-foods are your greatest allies against extra pounds, while others stimulate your cognitive function and improve your memory. On the other hand, some foods are known to have a devastating effect on your brain functioning, and nutritionists advise us to consume them moderately in order to limit their negative impact. Having said that, here are the top 11 foods that kill your intelligence, slowly but surely: 1. Sugary Products Sugar and sugary products are bad not only for your waistline, but for your brain function as well. Long-term consumption of sugar can create a wealth of neurological problems, and it can also interfere with your memory. On the other hand, sugar can also interfere with your ability to learn, this is why it is recommended to avoid pre-baked good...
Read more