Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Demonstrating the Feasibility of a Biofuel: Production and Use of Biodiesel from Waste Oil Feedstock and Bio-based Methanol at Middlebury College
EPA Grant Number: SU831893Title: Demonstrating the Feasibility of a Biofuel: Production and Use of Biodiesel from Waste Oil Feedstock and Bio-based Methanol at Middlebury College
Investigators: Seidl, Amy L. , Isham, Jonathan T. , Reavey, Brian , Acher, Charles , Bourdon, Leland , Jansen, Nick , Mayer, Tamar , Hand, Thomas
Institution: Middlebury College
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: September 30, 2004 through May 30, 2005
Project Amount: $7,560
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2004) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Challenge Area - Air Quality , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
Fossil fuel combustion results in the emission of greenhouse gases. Currently, Earth is experiencing unprecedented, human-induced changes in the atmosphere with consequent and threatening changes to its climate. This event is due, in large part, to fossil fuel emissions. The intent of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility, production, and use of a fuel with significantly fewer emissions: biodiesel. We investigated the feasibility of biodiesel production, utilizing an industrial ecology model, from three disciplinary perspectives: green chemistry, microeconomics, and geography. Specifically, we researched whether biodiesel can be derived from waste cooking oil and bio-based methanol. In addition, we investigated the effectiveness of biodiesel in campus diesel engines and house furnaces, currently burning #2 fuel oil. Effectiveness was assessed using air emissions and BTU production. Furthermore, we examined how economically feasible biodiesel is, given Middlebury College’s generation of waste cooking oil, and the current cost of diesel fuel. We also considered the impact of replacing 20% of the College’s current diesel usage with biodiesel on carbon reduction at the College. Research and data collected from this study has provided the basis for five independent student research projects in renewable energy and will be incorporated (2005-2006) into the curriculum of a core Environmental Science course, Natural Science and the En vironmnent.
Conclusions:
Our results, listed below, include several key findings in each of the three disciplinary perspectives we considered.
Green Chemistry: 1) the production of methanol from methanogenic bacteria is not
- Mihelcic, J.R., H. Muga, R.A. Harris, T.J. Eatmon, “Engineering Sustainable Construction Materials for the Developing World: Consideration of Engineering, Societal, and Economic Issues,” under review, International Journal of Engineering Education, 2005.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 1 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Concrete, cement, pozzolan, volcanic ash, rice, construction, water supply and sanitation, developing world, appropriate technology, climate change, sustainability,, RFA, Scientific Discipline, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, Air, TREATMENT/CONTROL, Sustainable Industry/Business, POLLUTION PREVENTION, cleaner production/pollution prevention, Energy, Environmental Chemistry, Sustainable Environment, Technology, climate change, Air Pollution Effects, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Chemicals Management, Environmental Engineering, Atmosphere, energy conservation, waste to fuel conversion, environmental monitoring, alternative to petroleum diesel fuel, renewable fuel production, emission controls, sustainable transportation, transportation technology, energy efficiency, biodiesel fuel, alternative fuel, biotechnology, ethanol, alternative energy source, environmentally benign alternative, biofuel, green chemistry, renewable energy, waste oil feedstockRelevant Websites:
http://www.sfi.mtu.edu/ Exit
http://www.cee.mtu.edu/peacecorps/ Exit
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.