Crafting with Kids

The auto industry has really been under the gun for the last 10 years or so due to complex, external forces. Part of these problems have to do with the industry’s lethargy during the 80s and 90s, inefficient practices and bloated vehicle ranges. The industry has been hammered by increased foreign competition, burgeoning fuel prices, regulations, environmental issues and the great recession.

In 1990, the revision to the Clean Air Act specified that fuels become more sustainable and that manufacturers begin replacing petro diesel engines with low sulphur alternatives. At that time, certain states had already restricted diesel engine sales, but this situation is likely to rectify as diesel pollution now slows. There are other factors to take into consideration and we saw during the terrible events of 2001 how vulnerable we can be to foreign interests and how we rely on such countries for fuel needs. We must look for alternative fuel sources to satisfy our economic, environmental and energy security requirements.

In modern times, diesel engines and their internal components are much more able to cope with low sulphur diesel and biodiesel fuels. Nowadays, biodiesel fuel is gaining widespread acceptance and during the last decade production grew by over 700%.

Following this recession, the auto industry in the US has significantly changed. One of their big three manufacturers is now owned by a European company, Fiat, and it seems likely that we will see an influx of vehicles based on European platforms and wholly more efficient than what we have seen there previously. In Europe, diesel engine cars are very popular and we can expect to see an increase in this type of sale as well. While this happens, biodiesel, as a reliable alternative will undoubtedly push forward as well. While prices may be equitable as compared to conventional diesel, vehicles which operate pure biodiesel or a blend are much better for both the health of our global climate and the people.

Biodiesel is not an experimental fuel as some believe. It has a history going back to the 1930s and has been fully certified by the Environmental Protection Agency. Auto manufacturers welcome the use of biodiesel in their diesel engine vehicles as long as the biodiesel is manufactured to internationally accepted standards, and its use will not void an engine warranty, for example. Indeed, biodiesel has a higher lubricity than petro diesel and will help to ensure the longevity of your engine.

While distribution stations are few and far between, the fuel is yet to gain widespread acceptance. Production of the fuel should interest our army of entrepreneurs as the thought of making biodiesel fuel commercially is well within reach. Indeed, many who start off with homemade biodiesel move up to the production of this fuel in their local environments. It is possible to obtain certification from the EPA once you have mastered the task of producing the fuel reliably, and to progress by selling it to an increasingly interested public. Biodiesel is a superb alternative fuel, and it’s certainly an option which could radically change our impact on the Earth, perhaps more quickly than we might realise.

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