Biodiesel: The Fuel for today

With the high cost of gasoline around the country, and the fact it is constantly climbing with no view of stabilizing, the world needs to start looking at alternative fuels. During this phase of the economy its a good investment. One of the alternative fuels that has started to become popular is called “Biodiesel”. A fuel that is run on vegetable oils. Biodiesel engines can be created or converted from petroleum diesel engines easily and cost-effectively. Biodiesel comes from renewable plant resources such as the oils from vegetables, soy, beans, canola, rape seeds, hemp seeds, and various grains. Through the process of transesterification, a chemical modifical of ordinary vegetable oil, creates a fuel that meets the high industry standards for usage in diesel engines that prevents it from solidifying at colder temperatures. You can get various biodiesels already at the pumps that might be labelled “biodiesel” but in reality are mixed with petroleum and its biodiesel content could be as low as only 5%. These are labelled B5, B20, B50, and B100 to show the mix composition. SVO - Straight vegetable oil is that which has not yet been optimized through transesterification for use in diesel engines - but suffers from freezing and solidifying easier in colder temperatures - needing some source to preheat it before starting the engine. You can use cooking oil straight from the bottle (expensive) or use WVO - Waste vegetable oil, usually for free, from fast food restaurants that usually dump it. However, WVO has to be filtered, and that is a messy and timely event. Vegetable oil conversion kits for diesel engines usually include a heating system and a second gas tank to circumvent the solidification issues. SVO produces very low emissions and is one of the better alternatives for the environment. Biodisel is the only alternative fuel that has completed the health effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act, creating a substantial reduction in hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and other noxious fumes caused by most fuels. SVO is better for diesel engines as the inventor of the Diesel engine (Rudolph Diesel) originally intended the diesel engine for peanut oil. Biodiesel saves money on fuel costs, reduces emissions, recycles waste oils from restaurants, is a fuel made from renewable crops which in effect keeps farmers employed, and is good for the environment. The cons to using biodiesel can void your current warranties if you install a conversion kit and use biodiesel; collecting and converting WVO is a messy job and also very time consuming; there is mixed data on how SVO affects engine life span. Conversion kits can be obtained from various merchants for as low as $500 from greasecar.com. More information can be found online at www.biodiesel.org, goodgrease.com, localb100.com, journeytoforever.org, biodieselblog.com, wvofuels.com, calcars.org, oil_press.com, or a typical google search.

Experts are saying that from past experiences your best bet when it comes to the stock market, especially if your new to the game is to buy firms that have new products. Companies with new products seem to do very well when it comes to stocks.

Sales in Garmin’s auto unit rocketed 252% from the year-ago period, as more new cars come built with navigation devices. In May the firm released the StreetPilot 2820, a gadget with Bluetooth wireless connection, for cars and motorcycles. The StreetPilot lets users make phone calls hands-free and even contact hotels, restaurants and other points of interests from the database.

A computer voice gives drivers turn-by-turn directions and helps them avoid traffic jams. Users can get real-time traffic information, including alerts to accidents, construction and road closures, by subscribing to an FM Traffic Message Channel or XM NavTraffic.

The device comes with an audio book player and MP3 player that can sort music by artist, album, song and genre. Garmin will begin selling the StreetPilot 2820 in June for $1,099.

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Biodiesel, a wave of recycling for the future, a new fuel that’s starting to get popular, that is based on recycling or using vegetable or food oil for fuel. Many at-home-labs and conversion projects will go and pick up used vegetable oil from fast food places like Mc Donalds for free, take it home, filter it, and process it for their biodiesel engines. The result? a consumable cost of 25-50 cents/gallon, and an engine that can get upwards plus of 75 miles to the gallon. Sound fabulous? it is conceptually, but its alot of work to clean the oil at home. Biodiesel pumps however are being installed in many states and available at the pump. A bit cheaper than petrol, you still get the maximizing effect of miles to the gallon. How to convert your engine over to biodiesel? There are kits as cheap as $200. However, you have to already have a diesel engine to start the conversion. An amazing new investment strategy? Invest in biodiesel companies to maximize your profit … there’s growth there too, more miles for your dollars, in many more ways than one. Just google “biodiesel” and you’ll be amazed by this new technology. If I already had diesel engines in my car and RV, you can bet I’d already be converted. Just wish there was a way to convert my regular engine over. :: sigh :: someday.

I just recently completed a book entitled Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science, by Charles Wheelan. It was great. If you are like me, the only economics that you know is from highschool or the cranky rants of your father. I really wanted to know more about economics without reading a dull, thick textbook. This book was awesome!

The book offers a pretty comprehesive survey of the general facets of economics, and it does it in a humorous but very informative manner. The book is for intelligent readers who don’t have much of a background in economics. It offers tremendous amounts of real world examples to illustrate its points, and the concepts really stick with you.

It talks about the importance of human capital: “Why Bill Gates is Richer than You”. It talks about how the economics of information can be very lucrative: “McDonalds Didn’t Make a Better Hamburger”. It discussed the basics of the Federal Reserve, which is something I previously knew very little about…why are interest rates important, and how do they relate to inflation and unemployment? The book answers these questions thoroughly.

I loved the book, and I would read it again. If I had children at this point, I might break this out as bed time reading since it is so engaging. An interesting note, this book contains no math; although I am a math major and appreciate math as much as the next guy, it made the book go a lot quicker.

To buy the book, find more reviews here is the link to Amazon.com

Or I also recommend checking the book out at your local library (A lower cost alternative.)

While this is basically a big ad for their Hidden Gems service, it does have a pretty good message: If you want to become a millionaire, SAVE, SAVE, SAVE. But a worthwhile read nonetheless.

Be the Millionaire Next Door

No matter what the size of your initial investment, if you put it to work in the common stock of high-quality but low-profile small companies, add to your investments regularly, and stick with the best of them through thick and thin, like so many investment masters throughout time, you too can be a millionaire.

Read the entire article: Fool.com: Be the Millionaire Next Door [Commentary] December 1, 2004

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