Here at Ecopreneurist, we believe in the power of sharing and building upon our resources and knowledge, so that everybody has a chance to accelerate the expansion of the launching of green businesses, and the effective, useful greening of what’s already here.

So it was a pleasure to learn about startingupgreen.com. Spearheaded by Glenn Croston, scientist, entrepreneur, and frequent contributor to Fast Company magazine, he’s created a site where would be ecopreneurists can learn from those currently succeeding at it, like Lyndon Rive, CEO of Solar City, the company taking residential solar much closer to the masses.

Recently launched is a forum component, where there’s sections on going green in a down economy, low cost startups, and opportunities in the energy sector. Their opportunities section offers many interesting possibilities you may not have even considered before.

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Prices for regular diesel have been historically high nationwide, and all over the U.S. people are turning to backyard biodiesel as a way to make cheap fuel — a fairly straightforward process that can be accomplished for less than $1/gal.

One of the most copious sources of inedible oil to make biodiesel is the nasty, used fryer grease leftover from commercial kitchens — and what cheaper way to obtain it than stealing?

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But one area that a lot of families and households are stepping up in is the collection of rainwater.

It isn’t like this is a new activity either. Our ancestors would have spent a lot of effort to collect rainwater, to save themselves the need to trek down to the river or well. But now, it’s happening because across the planet, drought conditions are making life more and more difficult.

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It’s early in the pre-dawn dark hours of the morning. A group of Northern California pseudohippies just finished a game of Zonk — or rather, the game just stopped because somebody quoted a line from Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle and everybody forgot what they were doing.

Yet, by a stroke of luck, the conversation about Harold and Kumar reminds the group of their real reason for staying up so late. They pack into a truck and head down to the local fast food joint looking to load up — but it’s not the food they’re loading up on, it’s the nasty, half-rotted, leftover fryer grease.

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Although it could be one of the ugliest car hacks I’ve ever seen, Mike Turner of Hodges, SC, modified his 1992 Honda Civic to get 70 MPG.

As you can see in the picture and video clip, the modifications are relatively simple use of aluminum siding and plastic, which decrease wind resistance (vaguely reminding me of Aptera’s Typ1 electric car) and lowering the vehicle’s drag coefficient. It’s a much more extreme version of the modification seen on Ernie Rogers’ 76 MPG VW Beetle.

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Most of us are at least vaguely familiar with biodiesel, but how much do we really know?

While biodiesel is easily the most popular alternative fuel available, it’s commonly misunderstood or misrepresented by inaccurate information. Since the most frequent question I get is, “So what exactly is biodiesel, anyway?“, I decided to write a tome covering all the basics—a one stop shop for all your biodiesel- related questions.

It’s been exactly one year since I published the first Biodiesel Mythbuster on GreenOptions.com, and its popularity made a sequel inevitable. By way of a short introduction, here’s what I wrote last year:

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Besides getting back into the swing of things after some down-time in February, we were lucky to add Benjamin F.T. Jones to our writing team. Ben’s covered some of the most popular stories here this month, including the Subaru’s STI diesel, the all-electric Lightning GT, and a Japanese man’s attempt to sail across the Pacific in a wave-powered boat. See all of Ben’s posts here.

If you don’t want to miss the news next month, you can subscribe to Gas 2.0’s RSS feed here.

To recap, these are some of the top stories from March 2008:

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]]> http://gas2.org/2008/03/31/gas-20-monthly-recap-march-2008/feed/ http://gas2.org/2008/03/26/top-15-unexpected-uses-for-biodiesel/ http://gas2.org/2008/03/26/top-15-unexpected-uses-for-biodiesel/#comments Wed, 26 Mar 2008 23:57:54 +0000 Clayton B. Cornell http://gas2.org/2008/03/26/top-15-unexpected-uses-for-biodiesel/

While virtually everyone is familiar with the use of biodiesel as a substitute for diesel fuel, there are a few novel uses that may not have crossed your radar. Biodiesel can produce hydrogen, clean up oil spills, degrease your tools, heat your home, and more.

Here’s My Top 15 Unexpected Uses for Biodiesel:

1. Producing Hydrogen for Fuel-Cell Vehicles

This was the big story of the month: Researchers at InnovaTek have developed hand-sized microreactors that can turn biodiesel (or any other liquid fuel) into a hydrogen stream for use in an adjoining fuel-cell. Chevron has already invested $500,000 to develop hydrogen refueling stations for fuel-cell powered cars. InnovaTek hopes to eventually install the microreactors in vehicles, which would allow cars to fill up on biodiesel but be powered by a much more efficient and even cleaner-burning electric drivetrain. See the full story here.

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]]> http://gas2.org/2008/03/26/top-15-unexpected-uses-for-biodiesel/feed/ http://gas2.org/2008/03/25/need-a-new-car-nope-just-a-new-engine/ http://gas2.org/2008/03/25/need-a-new-car-nope-just-a-new-engine/#comments Tue, 25 Mar 2008 02:34:01 +0000 Benjamin Jones http://gas2.org/2008/03/25/need-a-new-car-nope-just-a-new-engine/

Engine Repower is a new service that gives car owners the option of replacing their old, worn out engine with a rebuilt engine of the same vintage instead of simply buying a new car or repairing specific problems. When a first saw this page, I was very interested, as I am a proponent of keeping your car as long as possible to reduce wasteful manufacturing processes, even in the face of promises of lower emissions made by newer cars.

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]]> http://gas2.org/2008/03/25/need-a-new-car-nope-just-a-new-engine/feed/ http://gas2.org/2008/03/15/car-and-driver-increase-pinto-fuel-economy-with-11-of-ecomods/ http://gas2.org/2008/03/15/car-and-driver-increase-pinto-fuel-economy-with-11-of-ecomods/#comments Sat, 15 Mar 2008 01:06:59 +0000 Benjamin Jones http://gas2.org/2008/03/15/car-and-driver-increase-pinto-fuel-economy-with-11-of-ecomods/

Recently Darin at EcoModder dug up a Car and Driver article from the middle of the US gas crisis in 1974. It may be a little dated, but considering recent gas price increases these kinds of DIY hacks are becoming relevant once again.

The material prices may be a little different, the cars may be a lot different, but surprisingly little has changed in terms of fuel economy and gas prices. The Car and Driver article is interesting because not only is it old, but it’s still relevant today.

As someone who has been around ecomodding for a while, I can vouch for the efficacy of many of these modifications, and have done some of them myself. So, if you’re really interested, I encourage you to get out there and do some yourself. None of them are engine modifications, or particularly difficult, so don’t feel intimidated by them. Some of the biggest fuel economy gains can come through aerodynamics and rolling resistance modifications.

Read about the modifications after the break.

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]]> http://gas2.org/2008/03/15/car-and-driver-increase-pinto-fuel-economy-with-11-of-ecomods/feed/ http://gas2.org/2008/03/10/sick-of-gas-convert-your-car-to-run-on-electricity/ http://gas2.org/2008/03/10/sick-of-gas-convert-your-car-to-run-on-electricity/#comments Mon, 10 Mar 2008 20:57:40 +0000 Clayton B. Cornell http://gas2.org/2008/03/10/sick-of-gas-convert-your-car-to-run-on-electricity/ If you can’t buy the car you want, then build it.

Gregg Abott (aka Gadget) custom-converts cars for a living, but instead of tricking out cars to run on biodiesel or get better mileage, he’s hacking them to run on electricity. He’s the owner of Left Coast Electric, a Santa Monica based company with a simple philosophy:

“…if electric cars are going to make a difference, a lot of people have to drive them. They have to be made affordable.”

Which means these guys aren’t putting out $100K Tesla Roadsters, but are converting older models to have the same functionality:

So instead of building cars from the ground up, Gadget and his business partner, Roger Wilson, convert existing cars or shells of cars into electric vehicles by supplying or outfitting them with pre-configured kits loaded with everything an electric car needs except a new motor.

Admittedly, this isn’t for the faint of heart. Each kit costs $10,000 and requires the tenacity to dive into major auto electrical work. But if this type of conversion seems like a daunting task, Left Coast Electric will do the work for you—for $17,000 that is, including parts—which means that for the price of a Prius, your old car could be fully electric.

For $30,000, they’ll even convert your Hummer.

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While this is a good general introduction to homebrewing biodiesel, I have to repeat the disclaimer I made earlier (see 6 Ways To Find And Use Biodiesel Anywhere - Part II): before attempting this on your own it’s important to do your homework. Don’t trust it just because you’ve seen someone do it. Most of these videos don’t discuss the specifics of making biodiesel, and for that I would recommend a solid resource (also see the link just above): Biodiesel, Basics And Beyond: A Comprehensive Guide to Production And Use for the Home And Farm.

You’ll notice a lot of these videos utilize a homemade biodiesel reactor called the “appleseed” reactor. This is the simplest and cheapest way to build a biodiesel processing facility in your garage. The plans for it can be found here.

Number 1: Guy Makes Biodiesel In His Kitchen

I can’t believe his mother lets him do this in the kitchen, and where are his gloves?! (I have a particular affiliation for the video, though, since I had the same old truck.)

This story contains additional media. Click here to view the media.

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While fuel quality obtained by this method can vary considerably, it’s still possible (even likely) to get fuel that meets national standards. That being said, you may have to get your hands dirty, and this will require a bit more research than finding a local biodiesel pump.

Options 1-3 of this guide are located here.

4. Biodiesel Coops: Discount Fuel At A Price

Another option for the intrepid is to join hands with other biodiesel enthusiasts and participate in making the fuel yourself. Biodiesel co-ops pool resources, equipment, and know-how, and may be the best way to learn to make biodiesel. While you don’t necessarily have to get your hands dirty to participate in a co-op, it can be satisfying work, builds community, and lies at the heart of the biodiesel movement.

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Remember that biodiesel can be used in any diesel engine (warranty issues aside) without modification. The only conversion necessary is where you decide to fill up, and that’s what this guide is intended to supplement. One caveat: be advised that biodiesel use can be tricky in cold weather, and depending on location and season you may have to drop to a 50% or even 20% biodiesel blend (more on that later). Without further ado:

1. At Home: Find Biodiesel At Retail Gas Stations

Without your knowledge, a local retail station may already have converted one of their pumps to some blend of biodiesel. The most common blend is B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% diesel), but don’t be surprised to see “biodiesel stations” with a lowly 5% blend (B5). (Stations now commonly offer B5 to confer lubricity lost by the introduction of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel - ULSD.)

If you’re lucky, you may even find a B100 pump nearby, but there are other ways to get pure (aka neat) biodiesel (see below). You can find a list of retail biodiesel stations at both the National Biodiesel Board’s website, and NearBio.com:

• NBB’s Map of Retail Biodiesel Refueling Sites
• NearBio’s Map of Retail Biodiesel Refueling Sites

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This series of posts is intended for readers looking to start using biodiesel by finding an older diesel vehicle, ‘converting it’, and then finding a local fuel source.

Before embarking on a biodiesel adventure, it may be a good idea to determine whether biodiesel is available in your area (it probably is), and most importantly, whether or not it’s conveniently located. While some of us are willing to go to great lengths to find and use alternatives to petroleum-based fuels, this isn’t practical for everyone.

For information on how to find biodiesel, see 6 Ways To Find And Use Biodiesel Anywhere, and for more background you may want to get started with the Biodiesel Mythbuster. This post is primarily focused on buying a used diesel, but it should be helpful to anyone interested in using biodiesel.

Finding Your First Biodiesel Car (or Truck)

It’s important to understand that any diesel engine can run on any blend of biodiesel with no major conversion. In older vehicles, it’s not a bad idea to change out fuel lines (biodiesel eats rubber over time), but don’t let anyone convince you that this is difficult or expensive (more on this later). First, let’s find your first biodiesel vehicle:

Step 1: Determine Your Needs

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We've created a submission form for Weekly DIY suggestions, and we invite you to send us an overview of your project. Ryan will go through submissions on a regular basis, and pick the best of the bunch. If we choose your project, Ryan will get in touch for details and photos. We'll then feature the project under your byline: you'll be the Weekly DIY guest blogger of the week.

No project is too big or small: as long as it helps people "green the good life," we're interested. We look forward to your submissions, and, as always, thank you for participating in the Green Options community!