South Africans looking to sidestep the country’s ever-increasing diesel prices can look into producing their own bio-diesel which is tax-free, relatively simple to do, and much more affordable – if you know where to ask.
Bio-diesel can be made with biomass oils, the most common source of this being used plant oils such as sunflower oil which is thrown out by restaurants rather frequently.
If you manage to get the oil for a low price, or even free, bio-diesel has the potential to only cost R4.85/litre, 76% lower than the current price of R19.82/litre for diesel 50ppm at inland rates
Not only is it more affordable, but bio-diesel also emits fewer harmful emissions than petroleum-based diesel while only losing a near-negligible 3-5% on performance and efficiency, resulting in significant savings over the longer term.
It must be noted that producing bio-diesel in South Africa requires registration with Sars regardless of whether it’s for personal or commercial use.
However, non-commercial manufacturers are not required to pay excise duties or the general and road accident fund levies, and commercial producers get a 50% rebate on the basic fuel levy, research from MyBroadband shows.
How it’s made
Bio-diesel is made with a process called transesterification and does not need an advanced chemistry degree to do, only the right tools, ingredients, and protective equipment.
Transesterification involves mixing the oil with methanol and a catalyst – common sources being caustic potash (potassium hydroxide) or caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) – then heating the broth, cooling it, and filtering it.
According to the US Department of Energy, approximately 50 litres/100 pounds of oil is reacted with six litres/10 pounds of methanol in the presence of a catalyst to produce around 52 litres of bio-diesel and four litres of glycerine byproduct.
Assuming you already have the manufacturing equipment in place, 50 litres of sunflower oil can be obtained at next to no cost, 10 litres of methanol can be purchased from local shops like Chemistore for R360, and 500g of caustic soda is available from Builders for R60.
Using six litres of methanol and 300g of caustic soda (6g/litre of oil), a 52-litre batch of bio-diesel will cost a minimum of R252, around R4.85 per litre.
For the same volume of petroleum-based petrol, it would cost a much more substantial R1,031 – R779 or 409% more.
Source: Prakati.in
If you must still get the necessary equipment to produce bio-diesel, the costs will vary depending on whether you buy a plug-and-play system or make your own at home.
For the Ceres 1 processor from Cape Town-based Green Diesel, which produces approximately 55 litres of bio-diesel in three days, the cost comes in at R44,275.
By saving R779 for every 52 litres of bio-diesel produced, it will take roughly 57 cycles to recoup the full asking price of the Ceres 1 system.
It’s worth mentioning, however, that bio-diesel will only be cheaper than petroleum-based diesel if the plant oils can be sourced at a low cost. 50 litres of unused sunflower oil is priced upwards of R1,875, not counting the rest of the ingredients, which will make manufacturing the green fuel a pricey affair when using new oil.
Therefore, producing bio-diesel will only be realistic if one can get their hands on a steady flow of used plant oils.
Benefits of bio-diesel
The benefits of bio-diesel are numerous and not only limited to reduced spending on fuel.
According to Green Diesel, bio-diesel offers the following advantages:
- Renewable
- Safer to store and handle
- Extends engine life by up to 200%
- Produces 75% less exhaust smoke emissions
- Produces 80% less carbon dioxide emissions
- Provides much better engine lubrication than regular diesel
- No modifications are necessary to use bio-diesel on any diesel engine
- Non-flammable, non-hazardous, non-toxic & environmentally friendly
- Mixes well with regular diesel, so drivers can switch between fuels as they wish
Before getting into bio-diesel manufacturing, though, it’s recommended to do thorough research and understand the processes and dangers involved, as some methods used and the vapours released can be harmful to humans.
Keyword: This tax-free DIY fuel is 76% cheaper than diesel in South Africa