With rising fuel costs, people often tend to settle for something cheaper than the usual oil based products. Some people hoard fuel and store them in batches, anticipating yet another increase in fuel costs. One time, there was a news in Philippine Daily Inquirer about a person who bought gallons after gallons of diesel fuel after knowing that the following day will have an increase of diesel prices by three pesos per liter. Alternative fuels, as they are named, are not really for replacements of the fuels we are used to. Ethanol, and Transesterified veggy oil are some of the alternative fuels that correspond to gasoline and diesel respectively. In the Philippines, the much researched about is the Jathropa plant, which according to them is potential as a source of veggy oil. They claimed that it wont interfere with food supply for they can be grown almost anywhere, even wastelands. They can be left planted with little care and fertilizer use. However, Jathropa suffers in its potential yield, and lags behind coconut’s higher oil content. Also, the ester that is produced from Jathropa is shorter chained than that of coconut oil. Coconut oil’s chain length is nearer to that of diesel. Also, eventually, pests will start to infest these plants, further reducing the yield (since they are not really to be fertilized much;adding some would render production as too costly). I just dont know why the government insists on having the Jathropa as the potential biodiesel source. Coconut oil is way better, ever those used vegetable oils. I have recently acquired a knowledge in coal making and I find it more feasible, in cooking. Maybe, if steam engine will be reinvented, then coal from plant biomass is a good alternative fuel.. I’ll write about plant biomass soon…That’s all for now…
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