Small-Scale Biodiesel Production

This hands-on class will serve as an introduction to biodiesel fuel and biodiesel production for vehicular fuel and home heating use. Participants will leave with the skills and knowledge necessary to build a small scale biodiesel reactor, safely produce high quality biodiesel fuel from used restaurant fryer grease, re-use and recycle the biodiesel reaction co-product, and test the quality of the finished product. Additionally, we will explore the potential for biodiesel to alleviate greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and petroleum use in Chicago and the wider region. We hope that this course will help lead to an expansion of small-scale and community biodiesel production in Chicago.

The course will proceed as follows:

Session 1
* Discussion: Introduction to biodiesel fuel, from global-industrial to homebrewer scales: costs, benefits, and environmental implications of biodiesel.
* Lab: Biodiesel chemistry and making biodiesel from vegetable oil.

Session 2
* Discussion: Biodiesel feedstocks: a focus on waste vegetable oil.
* Lab: Making biodiesel from waste vegetable oil.

Session 3
* Lab: Fuel quality assurance and quality control tests, lab/garage safety, environmental safety, and waste management in homebrewed biodiesel.
* Lab: Scaling-up biodiesel production, reactor design for personal or co-op use, and begin building a reactor.

Session 4
* Biodiesel production & building your own reactor continued.
* Conclusions: trouble-shooting, legal, waste management, planning for the future.

Secure your seat early! There is a $15 late registration fee for this course if you register within seven days of the class start date.

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