How Farmers Get from Sunflowers in the Field to Fuel in the Tank (Video)

BioRefineries/Renewable Fuel Production, Biorefinery/Fuel Production Infrastructure, Business News/Analysis, Education, Feedstocks, Field/Orchard/Plantation Crops/Residues, Infrastructure, Marketing/Market Forces and Sales, Presentations, Small scale biorefineries, Teacher Resources, University/College Programs, Vermont

October 21, 2013

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by Rachel Carter (The Examiner) …State Line Biofuels operates a 120,000 gallon/year (300 gallon per batch capacity) biodiesel production facility, providing biofuel and livestock meal for on-farm use. The production capacity of State Line Biofuels can additionally serve oilseed pressing and biodiesel production needs of 10-15 farms within a 30 mile radius, encompassing 1,500-2,000 acres of oilseed crops. State Line Biofuels is also an educational demonstration center for developing and teaching best practices for small-scale oilseed crop and biodiesel production across Vermont and the Northeast.
Biodiesel fuel can be used to power most any diesel engine equipment and on varying levels of scale. “We used to have a really small batch processor making about 100 liters to a batch. Then we moved to the biobarn and built a reactor that makes about 400 gallons to a batch—a batch of fuel is the amount of oil that is reacting to alcohol and lye,” John explains.
The harvested seeds are dried and stored in a grain bin and then moved through an oilseed press to yield two products: meal and oil. Using the relatively simple batch reactor conversion process (oil, alcohol and lye), the oil from these crops becomes a low cost renewable fuel after being refined into biodiesel.
The meal could be considered the by-product, yet finds great value as a potential feed for livestock like dairy cows, goats, hogs, chickens, and sheep.
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“If you had to start from scratch, it is cost prohibitive. But if a farmer is already set up to grow grains, you’re most of the way there. If you can plant, harvest, and store grain, it’s really just the oil mill and biodiesel mixing equipment that’s needed,” says John. “There are many ways to look at costs, but the bottom line is it’s cheaper than buying fuel and money doesn’t leave the farm.
John has tracked the cost from tilling the ground to harvesting oilseeds and processing and at his calculations; the $2-2.5 per gallon to make biodiesel is cheaper than buying petroleum. Operation costs are further reduced with the oilseed meal produced replacing the need to purchase grain. Additionally, John sells the surplus feed and oil, as well as the biodiesel. READ MORE includes VIDEO

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