News for Spring 2009

Greetings from the WVU Biodiesel Project. If this is the first time you have visited our blog, welcome!

This semester has been very busy for the Project. We have seen vast enthusiasm from some new members (one even runs his truck on B100!) who are helping push the Project forward; we also have talked with a Managing Director of an alternative fuels company from Japan about a new process for producing biodiesel, reportedly completing the reaction without any bi-products; finally, we also held a lab where we invited WVU's Media Services and Photography Services in to document the show.

Dr. Brian Anderson, the Project's faculty advisor, filters off some glycerin while Scott Lituchy, from WVU's Media Services, captures the action.

Media services shot and produced a video of the "Make Biodiesel Lab" which you can CLICK HERE to see. A big thanks goes out to Scott Lituchy for videoing the event and editing the footage.

Overall, the lab was a great success. To see a photo tour of the lab, you can visit our photos HERE, and also see Dan Friend of WVU's Photography Services's spectacular photos HERE.

A big thanks goes out to Dan Friend, Scott Lituchy, Sarah Gould, and Dr. Anderson for their wonderful additions to the lab.

Would you like us to hold another lab here at WVU? If so, please post "YES" in the comments of this post.

Until next time,

-Adam Johnson
WVU Biodiesel Project Publicist
http://wvubiodieselproject.blogspot.com

ps- Our .wvu.edu website will soon be up. Stay tuned for the launch.

Spring 2009 Goals

We finally have what appears to be sufficient funds to begin building a processor! So, this semester will be very busy. That means that it was a good idea to make "specific" goals for the coming months:

• Meet SEI Grant by end of January
• Submit SGA grant by early February
• Create an advising committee to help oversee construction: Partially assembled by or before construction is underway and after we meet with grant committee.

• Controls Engineer---EE dept., Dr. Zondlo, or Amanda may be capable of doing this quite well (she is a computer guru).
• Secure area for operation: By end of January (we have an area to build a skid; however, we need a permanent spot).
• Clement Solomon-follow-up to meet with West Virginia University's sustainability coordinator by February 15th.
• Equipment ordered: End of February
• Construction: Through March
• Basic process built and operable: MAY '09
• Testing procedures for sampling: May '09
• SOPs (standard operating procedures) in place by summer of 09'
• Controls for system by fall of 09'

Woah! How is that for progress?

-Patty Sefton

November: An Exciting Time...

The past two months have encompassed some of this organization's most prolific achievements. Among them:

• A likely space to build our processor has been located at the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC) in Morgantown.
• The Project recently placed third out of 90 entries in the WV Student Business Plan Competition. We will compete in the second round of the competition in Charleston, WV, on Nov. 12 for $1,000, a personal business adviser, and a chance to compete in the final round for $10,000.
  
• The Project is establishing a corporate identity by printing business cards, stickers, calendars, posters, among others, in order to advance ourselves as a professional entity at WVU and in the business world.
• Visit our New Google Group to find Meeting Minutes, current discussions, and up-to-date info on what we are doing. We are continuing to update the group with the latest information on our progress.
• The Project met with Clement Solomon, WVU Sustainability Director, to discuss the university's support for the implementation of biodiesel across campus with the Project's help.

As has been the case in the past, the Project has run into obstacles involving a space for our processor, funding, and organizational development. Currently, we have made significant progress in overcoming these obstacles and envision a bright, sustainable, clean future for Morgantown and our organization. A quote passed on by Lucas Ellis, the Project's founder, sums up the organization's dedication to our cause:

 "Never under estimate the ability of a small group of committed individuals to change the world.  Indeed, they are the only ones who ever have." - Margaret Mead

 -WVU Biodiesel Project
  wvubiodieselproject[at]gmail[dot]com

WVU Biodiesel Project Makes Several Newspaper appearances...

The WVU Biodiesel Project has recently appeared on the front page of West Virginia University's school newspaper, the Daily Athenaeum. The WVU Biodiesel Project would like to thank the DA's photo editor, Kendal Montgomery, for aiding the project in our quest for publicity.

The WVU Biodiesel Project was also featured recently in an article by the Dominion Post highlighting the Project's recent third place status in the West Virginia Student Business Plan Competition, a statewide competition aimed to promote economic development in the Mountain State. More on this competition is to follow in a subsequent post.

-Adam Johnson

WVU Biodiesel Project Publicist

http://wvubiodieselproject.blogspot.com/

wvubiodieselproject[at]gmail[dot]com

Back in Session with Enthusiasm!

Meetings:

The WVU Biodiesel Project is currently having meetings every Wednesday @ 5pm in the Engineering Science Building (ESB), Room 425 (also known as the Wen Library).

Current Happenings:

• Calendars have been printed and will be distributed to WVU officials by early October.
• The Project is currently redesigning our skid (layout) for our processor due to hardware additions from Mattew Shaffer.
• The official WVU Biodiesel Project Website should be up and running by October 22nd, if not earlier. More info later.
• Coordinating with Clement Solomon, WVU's sustainability coordinator, to propose our project to higher-up WVU officials and get a space and processor.
• Visit our New Google Group to find Meeting Minutes, current discussions, and up-to-date info on what we are doing.
• The Project will enter our business plan to the WVU Business Plan competition to try for $10,000
• More to come. Stay tuned right here for more...

-Adam Johnson
WVU Biodiesel Project Publicist

Summer!

Welcome to the WVU Biodiesel Project's blog. We are currently out for the summer; however, we will reconvene at the start of the 2008-2009 academic year.

One of the most common questions that people have asked this summer to members is:

Where does the Project stand?

Answer:

At the end of the Spring 2008 semester, we presented a proposal letter to former President Mike Garrison and Dean Cilento (Engineering) that voiced our need for a space to house our production facility. With our design plans still in review, the Project's biggest challenge at this point in time is finding a space to house the production facility that will produce 120 gallons of biodiesel per week from the Waste Vegetable Oil collected at the dining halls across WVU's campus.



In summary, the WVU Biodiesel Project awaits the new academic year with great anticipation and enthusiasm for the future.



Until then, have a wonderful rest of the summer!



-Adam Johnson

WVU Biodiesel Project Publicist



PS- The photo above is the official 2009 WVU Biodiesel Project spiral bound calendar that we had printed with the help from the SGA and Mimi Moore, a supporter of alternative energy sources. Interested in one? Contact wvubiodieselproject [at] gmail [dot] com for more info.

Vote for Biodiesel!

Please vote in our poll on the right hand side of the page. We want to know how the student population feels about biodiesel implementation at WVU.

OUR MISSION:
The WVU Biodiesel project is committed to the education and implementation of biodiesel here at West Virginia University. We plan to use the Wast Vegetable Oil (WVO) produced at campus dining facilities and safely turn it into biodiesel to put into WVU’s diesel running busses and motor vehicles. In addition, the Project plans to educate the student population about biodiesel.

BIODIESEL INFO:
Biodiesel is an alternative fuel that can be used in any diesel engine, resulting in improved emission characteristics, overall reduction in green-house gas emissions, and reduced dependence on petroleum based diesel.

Note: If the poll is closed, feel free to add your vote in the "Comments" section of this post.

-Adam Johnson
WVU Biodiesel Project Publicist
wvubiodieselproject@gmail.com

Veggie Van

Hello, everyone!

On Wednesday, April 2, the International Wilderness Leadership School will be visiting via bus running on pure vegetable oil! Stop and visit at the mountainlair between 10AM and 4PM.

Biodiesel: The What, How, and Why

A Jar of Biodiesel

WHAT?

Biodiesel is an alternative fuel that can replace or be mixed with diesel in any proportion and can be used in any diesel engine with little or no modifications. Biodiesel can be made from any fat or oil such as olive oil, canola oil, or beef tallow.

HOW?

In America biodiesel is made primarily from soybean oil. Biodiesel is reacted by mixing the oil with a catalyst and adding heat. The catalyst most commonly used is methoxide. This catalyst is made by mixing lye (a chemical found in drain cleaner or soap) and methanol (a chemical commonly used as an engine cleaner).

WHY?

Biodiesel has better emission characteristics, less toxicity and produces the same amount of power as regular diesel. Biodiesel produces about the same amount of carbon dioxide as diesel yet most of the carbon dioxide produced was adsorbed from the atmosphere by the plant from which the vegetable oil came from, therefore there is a less of a net accumulation of carbon in the atmosphere.

Overall, Biodiesel is a well rounded alternative fuel source with a viable future--especially at West Virginia University!

Questions or comments may be sent to wvubiodieselproject@gmail.com . Or, if you or anyone you know would like to get involved, we have meetings on Wednesday @ 5pm in the Engineering Sciences Building, Room 425 on the Evansdale campus. Everyone is welcome!

Until next time...

Meetings: The Down-low

I know what you are saying, "I know yall exist, but where do you come together and how can I get involved?" Alex Stanton presents on biodiesel.

This post is here to answer that question. We meet WEEKLY in the Engineering Science Building on the fourth floor in room 425.


Where is the Engineering Science Building?
This is the Engineering Science Building on the Evansdale campus at WVU

Enter this building and proceed up to the fourth floor. Then, look for room 425, which is also known as the Wen Library.

Alex Stanton, our organizations Technical Media Manager, prepares for the meeting.

But when do you all meet?

We meet every Wednesday during the Spring and Fall semesters at 5pm.

Patty Sefton, Project Manager, and Avram Siegel, Chair of the Project, are captivated by Alex's biodiesel presentation.

Welcome to the WVU Biodiesel Project's Official Blog!

Here you will find updates, photos, and news from the WVU Biodiesel Project as time unfolds. Check back often for updates.

A small jar of biodiesel produced by the WVU Biodiesel Project

Sincerely,

WVU Biodiesel Project