Bio-Diesel Community Task Force

            The goal of this task force was to research and find a way for Bluffton University to become more self sustaining.  The main focus of this research was to look at the vehicles the university owned, and how effective it would be for the university to create a bio-diesel program.  In order to create a productive bio-diesel program first Bluffton University would have to change their current vehicles from gasoline operated engines to more efficient diesel engines.  Then the university would have to purchase a bio-diesel reactor for around $2,000.  This would allow the university to create their own bio-diesel from used grease, soybean oil, and corn oil.

            After conducting the research for this project it was clear that Bluffton University would not be able to become a self sustaining campus.  The first reason for this is the production of the bio-diesel.  The campus would have to use 25,000 gallons of grease in order to create 1500 gallons of bio-diesel, and it is estimated that the vehicles used by buildings and grounds uses between 6,500 and 8,500 gallons of fuel a year.  The second reason that switching over to bio-diesel would not work is the current diesel engines.  A current diesel engine can only run on B20, which is a blend of 20% bio-diesel and 80% diesel.  So in order for the campus to become completely self sustaining, the changes would have to be made to diesel engines in order to run a higher percent of bio-diesel.

            Even though we do not believe that Bluffton University can become completely self sustaining, there are alternatives that the campus can make that would help the environment and community.  The first would be to switch all campus vehicles over to diesel engines.  It has been proven that diesel engines are more efficient and environmentally friendly.  Diesel engines are between 20-40% more efficient than normal gasoline engines and newer diesel engines burn much cleaner than gasoline engines do.  So by switching to diesel engines the university would be saving money on fuel costs, and at the same time it would be helping the environment.

            We still believe that the university should try to implement a bio-diesel program on campus.  Even with mixing the bio-diesel with normal diesel, the environmental benefits are still there.  Bio-diesel burns up to 90% cleaner than other diesels, and this is a renewable resource for the campus.

            With bio-diesel burning cleaner and emitting less greenhouse gasses, using bio-diesel has global implications also.  It biodegrades four times faster than normal diesel and will dramatically help air cleanliness.  It will also help reduce global warming, because greenhouse gasses, which are emitted by cars, are responsible for 78% of global warming.

Group 1 Vehicle Comparison
Group 2 Fuel Efficiency and Refining Costs
Group 3 Making Bio-diesel
Group 4 Marbeck Grease
Group 5 Global Implications