Brewing your own biodiesel

It was the afternoon after the election-- Wednesday, May 10, 2006. As the hectic day drew to a close, I was pondering what to write about for my next column. Then it hit me, like a smack to the side of the head. "Just tell about the idea which was bouncing around in your office today. Tell about the tiny microdiesel reactor."

Okay, that's decided. Let's get on with it. Let's talk about that tiny microreactor.

It's an idea I know about thanks to Densel O'Dea of McCook, a retired county agent who still keeps his eyes and ears open to agricultural advances.

The latest breakthrough comes from Oregon State University in Corvallis, where chemical engineering research-ers have de-veloped a tiny chemical reactor for manufacturing biodiesel. The microreactor is so efficient, fast and portable that it could enable farmers to produce a cleaner-burning diesel substitute. They could do this by using seed crops grown on their own land.

Too good to be true? Maybe, maybe not. Just listen to the words of Goran Jovanovic, the Oregon State professor who developed the biodiesel reactor. "This could be as important an invention as the mouse for for your PC. If we're successful with this, nobody will ever make biodiesel any other way."

The invention is explained in an article by Gregg Kleiner in OSU News: "The microreactor ... consists of a series of parallel channels, each smaller than a human hair, through which vegetable oil and alcohol are pumped simultaneously. At such a small scale the chemical reaction that converts the oil into biodiesel is almost instant."

Then, with a dramatic declaration, the microreactor developer, Jovanovic, sums up the invention's potential: "By stacking many of these microreactors in parallel, a device the size of a small suitcase could produce enough biodiesel to power several farms, or produce thousands of gallons per year."

What's next? Probably the hardest part. The inventor needs to find a company to commercialize the technology.

In other words, the university researcher needs someone to produce and market the tiny reactors which reduce fuel costs -- and in the process -- could save family farmers from the economic threat posed by higher energy prices.

Those wishing to learn more are encouraged to call up the following Web site: http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch....

There's an old saying that, "Necessity is the mother of invention."

In this case, I hope it's true. We certainly could use the help in the Golden Plains of America.