| Everything old is new again; or so the saying goes. If | | | | Using what must have been a crystal ball tuned into |
| you've got tweens or teens running around the house, | | | | 21st Century economic and politics, world, Herr Diesel |
| then their lava lamps and tie-die shirts are probably | | | | went on to say: |
| proving this saying true. | | | | "The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem |
| And so it goes for biodiesel fuel. Touted for its "green | | | | insignificant today. But such oils may become in course |
| appeal", and soaring onto the front pages of the | | | | of time as important as petroleum and the coal tar |
| world's newspapers based upon promises of a | | | | products of the present time." |
| cheaper fuel that will also help break America's | | | | How right he was. All of a sudden the semi truck |
| dependence on foreign oil, the concept of burning | | | | industry is taking one gigantic leap back to 1897 in an |
| biodiesel for semi trucks is as new as, well, 1897. That | | | | effort to finally match fuel reality with the visions of |
| was the year that Rudolf Diesel (1858-1913) perfected | | | | Rudolf Diesel and his peanut oil engine. Today there |
| the Diesel engine that we all know and love so well. | | | | are multiple biofuel options that are all vying for |
| Most of the nation's semi trucks are fueled by Diesel | | | | acceptance by the semi truck industry. |
| fuel. And while that petroleum-based product may | | | | Poultry fats and soybean oils, sent through a chemical |
| bear Diesel's name, it definitely wasn't the fuel of | | | | process called transesterification, come out the other |
| choice for him. In fact, Rudolph Diesel had some very | | | | side as biodiesel. |
| futuristic ideas for his engine and the fuel that would | | | | Ethanol, a very clean fuel, is being successfully distilled |
| drive it. | | | | from corn and wood products. Other raw materials |
| Rudolf Diesel had peanut oil in mind as the fuel that | | | | are being tested as well. |
| would make his engines roar and ultimately launch the | | | | The Diesel engine is so fuel-forgiving, that it can power |
| semi truck into its rightful place in history. And he | | | | semi trucks using any number of alternative r fuels |
| understood the economic impact of biofuel even way | | | | including hydrogen, natural gas, propane or even |
| back then, as evidenced by his own words: | | | | gasses extracted from landfills. |
| "The diesel engine can be fed with vegetable oils and | | | | As the price of fuel continues to soar, how long will it |
| would help considerably in the development of | | | | be until your semi truck's exhaust fumes start smelling |
| agriculture of the countries which use it." | | | | like Mom's fried chicken dinners? |