| Registration and class fees | Equipment and Advanced classes | Biodiesel Homebrew Guide book | Processors For Sale | Contact |
Biodiesel fuel can be made in your backyard or garage for under $1/a gallon with common ingredients, using very inexpensive equipment. Relatively little chemistry knowledge is needed to produce quality fuel that will run in any diesel engine, and thousands of people around the country have discovered homebrewing fuel to be an addictive hobby. Come learn what it takes to produce your own clean-burning biodiesel fuel, and to build the equipment to do so.
These classes are hands-on and fast-paced - you'll be making test batches of fuel, titrating and testing oil, and assessing quality of the finished product throughout the two day class.
There are classes offered from beginner to advanced levels: click here for other class descriptions
This is a fast-paced class designed to quickly teach the skills needed for safely
making high quality biodiesel, using a unique and truly hands-on format. After
learning basic theory, practicing titration, making mini-batches, and learning
quality testing, students will spend a full day solidifying what they learned
by making biodiesel in realistic "Processor Stations', going through every
step used in a full-size home biodiesel production system. Student teams will
operate realistic, tabletop 5-gallon processor systems- a miniature version
of the common Appleseed Processor/wash tank/dry tank found around the world-
and the tabletop reactor will familiarize them with every valve, tank, pump,
switch, and interconnect that would be found in a full-size system. The goal
of the class format is to take the hands-on learning experience a big step beyond
the '1-liter mini-batch' equipment used in most biodiesel classes. There will
also be a full-size reactor system on a trailer at the class, including GL-1
and pot still-type methanol recovery systems.
In most biodiesel workshops (including my own Biodiesel Essentials), "hands-on time" usually means a few hours of lab work involving titration and shaking 1-liter soda bottle batches, or, at best, a demonstration by the instructor of some pre-arranged steps in a full-size reactor, performed once, with the students just watching. Neither of these is an ideal learning method for the complexity involved in using a 'real' biodiesel reactor on your own for the first time at home. People who are hands-on learners sometimes need more time on "realistic" equipment operation in addition to the 1-liter shaken soda bottle batch method.
Operating your own processors in class would be more realistic than 1-liter glassware batches- but is very difficult to arrange as a class for 20 people. Operating a full system can also make it easier to understand equipment choices that face you as you design your own home system after the class, or help decide on one to purchase.
Because this is a fast-paced class, it is highly recommended that you purchase an inexpensive test batch kit/scale from www.utahbiodieselsupply.com and try to make and wash a test batch at home before the class, using storebought, new oil not requiring titration. This is not mandatory but the preparation will enhance your class experience.
To make the class run smoothly, please read the www.biodieselcommunity.org website before the class, so that you have some idea of the basic process. Copies of Biodiesel Homebrew Guide will also be available for sale fpr $15 at the class: www.localb100.com/book.html , and there will be a short handout with some basic formulas for later reference.
Please purchase your parts kit from the instructor ($400) or from www.utahbiodieselsupply.com .
Because we are trying to fit a lot into the weekend, we don't have time to assemble your own 'store-bought' parts, and can only work from the kit. The kit sold by the instructor is similar to that formerly sold by www.b100supply.com and if b100supply.com gets them in stock again, please feel free to purchase theirs. If you are building your reactor, you will also need to bring a new or used electric water heater of any size.
To buy reactor parts for the Essentials/Crash Course classes only (no reactors are built in the Advanced Topics class):
-contact me at classregistration@girlmark.com
-paypal link for parts kit orders ($400) is below. Deadline is 2 weeks before class date. I will pick up parts for you and bring them to the class. If you manage to get a b100supply.com kit there may be a discount for registered students- email them for info. You can also purchase a kit from Utah Biodiesel Supply- they do have theirs in stock and may have other items you may want to purchase anyway.
-To purchase parts for a reactor kit from me, send me a check to Maria Alovert, 945 Bill Thomas Rd, Moncure, NC 27559 or use this paypal button here:
-you also need to bring an electric water heater, new or used, to the class. If you have the space and money I recommend an 80 gallon. If it is used, please remove all plumbing fittings and plastic drain pipe and clean out the lime scale with water first. Here is a b100supply.com article about testing used water heaters.
-we will not build wash tanks to take home (we do this in another class) but we will discuss how it's done in the Crash Course.
The advanced class is designed for those who already make biodiesel (full-scale or test batches) or have attended hands-on workshops by teachers such as Jennifer Radtke, John Bush, Steve Fugate, BioLyle Rudensey, Carl Shortt, Piedmont Biofuels, Matt Steiman, Frankie Lind, Kalib Kersch, or others who teach from the http://biodieselcommunity.org techniques (check with me if a class is your only hands-on experience).
I encourage experienced biodiesel producers to bring a presentation or photos of their system and discuss their experiences.
This class is geared to both homebrewers and fleet/farm/small commercial producers.
The class covers a wide range of topics, but does a heavy hands-on focus on making biodiesel with several major techniques that are useful in your "skillset":
working with high-free-fatty-acid oil
working with high-water feedstocks
acidulating glycerine and wash water for easier disposal and cost savings
testing biodiesel, glycerine, and wash water for soap
producing biodiesel from oils recovered from glycerine
acid-catalyzed esterification options
methanol recovery from biodiesel (GL-1 process) and glycerine.
using glycerine as a solvent in various stages of the process
There will be an extensive hands-on section of the class devoted to techniques for making biodiesel using ethanol instead of methanol, and we will discuss small-scale fuel ethanol production.
We will also discuss water-free soap removal such as the use of the GL-1 process and ion exchange resins.
About the instructor:
Maria 'girl Mark' Alovert is a biodiesel production technology consultant based
in North Carolina. She is the author of The Biodiesel Homebrew Guide, a manual
on biodiesel production (http://localb100.com),
the founder of the community-written biodiesel homebrewing tutorial site http://biodieselcommunity.org
and is the inventor of the Appleseed Processor, an 'open source' design now
used by thousands of people around the world to produce biodiesel on a 'homebrew'
scale. She has been involved in home-scale biodiesel technology development
since 2000. She frequently teaches beginning and advanced biodiesel production
classes around the country and is a an active participant in biodiesel production
discussion forums such as http://biodiesel.infopop.cc
Here's what some students have said about recent classes:
Pittsboro, NC , Atlanta, GA in January, Houston, TX , Pigeon, MI and also here,
Graydon Blair's review of Salt Lake City workshop and also here
photos from Lee NH class here
review of one of my California classes here
reviews from past classes (summer-fall 2004) are linked here
| January 17-18 | Marietta, OH |
Biodiesel Production Crash Course 9-5 each day |
$140 |
Hosted by Mike Palmer of the Washington State Community College diesel technology department |
| to be announced | Oxford MS area |
Biodiesel Production Crash Course 10-5 each day |
email me if you're interested in attending this class, we won't schedule it until we have a certain number of interested students. Fayetteville TN is nearby for many Mississippi residents. email: classregistration@girlmark.com |
Hosted by Brad Crafton |
| Feb 28-Mar 1 | Fayetteville TN |
Biodiesel Production Crash Course 9-5 each day |
Early registration specials:
$108 before Jan 28 $140 regular registration after Jan 29
|
Hosted by Jim D of Fryerpower.com |
| March 12-13 | Mifflinburg, Pa | Biodiesel Production Crash Course |
$108 beforeFeb 1 $140 after Feb 1
|
Hosted/co-taught by Preston Boop of Briar Patch Organic Farms |
| March 14-15 | Mifflinburg, Pa |
Advanced Topics Biodiesel Hands-On Workshop- Farm-scale production, ethanol-based biodiesel, high-FFA oil, methanol recovery, processing glycerine, and acid-catalyzed esterification requires prior experience or Crash Course/Biodiesel Essentials class or similar workshop |
$108 before Feb 1 $140 after Feb 1 |
Hosted/co-taught by Preston Boop of Briar Patch Organic Farms |
| March 26-27 | Edmund, OK |
Biodiesel Production Crash Course |
$108 before March 1
$140 after March 1
|
Hosted/co-taught by Carl Shortt of Okiebiofuel.com |
| March 28-29 | Edmund, OK |
Advanced Topics Biodiesel Hands-On Workshop- Farm-scale production, ethanol-based biodiesel, high-FFA oil, methanol recovery, processing glycerine, and acid-catalyzed esterification requires prior experience or Crash Course/Biodiesel Essentials class or similar workshop |
$108 before March 1 $140 after March 1
|
Hosted/co-taught by Carl Shortt of Okiebiofuel.com |
| April 4-5 | Bartlett (Intervale), NH | Biodiesel Production Crash Course |
$95 before Jan 30 $108 between Feb 1 and Feb 28 $140 after March 1 |
Hosted by Steve Gallas of The Beast ski lodge (nice accommodations available on site!) |
| June 6-7 | Palmer, Alaska | Biodiesel Production Crash Course |
$95 before Feb 15 $108 between Feb 2-April 1 $140 after April 2 |
Hosted by Will Taygan |
| June 11-12 | Palmer, Alaska | Biodiesel Production Crash Course |
$95 before Feb 15 $108 between Feb 2-April 1 $140 after April 2 |
Hosted by Will Taygan |
| June 13-14 | Palmer, Alaska |
Advanced Topics Biodiesel Hands-On Workshop- Farm-scale production, ethanol-based biodiesel, high-FFA oil, methanol recovery, processing glycerine, and acid-catalyzed esterification requires prior experience or Crash Course/Biodiesel Essentials class or similar workshop |
$95 before March 15 $108 between Feb 2-April 1 $140 after April 2 |
Hosted by Will Taygan |