It took some effort, but I finally scored some waste vegetable oil to run my truck. Not that many years ago, it was fairly easy to get restaurants to let me pump their waste tanks. Those days are gone. Biofuel plants are now paying for it, so supplies are tight. It's a symptom of the overall tightening of all liquid fuel supplies.
I was able to pick up about 175 gallons of WVO for just under $1/gallon. After paying over $4 for diesel in the Keys, it's a bargain. Sure, I save a few hundred dollars, but I also have fuel security. There's just about enough for me to get home. It took a lot of phone calls, Craigslist Ads, e-mails, and Internet searches to find this waste veggie. Not only that, the guy I got it from is getting out of the business. He wants his backyard back.
I've heard stories of grease burners who have resorted to late night grease bin raids. I wasn't there yet. However . . . in an emergency . . . I have the equipment necessary to do the deed.
I've given some thought to other alternative fuels, but I don't think I'll put my efforts in that direction. If things get really bad, darn few people will be traveling by private car. With government plans to tax travel by the mile, it doesn't look good. Of course, most of us alternative fuel guys don't pay road tax because we burn untaxed homebrewed fuel. Most states don't bother with us because there's aren't a lot of us. (there are exceptions.) With the potential of electric cars and high efficiency vehicles, the government figures a mileage tax would get everybody.
They won't get me. I'll stop driving first.
-Sixbears
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Six,
ReplyDeleteGlad you could score some veggy oil to get home on!
Hope you and your wife enjoyed my home state of Florida and the warm weather. The Keys are a great place for boaters and fishemen although it is a little crouded down there now.
I was kiss'n close to buying a lot on Marathon Key 10 years ago but I didn't because they couldn't guarantee I would have city water when I planned on building so I passed on it.
Yukon, I've heard horror stories about owning land in the Keys. Unless you have loads of money to cut through the red tape, it's not worth it. We aren't heading home for a couple weeks yet, so we are still enjoying FL.
ReplyDeleteWhere I live, you can buy off road diesel, but it has a dye in it to prevent on road use. Also, if you switch to propane, you have to purchase a road tax stamp or something. My neighbor had at one time a truck converted to lpg gas. Big brother gets you coming and going, and even standing still.
ReplyDeleteTwo of Corpus Christi's "finest" revenuers had a guy on one of those bicycles with a little engine on it pulled over. It seems he hadn't payed his registration extortion (no plates). Like that little bike causes any wear on the road, puh-leez... It seems like there's a war on personal transportation.
ReplyDeleteever considered a collapsable fuel tank to store excess "fuel" for you long distant trips?
ReplyDeleteWildflower
Wildflower -Yes. We've been using the jugs the new oil comes in. Also have a 200 gallon steel tank but haven't used it on a trip. The fuel bladders should work well, as long as the veggie doesn't eat the plastic.
ReplyDelete