Physical Plant Services has begun accepting donations of used cooking oil and grease from the university faculty and staff to provide raw materials for the production of biodiesel, which is used to fuel their off road vehicles and equipment that use diesel engines.

Martin “Chip” Perilloux, one of the Physical Plant’s supervisors, oversees the project and believes that since it’s inception in July 2010, it has been completely successful.

“Obviously the major difference between biodiesel and regular diesel is that it’s an agricultural product, it can be replenished,” said Perilloux. “Not including our labour, it costs about 66 cents per gallon to make biodiesel. I don’t know what the going price at the pump for diesel is now, but it’s definitely more expensive than gasoline. There is a very minor drop in torque, but its very slight, you won’t really notice. Besides, biodiesel cleans the engine and makes it more efficient, so you hardly notice the loss of power.”

According to Perilloux, it takes about two days to make a batch of biodiesel.  The plant produces the fuel from used vegetable oil and animal grease that is chemically reacted with an alcohol and can be used in any diesel engine. The oil and other compounds are added to a refining machine, which works the magic of turning bacon grease into a renewable energy source.

“The machine is basically a heater and a blender. This process isn’t complicated at all, you can make these machines in your home,” said Perilloux. “It gives you a feeling that you can be independent of the big system.”

While the process also uses some dangerous chemicals like sulfuric acid, the byproducts are harmless, even useful. For every 50 gallons of oil, 40 gallons of biodiesel are produced along with glycerol, a compound of glycerin and methanol. Perilloux recovers the methanol produced and uses it in the next batch, saving costs and providing a reliable supply of the alcohol needed for the process. Another surprising but useful byproduct of making biodiesel is soap made from glycerin, which is tough enough to clean caked grease off of cement but gentle enough to use on skin. Perilloux loves this part about the project; his only complaint about the process is that it’s a very dirty job.

Perilloux is assisted by Korey Warford, a worker at the plant.

“It’s a new experience for me, and I enjoy working with the chemicals and the whole process,” said Warford. “I’m a mower and Chip is my supervisor. He asked for my help, and he needed it.”

Currently, only one tank, which will be painted green and read “used cooking oil only” will be placed by the dumpsters of the Student Union where faculty and staff can drop off their unwanted grease. While it is possible to use fresh oil, Perilloux stressed that this defeats the purpose of the project.

“This is all about recycling, it’s a waste of food to use fresh oil,” said Perilloux. “Also, people need to make sure that they add absolutely no petroleum to the drum; it’ll ruin the batch.”

For more information on Southeastern’s biodiesel project, contact Perilloux at mperrilloux@selu.edu.