Tag Archives: Biodiesel Fuel

School Teaches Farmers to Brew Own Biodiesel

Courtesy: Domestic Fuel

Cheatham-County-High-School2
Dr. de Koff, professor of Bioenergy Crop Production, and Project Director for the MBED demonstrates biodiesel production to students at Cheatham County High School on Sept. 19, 2014.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Farmers are known to be a pretty independent breed, and a school is teaching them to be energy independent by brewing their own biodiesel. This story from RFD-TV says Tennessee State University’s Agricultural Research and Education Center has a unique outreach program that teaches farmers about making their own on-farm biodiesel.

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Dr. Jason de Koff

“This is something where they can grow it, and they can make it themselves and they can use it on the farm,” says Jason de Koff, an assistant professor in agronomy and soil science at Tennessee State University. The school’s mobile demonstration trailer – think of it as a workshop on wheels – is making waves across the volunteer state.

“We were awarded a grant by the USDA back in 2012,” de Koff explains. “The grant was to create a demonstration that we could use to talk to farmers about producing their own biodiesel on the farm.”

TSU created this mobile biodiesel demonstration trailer at the university’s Agricultural Research and Education Center…where they even grow their own canola.

“The reason why we wanted to do this,” says de Koff, “is because we’ve estimated that anywhere between 1 percent and 3 percent of the farm acreage can be devoted to growing some of the oilseed crops for biodiesel production. The farmer can produce enough biodiesel from that to power their diesel equipment for the entire year.

“The canola seeds are stored here inside this bin and then they funnel their way down through this tunnel on the equipment. You can see that the seeds are then pressed for their oil, dripping down into this container. Down here on the end is everything that’s left over, something that can break off and be used in your animal feed. Once we’ve got the oil from the seed press, we can take it and put it in this biodiesel processor. This is where the actual conversion and actual production of biodiesel take place.”

The article points out that the cost to produce biodiesel on the farm is just $2.90 per gallon, a savings from buying at the pump. And farmers can apply for a Rural Energy for America grant program to help pay for 25 percent of the brewing equipment costs.

TSU Takes Mobile Biodiesel Demonstration Unit On the Road March 9-26

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The Tennessee State University Cooperative Extension program will take the Mobile Biodiesel Education Demonstration (MBED) trailer on the road this spring, making stops across Tennessee March 9-26 in an effort to provide people across the state with an up-close look at the biodiesel production process and educational information on real-world production scenarios.

Dr. Jason de Koff (center), assistant professor of agronomy and soil sciences at TSU, shares bioenergy research with visitors recently. The mobile demonstration lab will be on display throughout the year beginning March 9. (courtesy photo)
Dr. Jason de Koff (center), assistant professor of agronomy and soil sciences at TSU, shares bioenergy research with visitors recently. The mobile demonstration lab will be on display throughout the year beginning March 9. (courtesy photo)

According to Dr. Jason de Koff, assistant professor of Agronomy and Soil Sciences, the production of biodiesel fuel from vegetable oil is a viable process that can replace traditional fuel used in existing diesel engines.

“The process can go a long way toward helping ease the financial burden of fuel costs,” said de Koff, who is leading the tour. “It is possible [farmers] could become totally self-sufficient in diesel fuel use.”

Accompanying Dr. de Koff to provide specific expertise will be Mobile Biodiesel team members Chris Robbins, Extension associate for farm operations; Dr. Prabodh Illukpitiya, assistant professor of Natural Resource and Energy Economics; and Alvin Wade, associate Extension specialist for Community Resources and Economic Development.

The workshops will include discussions on the following topics:

  • Introduction to Biodiesel Production
  • Feedstocks for Biodiesel Production
  • Biodiesel Production Demonstration
  • Economics of Small-Scale Biodiesel Production
  • Federal Assistance Programs for Biodiesel Production

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Date and locations for the March workshops include:

Date: Monday, March 9
Time:  6 p.m. (dinner provided)
Location: Fayette County Fire Training Room / 18 North Hiawatha Street / Somerville, Tennessee
Registration Contact: Jeffrey D. Via / 901-465-5233 or [email protected]

Date: Thursday, March 12
Time: 11 a.m. (lunch provided)
Location: East Tennessee Livestock Center / 2121 U.S. 11 / Sweetwater, Tennessee
Registration Contacts: John Goddard / 865-458-5612 or [email protected] or Jonathan Rhea / 423-442-2433 or [email protected]

Date: Thursday, March 19
Time:  6:30 p.m. (dinner provided)
Location: Franklin County Extension Office / 406 Joyce Lane / Winchester, Tennessee
Registration Contact: John Ferrell / 931-967-2741

Date: Thursday, March 26
Time: 6 p.m. (dinner provided)
Location: Dyer County Extension Office / 151 Everett Ave. / Dyersburg, Tennessee
Registration Contact: Tim Campbell / 731-286-7821

To register to attend, contact Dr. Jason de Koff at (615) 963-4929 or [email protected].

A USDA NIFA Capacity Building Grant funds TSU’s Mobile Biodiesel Education Demonstration.

 

 

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 42 undergraduate, 24 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

TSU’s Mobile Biodiesel Education Demonstration Announces Spring Tour Dates

Dr. Jason de Koff (center), assistant professor of agronomy and soil sciences at TSU, shares bioenergy research with visitors recently. The mobile demonstration lab will be on display throughout the year beginning February 17. (courtesy photo)
Dr. Jason de Koff (center), assistant professor of agronomy and soil sciences at TSU, shares bioenergy research with visitors recently. The mobile demonstration lab will be on display throughout the year beginning February 17. (courtesy photo)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s Mobile Biodiesel Education Demonstration is going on tour. Live biodiesel production demonstrations will be held at five locations this spring, providing people across the state with an up-close look at the biodiesel production process and educational information on real-world production scenarios.

According to TSU assistant professor of agronomy and soil sciences Dr. Jason de Koff who will be leading the tour, the production of biodiesel fuel from vegetable oil is a viable process that can replace traditional fuel used in existing diesel engines.

“This process can go a long way toward helping ease the financial burden of fuel costs,” he said. “It is possible [farmers] could become totally self-sufficient in diesel fuel use.”

The five dates on the Spring 2014 tour are:

Date

City

Location

Monday, Feb. 17th Winchester, Tenn. Franklin County Extension Office
Wednesday, Feb. 26th Covington, Tenn. Tipton County Extension Office
Thursday, March 6th Dyersburg, Tenn. Dyer County Extension Office
Thursday, March 13th Wartburgh, Tenn. Morgan County Extension Office
Tuesday, June 17th Nashville, Tenn. Tennessee State University

For more information, visit the Mobile Biodiesel Education Demonstration website or follow the TSU bioenergy program on Twitter at @TSUBioenergy or on Facebook at Biodiesel Production Tour. To register to attend, contact Dr. Jason de Koff at 615.963.4929 or [email protected].

 

 

 

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

 

 

About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

TSU Mobile Biodiesel Education Lab on Display September 6-15 at Tennessee State Fair

Dr. Jason de Koff (center), assistant professor of agronomy and soil sciences at TSU, shares bioenergy research with visitors recently. The mobile demonstration lab will be on display at the Tennessee State Fair Sept 6-15. (courtesy photo)
Dr. Jason de Koff (center), assistant professor of agronomy and soil sciences at TSU, shares bioenergy research with visitors recently. The mobile demonstration lab will be on display at the Tennessee State Fair Sept 6-15. (courtesy photo)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service)  – Tennessee State University’s College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences’ Mobile Biodiesel Education Demo will be on display at the Tennessee State Fair as part of the Green Collar Exhibit from Sept. 6 – 15.

Throughout the week, informational fact sheets about bioenergy and biodiesel production will be available as part of the demo and the mobile biodiesel production trailer will be open to attendees between noon and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the exhibit.

Dr. Jason de Koff, TSU Extension Assistant Professor and Mr. Chris Robbins, TSU Extension Associate, Farm Operations will be available when the trailer is open to answer questions about biodiesel production.

“Being invited to participate in the Tennessee State Fair is a great opportunity to talk to all kinds of people about bioenergy and the bioenergy program we have in the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences,” said de Koff. “It’s also a way to showcase one of the many great things we have going on at TSU.”

The eye-catching mobile lab is the showpiece of the University’s pioneering alternative fuels program. Funded with $250,000 from the USDA Capacity Building Grant program, the mobile lab takes biodiesel fuel education right to working farmers, and has all the equipment necessary for producing the alternate fuel.

For more information, contact Dr. de Koff at (615) 963-4929 or [email protected]. The TSU bioenergy program and the Mobile Biodiesel Education Demo can be followed on Twitter at @TSUBioenergy or on Facebook at Biodiesel Production Tour.

The Tennessee State Fair takes place September 6-15 at the fairgrounds located at 500 Wedgewood Ave., in Nashville.

Department of Media Relations 

 

Tennessee State University
3500 John A. Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331


About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university and is a comprehensive, urban, coeducational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top Universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912 Tennessee State University celebrates 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu