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Mike Brewer's column
Could biodiesel help save the planet? Probably - but it could also save money and help farmers
25th August 2007
During filming the new series of Pulling Power for ITV1 I’ve been fortunate to test some of the latest fuel technology vehicles. It started with a drive of BMW’s hydrogen-powered 7-Series, which also has a petrol engine for when you can’t find your nearest ‘gas’ station! I must say that I couldn’t tell the difference between running on unleaded or hydrogen. BMW’s technology is amazing, and a clear insight into how we can harness green hydrogen using the internal combustion engine.
This could bridge the gap until fuel cell vehicles arrive, such as the Honda FCX concept. I also got the chance to try this, and while it felt like a conventional family model, it was anything but – it cost a cool £5million! Honda reckons it will have road-ready models for us soon; let’s just hope that the price comes down a bit...
Of course, hydrogen-powered cars for the masses are still a little way off. There is another alternative eco-friendly fuel available right now, though, which could change the way we fill up – biodiesel. Okay, so it’s nothing new. Old Uncle Henry Ford thought about it yonks ago, and designed the first Model Ts to run on corn-oil biofuel. But there is a new development. The UK Government has just relaxed duty on refining less than 2,500 litres per annum. That’s a big deal, as the tax on normal mineral diesel you get from the pumps is nearly 50p. By switching, you could save almost £1,250 per year. Even better, it’s carbon neutral. Running a car on the green fuel shouldn’t be a problem, but check with the manufacturer first to find out the risks. You won’t be able to do it if the vehicle is under warranty, however, as it will invalidate the guarantee.
I think the change in the rules could see more motorists switching to the stuff and small-scale production centres ‘cropping’ up to meet demand. Biodiesel is best refined from rapeseed, and you may have noticed that this year more than ever our green and pleasant land has been turned dayglo yellow with increased farming of the crop.
With no duty to pay on small-scale production, farmers could start flogging their own brand of fuel. Like microbreweries selling local beer, you could be buying locally produced diesel from your nearest small holding together with your Sunday veg. I’ve spoken at length with a company called Green-Fuels, which manufactures and sells a small threshing machine that will extract the oil from the seed. But it doesn’t end there. You can turn the husk waste into pellets and use them in a multi-fuel burner to heat your house. Brilliant!
I’m lucky enough to have a small plot of land where I can plant enough rape to provide about 6,500 miles worth of diesel and enough husk pellets to heat my house. All I need is a thresher and a tractor! So why hasn’t the Government jumped on the back of this? We pay farmers millions in subsidies to leave their land fallow. Why not raise the 2,500-litre threshold and get them to grow a more environmentally friendly fuel? The Chancellor would be worried about lost fuel tax revenue, but he wouldn’t have to subsidise struggling farmers. Maybe sometimes the answer is too obvious.
In the meantime, as I write this I’m staring at Mrs Brewer walking the field, working out how to get the rapeseed into the ground. If she figures it out, I could turn a small profit by selling my own biofuel. And as everyone knows, nothing makes me happier than earning a few extra bob. Oh, except helping save the planet, of course!
This could bridge the gap until fuel cell vehicles arrive, such as the Honda FCX concept. I also got the chance to try this, and while it felt like a conventional family model, it was anything but – it cost a cool £5million! Honda reckons it will have road-ready models for us soon; let’s just hope that the price comes down a bit...
Of course, hydrogen-powered cars for the masses are still a little way off. There is another alternative eco-friendly fuel available right now, though, which could change the way we fill up – biodiesel. Okay, so it’s nothing new. Old Uncle Henry Ford thought about it yonks ago, and designed the first Model Ts to run on corn-oil biofuel. But there is a new development. The UK Government has just relaxed duty on refining less than 2,500 litres per annum. That’s a big deal, as the tax on normal mineral diesel you get from the pumps is nearly 50p. By switching, you could save almost £1,250 per year. Even better, it’s carbon neutral. Running a car on the green fuel shouldn’t be a problem, but check with the manufacturer first to find out the risks. You won’t be able to do it if the vehicle is under warranty, however, as it will invalidate the guarantee.
I think the change in the rules could see more motorists switching to the stuff and small-scale production centres ‘cropping’ up to meet demand. Biodiesel is best refined from rapeseed, and you may have noticed that this year more than ever our green and pleasant land has been turned dayglo yellow with increased farming of the crop.
With no duty to pay on small-scale production, farmers could start flogging their own brand of fuel. Like microbreweries selling local beer, you could be buying locally produced diesel from your nearest small holding together with your Sunday veg. I’ve spoken at length with a company called Green-Fuels, which manufactures and sells a small threshing machine that will extract the oil from the seed. But it doesn’t end there. You can turn the husk waste into pellets and use them in a multi-fuel burner to heat your house. Brilliant!
I’m lucky enough to have a small plot of land where I can plant enough rape to provide about 6,500 miles worth of diesel and enough husk pellets to heat my house. All I need is a thresher and a tractor! So why hasn’t the Government jumped on the back of this? We pay farmers millions in subsidies to leave their land fallow. Why not raise the 2,500-litre threshold and get them to grow a more environmentally friendly fuel? The Chancellor would be worried about lost fuel tax revenue, but he wouldn’t have to subsidise struggling farmers. Maybe sometimes the answer is too obvious.
In the meantime, as I write this I’m staring at Mrs Brewer walking the field, working out how to get the rapeseed into the ground. If she figures it out, I could turn a small profit by selling my own biofuel. And as everyone knows, nothing makes me happier than earning a few extra bob. Oh, except helping save the planet, of course!
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