Fuelling students' minds
February 14, 2008
Students learn how to create biodiesel using waste from the Den
The University of Calgary campus bar is fuelling the minds of 300 science students this week by supplying them with used cooking oil that they will turn into non-toxic, biodegradable biodiesel.
“The experiment is part of a growing trend towards greater environmental awareness in the classroom,” said Ian Hunt, senior instructor in the Department of Chemistry. “In this case, a waste product is being transformed into a valuable resource related to a topic of interest to society.”
In the lab, students take waste oil, mix it with alcohol and a base, heat it and let the reaction happen. Once the newly formed biodiesel has cooled, students separate the fuel and attempt to start a diesel engine with it.
Third-year science student Alex Bian, 20, says the lab helped him visualize some of the tricky concepts that were taught to him in class. Bian says he always looks forward to learning more about environmental issues in a lab setting—he wants to be informed as possible so he can make smart choices in the future.
“I think that awareness of environmental issues is important to everyone, especially university students,” said Bian. “I definitely appreciate the idea of turning something that would be seen as a waste product into a useful energy source. With the rising costs of gas at the pumps, I think more research into alternative energy sources would prove to be a benefit to both the environment and the consumer.”
Biodiesel is made from vegetable oils, waste cooking oil, animal fats or tall oil (a byproduct from pulp and paper processing). Compared with conventional diesel, biodiesel produces fewer life cycle greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change, because the growing plant absorbs carbon dioxide.
During the summer months the U of C uses biodiesel in some of its equipment, including dump trucks and tractors. Finding a biodiesel supplier has been a challenge and the university would benefit if it could produce its own. The U of C uses approximately 2,000 litres of biodiesel annually.
“I like the idea of using a starting material that is locally used and to potentially give it back to the university as a useful product,” said Bian. “It would be amazing to see if some day the university could create a self-sustainable supply of biodiesel all generated from locally used oil.”