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Perkovic is a proponent of bodiesel and believes it could be part of the solution for energy problems because it could be used to power diesel engine cars, buses and trucks.

“The U.S. would not be at the mercy of those who control the oil,” said Perkovic.

Biodiesel is a clean-burning alternative fuel for diesel motors and oil burners that is produced from domestic, renewable resources. It contains no petroleum, but it can be mixed with diesel or fuel oil to produce! a diesel blend.
Biodiesel is made from vegetable oil or animal fat. Crops such as soybeans are now being grown to produce the oil for biodiesel fuel. But Perkovic said the U.S. cannot grow enough soybeans to fill the nation’s voracious appetite for fuel. Scientists have found that algae can be used to produce the biogenic fuel.

Among the benefits he cited: Biodiesel can be used in diesel engines with little or no modifications. When burned, it does not emit gases that contribute to global warming. It produces significantly lower emissions and is free of sulfur and noxious fumes. In fact, the odor emitted by biodiesel is similar to the smell of the air after a heavy rain.

Biodiesel is nontoxic, biodegradable and non-flammable and, as a result, is safer than gasoline. Spills are easy to clean up with hot water and soda and have a low environmental impact. Another presenter, Maynard Kaufman, a former Western Michigan University professor of philosophy, believes the disappearance of cheap oil will have a significant impact on everyone.

“We are so used to having everything,” he said. “The whole last century is an anomaly in human history. Once oil is gone, it will be more difficult than before

there was fossil fuel.” He said the cost of oil in the future and its availability is something people should think about now. Individuals may need to change their lifestyle, move closer to their workplace, and even consider if they can grow their own food, which will become more expensive, he said.

Kaufman has already made major changes that have made his household more self-sufficient. He and his wife, Barbara Geisler, built a house that is energy-efficient and that is completely independent of the commercial electric grid. He said they did it because they are opposed to nuclear power, not to save money. Kaufman generates electricity from a photovoltaic (solar-powered) system supplemented by a wind generator. He heats his house with a wood-burning masonry stove that puts out radiant heat. A tube to the stove provides their hot water.

Art Toy is a chemist at Pfizer Corp. As an environmentalist, he said he is interested in reducing his use of carbon-based fuels. To supply electricity to his 100­ year-old farmhouse in Lawrence, he has installed a 10-kilowatt wind turbine that is linked to the commercial electric grid. He said he will see a return on his investment in 18 years.
Toy also has installed a solar hot water system. He calculates that he will get a return on his hot water system in six years.

Not everybody will have the will or resources to install wind turbines or solar panels. But there are things the average homeowner can do to conserve energy, speakers said. They include replacing lighting fixtures with compact fluorescent bulbs, and buying energy-efficient appliances, which cost a little more up front, but will save money in the long run. Also, the old method of hanging clothes on the line outdoors, rather than using the dryer, is a simple use of solar power.

Kaufman said there is not going to be a magic wand solution to future energy shortages, as some government officials would have us believe. Individuals must take action to ensure a sustainable lifestyle.

“Prepare for the worst,” he said.

On the Web:
www.biodiesel.org