Local Winemaker Turns His Attention to Alternative Fuel

[The Straight Story]

Local Winemaker Turns His Attention to Alternative Fuel

Jim Taylor is becoming well known as an Auburn winemaker with a desire to make a difference. His boutique, Mt. Vernon Winery, has racked up an impressive list of wine awards, but he’s more excited to talk about his other projects, including the first Breast Cancer research wine and his latest good deed to help the environment, cutting fuel emissions.

After experimenting with making bio-diesel fuel in his kitchen sink, he decided to order a first of its kind automated bio-diesel machine, the BioPro 190, which finally arrived last summer.

Now, with used vegetable oil he gets for free from Auburn area restaurants, Taylor produces enough bio-diesel to fuel the winery’s seven vehicles and tractors.

He says the bio-diesel burns 68 percent cleaner than standard diesel fuel, and costs about 78 cents a gallon to make. The fuel is made with a mix of vegetable oil, methanol, and small amounts of sulfuric acid and lye. In about 60 hours, the machine produces 50 gallons of clean, smooth running bio-diesel that can be directly pumped into a vehicle without any modifications to the diesel engine. Taylor also points out the byproduct is environmentally friendly. It can be used as a hand-cleaner, degreaser, or burned for heat. The Taylors use the byproduct to heat their Auburn home. Depending on how the bio-diesel is mixed, another byproduct can be used in a compost pile as a soil nutrient.

http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=23868&GID=3jHvfdyhRoh6Ed0mXZDX1PcqscodIm9kyNVDHuEaHGU%3D

And he donates 5% of each bottle sold that has the breast cancer logo to research for a cure.

Maybe this guy should run for president :)