william(Bill) M. Cowart wrote:
> I have been looking at making Bio diesel, actually did the 1 liter
> thing using KOH, I have for hydrogen generator. As far as buildin a
> processor for it, that seems rather straigh fwd and collecting the used
> greese is no problem in my area, Idabel, Okla.
> My question is on the methanol. Closest source to me 140 miles, only
> 5 gal containers, at $43, or internet orders still running at 7 to 8
> dollars a gallon. If I am correct 22% by volume, for a 20 gallon batch
> of bio would be 4.4 gallons or in the area of $36. Again if my math is
> correct, roughtly it would cost $2 a gallon to produce, with out
> recovering the methanol. I had not orginaly intended to build a
> recovery system, but now think it is a must for finanical reasoning.
> My question, have I missed, just went to the wrong sources to get
> the methanol, or am I missing something in my calaucations ? Thanks in
> advance, Bill C
>


You definitely want to look around. I haven't priced it recently, but
last time I bought commercially it was ~4/gal. I last bought it from a
commercial biodiesel operation in the area - his bulk price at the time
was around 2/gal and I bought it for 2.75. That was when gas was still
$4.00, so I expect the price has come down some since. $8 sounds absurd.

--- David