Fish Oil Biodiesel for Alaskan Communities

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Fish Oil Biodiesel for Alaskan Communities

• Dennis Witmer
• AFN Panel on Biofuels
• October 22, 2008

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Fish Oil

• A byproduct of commercial fishing
• If fish waste is rendered, fish oil can be
  recovered (but this does require equpment)
• Highest value for human consumption, as a health
  food supplement (550 per gallon)
• Recent interest in improving quality of canned
  salmon
• Also used for fish food and animal food
• Can be burned for heat, or to make electricity

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Biofuels

• For diesel engines, glycerides must be removed
  from oil
• Process known as tranesterification
• Alaska Energy Authority, National Park Service
  and UAF tested fish oil biodiesel in summer of
  2005
• Broke every engine we put it in.
• Discovered that the fuel was oxidizing, and that
  special care needed to be taken to preserve fuel
• Successfully operated diesel engine on B20 and
  B50 blends this summer
• May still be of value to local communities if
  higher value uses are not developed

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ACEP Mission at UAF

• Alaska Center for Energy and Power
• Remote power, Industrial power (for mines), and
  Oil, gas and coal branches
• New alternatives must be better than diesel in
  some way
• Cheaper
• Cleaner
• Use local resources, create local jobs
• Assisting state with energy plan