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Advanced Bio-diesel Production
September 8
10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
$85.00



If you have already taken: 'Intro To Bio-diesel' or have some experience producing smaller bio-diesel batches*, come to this advanced bio diesel one-day workshop. You will broaden your understanding of bio-diesel production and will learn how to take bio-diesel production to a professional level involving larger quantities and modified procedures.
We’ll start by exploring the chemical processes involved in order to understand what’s happening – or don’t happen. We’ll go into mixing techniques, emphasizing safety concerns. We’ll look at time factors, how production can be sped up without losing control by adding heat to the process. And on a very practical level: what are the costs involved, how to develop a good relationship with potential oil suppliers, and different methods of testing oil samples.
After this workshop, you will know enough about large batch production to start your own safely and effectively.

*(This workshop requires basic previous bio-diesel experience or knowledge. Those without previous knowledge are recommended to first do the Intro to Brewing Your Own Bio-diesel, on July 7 and August 4.)
co-ordinator: Rick Roberts
Born and raised locally, Rick is a man of many skills: he works for the City of Thunder Bay where, among other things, he is responsible for making the perfect ice in the Fort William Gardens.
The same devotion Rick applies to the production of bio-diesel on a semi-professional level. After making his first small test batch only 3 years ago, Rick got hooked and knew he was on to something. He now produces over 6.000 litres of bio-diesel annually, enough to power not only his truck, but also his home using his trusty ’48 Lister generator. Rick developed the coil heating technique to speed up the process, and later a basic but very effective bubble-wash system. “Everything that has happened to me has happened,” he says, “and that’s a good thing. I now know what to expect; and if it doesn’t, I know why.” Rick enjoys sharing his knowledge and experiences, and is dreaming of a community where smaller bio-diesel producers are working together on a large scale.