Biofuels: Future of Energy
Scientific Background
This page is mainly to explain my difficult process of deciding what to do with the science portion of this project. It was honestly very hard because I wanted to do actual scientific data. I've emailed many people and companies asking for their help. And at last, I set a solid foundation concluding with scientific data that makes real scientific sense! Now, this is where the background comes in, to provide preliminary information that can clarify the information in the next sections. I thought it would be a good idea because it's very confusing on how I've gotten to this point.
Through my mother, I was able to visit the Campbell Industrial Park Biofuel powerplant run by HECO. I've met many adults knowledgeable about biofuel and eqully interested in the workings of the biodiesel powerplant. Jack Shriver, the head of the Schofield Generating Station Project that will run on 100% biofuel, was the person running the tour of the plant. He explained the whole process of where they get the biofuel and how the plant uses biofuel to provide electricity to hundreds of homes. At the Campbell Industrial Park HECO Biofuel plant, there is a Fuels Department where I talked to Ken Sato. He connected me to the chemistry lab where they test the biofuels they get.
Source: Erin Jyo
At Campbell Industrial Park Biofuel Powerplant
When we first started the YES Futures project, studying biodiesel wasn't my first choice. After hearing about how agriculture or wasted oil could be changed into energy, I was very interested. From there, my teacher told me to contact William Kusch from Terviva, who was the manager for the orchards in Hawaii, to learn more about biodiesel and their company. After doing a voice interview with Mr. Kusch and Lila Tahearly, his associate, I've gained more knowledge on Terviva and their main mission using Pongamia trees as a new source for biodiesel. I decided to do my project on biodisel and more specifically, Pongamia trees. To help further my project, Mr, Kusch gave me a gallon of Pongamia oil for me to use, even though I wasn't sure what to do with it. He also assisted me in finding what to do with the science part and showed me a procedure on how to make your own biodiesel using the oil (procedure shown later). His Terviva team allowed Michelle, another girl doing biodiesel, and I visit the Pongamia orchard in North Shore to gain more insight about the special trees. Clearly, Mr. Kusch and his team has done so much in aiding my project and getting it to the endgame.
Source: Erin Jyo
At Pongamia orchard in North Shore
Source:
Erin Jyo
Terviva Pongamia Oil
Source:
Erin Jyo
Calorimeter at HECO Chemistry lab
Christopher Zelasko, manager of the HECO chemistry lab, allowed me to visit and run tests (BTUs, acid, sulfur, and API) on the Pongamia oil pre-procedure and post-procedure. Seeing that his team's laboratory tests all kinds of energy sources, I asked him if he had data for the biodiesel HECO uses for their powerplant, regular diesel, and regular oil. The data spreadsheets for these energy sources are shown on the scientific data tab. The first time I went, we tested the original Pongamia oil using the calorimeter that factors in the sulfur content, acid, and API (density) to give the amount of BTUs are in the substance (data found in scientific data). And that concludes the journey of finally getting solid scientific data that will make a difference.