[bestfriend]

Instead of starting a whole new thread, I'll just interject here. I have always been a big supporter of alternative fuels and power supplies. I realize that our need for oil will likely never go away, and the dependence on any other single resource will eventually place us back in the same position we are now. So, I believe that there needs to be a mix of fuels used where they fit in best.

Last year our department started a program to use B20 biodiesel. One station was to use it for a year to determine the advantages and disadvantages. Yesterday I learned of its disastrous results. The truck at the station is no longer able to climb hills. A 300k piece of firefighting equipment has had its power source crippled. I have not read anything to date about hp performance being affected by biodiesel, so my guess is that seals are shot. Once again, crude oil shows it dominance when true raw power is needed. I have heard that biodiesel can eat away at hoses and seals, and I don't know if our department took the precautionary measures necessary for success, it wouldn't surprise me if they even used the same tank that the regular diesel was in. I haven't heard of the same results for your everyday consumer commuting around town, but the stresses we put on those rigs are enormous and would give one a better idea of the end result with a quicker conclusion. I don't have all the info yet, but I thought it was an interesting bit of information. The City had planned to convert all of their vehicles to alternative fuels in the next few years.