Houston County man runs his mini-bus on vegetable oil

WARNER ROBINS - When Tom Nevers needs fuel for his converted 1992 diesel school bus, he&#39;s not looking for the nearest gas station. Instead, he heads for the nearest deep fryer. <br> <br> Nevers never needs gasoline because his van runs on used vegetable oil and most restaurant managers are happy to supply it. <br> <br> The Houston County man says, ``I&#39;ve never been turned down.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Nevers filters the used vegetable oil, then pumps it into two tanks in the bus. The oil runs through another filter and a heat exchanger that he added to an ordinary diesel engine. The vegetable oil-powered van has been running for about a year. <br> <br> Nevers says it runs as fast as it will on diesel. <br> <br> The U.S. Department of Energy has studied the fuel and its cousin, a blend of vegetable oil and other chemicals dubbed biodiesel. The government says the blended version can be used in many diesel engines built since 1994 with little or no modification. <br> <br> The energy department says the biodiesel fuel reduces nearly all forms of air pollution and gets about ten percent fewer miles per gallon than regular diesel fuel. <br> <br> Nevers figures his pure vegetable oil version gets similar gas mileage, but he doesn&#39;t really care since the fuel is free. <br> <br> Cobb County schools are experimenting with biodiesel, which may one day replace some of the estimated $20 million gallons of diesel fuel that school buses in Georgia use each year. <br> <br> Nevers said any diesel engine can be converted to run off straight vegetable oil with minor modifications that any mechanic can handle. He estimated the cost at $200-$400.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/5/194597