Renewable Energy and Fuel

Seeds of Solidarity is “off the grid.” Two solar electric systems provide for all of our electricity needs in our home, the farm and apprentice housing including lights, house well pump and farm irrigation, refrigeration, computers, power tools, washing machine and rock and roll. Our solar electric system includes photovoltaic panels, batteries for storage, an inverter to convert DC current to AC, charge controller and fuse boxes, sized to your energy needs. Homepower Magazine (homepower.com) is an invaluable source of information on all aspects of renewable energy.

We use biodiesel, a vegetable-based fuel in our family car (previously a 1980 Mercedes, currently a 2002 Volkswagon Gulf), a Ford F350 farm truck, a tractor, and a generator. Biodiesel, which is 90% vegetable oil and 10% ethanol (corn alcohol) can be used in any diesel engine without modification. The SOL Patrol van runs on both biodiesel and filtered waste grease thanks to the installation of a greasecar.com system.

We run 100% biodiesel in spring, summer and fall, and at about 30%, mixed with fossil fuel diesel in the winter months. Biodiesel can be made on a small or large scale. The U.S. generates over 3 billion gallons of used fryer oil annually. There are over 85 large biodiesel facilities around the world. Imagine the 440,000 school buses across the nation running on biodiesel, reducing childhood asthma, exposure to carcinogens, and reliance on imported oil. See worldenergy.net, veggievan.org, biodiesel.org, or yellowbiodiesel.com for more information about biodiesel. Vegetable-based engine oils and fuel conditioners can be purchased from renewablelube.com.