OnSite Energy partners with MSU's Freeway to Fuels project

Biodiesel Magazine
By Bryan Sims December 13, 2011

Having finished the first phase of exploring the feasibility of growing, harvesting and utilizing bioenergy crops last year on unconventional growing lands in Michigan, such as highway right-of-ways, vacant urban land and airport property, Michigan State University Extension has entered into the second phase of its Freeway to Fuels project by partnering with Flint, Mich.-based OnSite Energy LLC to test the actual potential of growing oilseed crops on such lands for biodiesel production.

Through the partnership, OnSite Energy and MSU Extension have developed a portable production unit that features oilseed crushing press capability for conversion into methyl esters. According to a statement by OnSite Energy, the equipment is mounted in an enclosed cargo trailer and it can be pulled from farm to farm to teach farmers how to make their own biodiesel. Oil can be extracted from a range of oilseed crops such as soybeans and canola. Once oil is extracted using the press, the oil is then pumped into the biodiesel reactor unit, conversion chemicals are added and the automatic system processes the oil into biodiesel.

Read more