Biodiesel Power: The Passion, the People, and the Politics of the Next Renewable Fuel [Paperback]

Lyle Estill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2005

Whether we are nearing the end of oil or merely nearing the end of inexpensive oil, it is becoming increasingly clear that we need to find alternative ways to meet our energy needs. Biodiesel is one such alternative—and is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the US economy.

Biodiesel in North America is in its infancy. As air quality deteriorates in major centers, governments are scrambling for ways to reduce emissions and are embracing biodiesel in their fleets. Conferences on biodiesel are often “inaugural” as society begins discussing this fuel in earnest.

Biodiesel Power is a chronicle of this emerging industry. Lightly touching on the technical aspects of the fuel, its qualities, and specifications, the book is largely about the people and stories of the biodiesel movement. It explores the tensions between

Grass-roots activists and their altruistic co-ops
The profit-minded commercial producers and the voices of agribusiness
The current administration—or “the coalition of the drilling”

Far from a third-party account, Biodiesel Power comes from one who has experienced it from the grease dumpster to the boardroom. Lyle Estill has made the journey from backyard brewing, to being part of a producer and distributor cooperative, to commercial production.

Compelling and timely, Biodiesel Power is the history of biodiesel in the making. It will appeal to a wide audience, including farmers, truckers, backyarders, and commercial producers, investors, politicians, and all those concerned about the end of oil.

Lyle Estill is vice president of Piedmont Biofuels Industrial in Chatham County, North Carolina. He has published an important Weblog—Energy Blog—about the biodiesel movement for several years and has received numerous awards for his environmentalism and outreach on biodiesel, including Educator of the Year for 2004 from Environmental Educators of North Carolina.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lyle Estill is President of Piedmont Biofuels Industrial in Moncure, North Carolina. The publisher of the key weblog about the biodiesel movement for several years, he is the CEO of Blast Internet Services and the recipient of numerous awards including Educator of the Year for 2004 from North Carolina Environmental Educator's Association for outreach on biodiesel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: New Society Publishers (October 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865715416
• ISBN-13: 978-0865715417
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #848,246 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic story of a biodiesel homebrewer, December 6, 2005

By 

John O (Washington) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Biodiesel Power: The Passion, the People, and the Politics of the Next Renewable Fuel (Paperback)

For the biodiesel homebrewer, Lyle's book is great. I'm not sure if it would mean as much to non-biodiesel folks, but I found it to be very inspirational (I'm a homebrewer myself). Lyle's book isn't about how-to-make-biodiesel. There are lots of others that fill that need. Lyle's is about the personal interactions, the social and societal aspect of this alternative fuel, told in story fashion. As the cover says: "The passion, the people, and the politics of the next renewable fuel." Lyle is the "Everyman" in this story of the trials and tribulations homebrewers all seem to have gone through. As such it tells "our" story with humor and truth.

Chapter titles like "Stinky Kitchen", "Birth of a Coop", "The lure of the Producer", "The policy layer", and "The road ahead" bring my own memories to mind. I think of it as more of a philosophical journey than anything else. It's also fun, because I can remember running into the same problems, and coming up with similar solutions, using the same thought processes. That might be where the story will lose a more general audience though - will someone unfamiliar with biodiesel feel any sympathy when reading about making 40 gallons of soap? To most people that probably doesn't sound like anything bad, but to a homebrewer it's a nightmare needing no further explanation.

There have only been a few books in my life that I've read in a single day, and this was one. I picked it up from the post office about 3:30pm, read a couple pages in the car, then could hardly wait to finish my chores to read what happened next. I finished it about 2am, 5 hours after my normal bedtime.

Lyle's done a good thing, writing this book. I'm ordering more copies to give away as gifts.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars New biodiesel book rings true for a homebrewer!, December 6, 2005

By 

Matthew Steiman "Farmer" (Chambersburg, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Biodiesel Power: The Passion, the People, and the Politics of the Next Renewable Fuel (Paperback)

I just finished reading Lyle Estill's book "Biodiesel Power, The passion, the people, and the politics of the next renewable fuel". I enjoyed the book so much that I feel compelled to write this breif, amatuer, 2 cent review:

Biodiesel Power is a book about the progression of one small scale producer from back yard tinkerer up to large scale commercial producer. Lyle Estill, of Piedmont Biofuels Co-op in Pittsboro, NC, writes of his adventures and misadventures in pursuit of a renewable, clean burning fuel.

Together with cohorts Rachel, Leif, Oneas, and many others, Lyle started Piedmont Biofuels co-op a few years ago to produce fuel, advocate for small scale production across the state, and teach the techniques of sustainable fuelmaking to the eager North Carolina public. They have grown as many homebrewers aspire to from blender batch, to larger and more efficient reactors, up to their eventual goal of a small refinery. They are also buying commercial biodiesel to resell to members of the Co-op.

Reading this book was extremely entertaining for me as an amatuer small scale producer of biodiesel/ educator/ advocate. Much of the time I was either shaking my head in recognition of the funny mishaps in Lyle's accounts, or else glued to the page to learn some new bit of pertinent information. Lyle and Piedmont Biofuels have done a great deal to advance the cause of the small producer in North Carolina, and many of us may hope to follow in their footsteps. This book, referring in a personal way to many of the pioneers in the small-scale biodiesel movement, left me feeling like a part of the B100 family, both heartened and newly inspired to keep plugging away.

This book is well written and an easy read (with nice big print, but sorry no pictures). Here is a brief exerpt from the last chapter, entitled "The Road Ahead": "Biodiesel is great fun. It's empowering. Nothing feels better than tooling down the highway with the knowledge that you are free. Free of Chevron. Free of Mobil. Free of George Bush. Free of the Saudis. Free of the whole sorry lot. I realize full well that hydrogen is the place to be, but I'm stuck on vegetable oil. It's here now. It works. It's renewable. It's sustainable. It smells good. It creates jobs in the United States. And there is no war required to get it."

Well, after typing all of that let me say that Lyle does write in long sentences and does convey plenty of info that you may not already know. This was kind of a summary paragraph in a summary chapter, for effect.

If you make biodiesel, want to make biodiesel, or are interested in advocating for biodiesel, check out this book. (If you have a spouse who gets frustrated with your biodiesel project this will be particularly humorous for you as well). It's affordable and the proceeds support Piedmont Biofuels coop, check it out!

Note: This book is not a How-to manual on biodiesel production. For that information I suggest The Biodiesel Homebrew Guide by Girl Mark, available at http://www.localb100.com/book.html (Girl Mark and the homebrew guide are mentioned favorably in Biodiesel Power as well. Another option is to visit the biodiesel discussion board at [...] where you will find plenty of information on the subject.



Biodiesel Power, Copyright 2005 by Lyle Estill, printed on recycled paper by New Society Publishers

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An ongoing primer documenting the importance of this next renewable fuel, July 23, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Biodiesel Power: The Passion, the People, and the Politics of the Next Renewable Fuel (Paperback)

Renewable energy is becoming even more important an issue as time goes by and oil reserves become less certain: Lyle Estill's BIODIESEL POWER: THE PASSION, THE PEOPLE, AND THE POLITICS OF THE NEXT RENEWABLE FUEL thus holds value beyond its 2005 publication date as an ongoing primer documenting the importance of this next renewable fuel. It follows the people, influences and history of the biodiesel movement and examines pros, cons, commercial interests and organizations alike in an outstanding coverage promising ongoing relevance.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch