The Night Move runs on B20 blended biodiesel. That means 80% of it is diesel and 20% of it is biofuel. Detroit's own Clean Emission Fluids has an on-demand blender, called a F.A.ST. unit (fluids affordably stored), which is where we get our blended biodiesel. The biofuel we're currently using is made of corn. Since I don't really speak biofuel, I found this explanation of biodiesel for your enlightenment, from biodiesel.org:
Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.
Biodiesel is made through a chemical process called transesterification whereby the glycerin is separated from the fat or vegetable oil. The process leaves behind two products -- methyl esters (the chemical name for biodiesel) and glycerin (a valuable byproduct usually sold to be used in soaps and other products).
Anyway, we may move to pond algae soon instead of corn. It seems logical to me to make the switch, since using algae wouldn't threaten our food supply. Read about "Why Algae Will Save Us From the Energy Crisis" this Esquire magazine article.
Stay tuned for Night Move biodiesel developments, we'll keep you posted as they occur.
Learn more about biodiesel on Wikipedia.
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