Coconut Oil Has Been Powering Island's Cars since 1990
source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia-pacific/6634221.stm
-
-
- MichelleSun
- added this
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia-pacific/6634221.stm
The coconut has given us pina coladas and exotic bras. Why not coco-fuel?People on the island of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea have found their own solution to high energy prices - the humble coconut.
From police officers to priests, the locals are powering up their vehicles and generators with coco-fuel. Increasingly, locals are turning to a cheaper and far more sustainable alternative to diesel. Coconut oil is being produced at a growing number of backyard refineries.
Matthias Horn, a German migrant and an engineer, operates one such refinery. "The coconut tree is a beautiful tree. Doesn't it sound good if you really run your car on something which falls off a tree and that's the good thing about it. You run your car and it smells nice and it's environmentally friendly and that's the main thing."
The island endured years of civil unrest in which thousands of people were killed in a fight for independence in the 1990s. Dwindling supplies of diesel forced islanders to look for alternatives and the coconut was chosen.
In peacetime, new technology is propelling this sweet-smelling industry to greater heights.
-
- groups:
- Community, Green, Earth and Science
-
- tags:
- News, Green, Earth and Science, Alternative Fuel, 1 more
-
-
rockstarmillionaire
-
or grow them here
- 3 years ago
-
rockstarmillionaire
-
-
Minthe
-
That's only shifting the dependency, from "foreign oil" to "foreign coconuts".
- 3 years ago
-
Minthe
-
-
rockstarmillionaire
-
this is awesome. wish we could do something like this right now.
- 3 years ago
-
rockstarmillionaire
-
-
rexmundi
-
it seems to me that a wide variety of seemingly simple technologies exist and that could be available to each and every one of us. the pertinent information just needs to reach enough people to reach that critical tipping point in order to spread.
- 3 years ago
-
rexmundi
-
-
TheForeteller
- This comment was removed as a violation of community guidelines.
-
TheForeteller
-
-
iloveravi
-
TheForeteller:
Are you kidding? You sound like such an ass.
- 3 years ago
-
iloveravi
-
-
krush_productions
-
Coconut oil, hemp oil, vegetable oil...the list goes on and on, but will big oil companies ever listen and change?
- 3 years ago
-
krush_productions
-
-
iloveravi
-
krush_productions:
Why would they change? Because it would give us a better chance at sustaining life on this planet?
They don't give a fuck. They want more money and power.
- 3 years ago
-
iloveravi
-
-
nkeg87
-
krush_productions:
iloveravi is right and it makes me sad.
- 3 years ago
-
nkeg87
-
-
EliteKane
-
You can get butter from coconuts, but its not called cocoa butter lol
- 3 years ago
-
EliteKane
-
-
MichelleSun
-
EliteKane:
haha, you're definitely right. i guess the whole "co-" start of the word just got me excited. i'll get on the edit right away!
- 3 years ago
-
MichelleSun
-
-
allstarz8
-
coconuts don't give cocoa butter... cocoa butter comes from the chocolate plant, cacao.
- 3 years ago
-
allstarz8
-
-
bombastinator
-
It does inspire me with the desire for some coconut palms per person math.
- 3 years ago
-
bombastinator
-
-
artemis6
-
If multinational corporations were out of the way we could easily find solutions to difficulties in front of us .
- 3 years ago
-
artemis6
-
-
jfill
-
artemis6:
thats a big if..........
- 3 years ago
-
jfill
-
-
bombastinator
-
artemis6:
if tinfoil hats were put away the mind control lasers wouldn't work as well...
- 3 years ago
-
bombastinator
-
-
callenstewart
-
Wow. That's pretty incredible. I have no idea what it takes to make that happen, but I would love that!
- 3 years ago
-
callenstewart
