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Cooking oil powers local man's commute
Orange County man converts his Volkswagen into a "veggie car" by using old cooking oil for fuel
Date published: 7/16/2008
By CATHY DYSON French fries and hush puppies keep Erik Whittington going on his daily commute from Locust Grove to Stafford County. The 38-year-old doesn't eat them by the pound. He uses the oil they're cooked in to fuel his 2002 Volkswagen Jetta, which has a diesel engine. He gets used cooking oil from Virginia Barbeque in Spotsylvania County, then filters it several times to remove goo left behind after deep-frying. Then, he pumps the amber-colored liquid into his tank, turns the key and gets 45 to 48 miles per gallon. That's the same mileage as with diesel, which was being sold for up to $5 a gallon this week at local stations. After startup costs of about $2,000 for the conversion kit and filtering system, Whittington hasn't spent a dime on the alternate fuel. "It's pretty wild," said Whittington, who recycles everything from cans and bottles to batteries and paper. "It's amazing that it works." Whittington commutes more than 50 miles a day to work. He's the outreach director for the American Life League, an anti-abortion group. He hasn't noticed any change in power since the Jetta became a "veggie car" three months ago. He goes through oil and fuel filters faster--because there's still some gunk after filtering--and those parts are more expensive. He still uses some diesel fuel because the engine needs to be started and stopped the standard way. The vegetable oil has to warm up before it's used, then is purged from the lines at the end of the trip with the flip of a switch. Whittington supports his wife and four children, ages 2 to 7, on his salary, so he's always looking to cut costs. But his reasons for trying another energy source go beyond saving money and helping the environment. He doesn't like to line the pockets of people who despise the United States. "I have a problem going to a pump and putting in my card and paying all this money and knowing a large percentage of this is going to people who hate us," he said. Whittington did a lot of research before he put cooking oil in his car. His search led him to Greasecar Vegetable Fuel Systems in Easthampton, Mass.
Date published: 7/16/2008
slarrivee
(posted by
theobc
, July 16, 2008 4:20 pm)
it has been fun. look forward to disagreeing with you on the next topic. :)
Car Powered by VA BBQ....! :-)
(posted by
Traiby
, July 16, 2008 10:32 am)
Fabulous! Recycling, saving money, reducing emissions, and taking a bite (albeit small) out of the pockets of the oil execs that profit beyond measure at our expense. I’m all for them making money, but at a tune of Billion$ when our economy is suffering so?? That is shameful. But I digress - Thank you Erik for having the courage to put those stones in your sling and being willing to take on the giants. There are many who oppose and hate us around the world, but I am glad you are set free from their bondage!
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