Here’s a nice PR gimmick (and by nice, I mean totally disgusting): power your monster "eco-boat" with biodiesel made from human fat:
You can also make biodiesel from tallow (animal fats), fish oil, seaweed and algae. In fact, in an extraordinary show of dedication to the project, the skipper, Pete Bethune, underwent liposuction, and the fat (all 100ml) was used to make a small amount of Biodiesel for Earthrace!
I think this mostly shows an extraordinary dedication to clever marketing. Unfortunately for the earth, Bethune isn’t all that chubby, so he enlisted a few "big, fat people" (his words) to squeeze out four gallons of biodiesel. All in, this represents about 0.06 percent of the fuel Bethune will need to set the "Round the World Speed Record by a Powerboat."
But the boat is certainly cool. It’s designed to pierce waves rather than ride over them. In tests, the boat has merrily burrowed under 40-foot monsters. Another fun fact: the boat comes equipped with an axe. If it tips, the crew will have to chop its way out.
Gimmicks aside, there actually is a highly credible way to turn body fat into a renewable energy source for transportation. The technology is low-cost and available in mass production today. Intrigued? Check it out:
