Salt Lake City to Produce Safflower-Biodiesel for U.S. Army

769
biodiesel, biofuel

Safflower was originally grown for the flowers that were used in making red and yellow dyes for clothing and food preparation. Today this crop supplies oil, meal, birdseed, and foots (residue from oil processing) for the food and industrial products markets, although this crop is now primarily grown for the oil.

The oil in linoleic safflower contains nearly 75% linoleic acid, which is considerably higher than corn, soybean, cottonseed, peanut or olive oils. This type of safflower is used primarily for edible oil products such as salad oils and soft margarines. Researchers disagree on whether oils high in polyunsaturated acids, like linoleic acid, help decrease blood cholesterol and the related heart and circulatory problems. Nonetheless, it is considered a “high quality” edible oil and public concern about this topic made safflower an important crop for vegetable oil.

Varieties that are high in oleic acid may serve as a heat-stable, but expensive cooking oil used to fry potato chips and French fries. As an industrial oil, it is considered a drying or semidrying oil that is used in manufacturing paints and other surface coatings. The oil is light in color and will not yellow with aging, hence it is used in white and light-colored paints. This oil can also be used as a diesel fuel substitute with 96.8% yield.

The meal that remains after oil extraction is used as a protein supplement for livestock. The meal usually contains about 24% protein and much fiber. Decorticated meal (most of hulls removed) has about 40% protein with a reduced fiber content. Foots are used to manufacture soap. The birdseed industry buys a small portion of the seed production. Sheep and cattle can graze succulent safflower and stubble fields after harvest.

Jeffrey Ward, deputy engineer for the U.S. Army Installation Management Command said: “We are very interested in getting biodiesel and using our lands to support our own energy needs”

Keith Eastin, vice president for the Louis Berger Group and former assistant secretary for the U.S. Army, called the program an “innovative and unique” approach to biofuel production. He believes it could have a broader application at military installations across the country, where large tracts of land are left vacant as a buffer between training grounds and civilian populations.

25 COMMENTS

  1. Hi! Is it okay that I go a bit off topic? I am trying to read your site on my Mac but it doesn’t display properly, any suggestions? Cheers! Kate

  2. When arrive to this topic, a lot of people have misconception that it is challenging to comprehense. But in the event you take some time to study it thoroughly, you might come across you’ll find some points lay inside the article and also you will get better understanding for the subject and what the author is attempting to convey. I truly do expect just about all visitors can make beneficial use of this.

  3. You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be really something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and very broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!

  4. You built some beneficial details there. I did a look for within the matter and observed most folks will consent with your webpage.

  5. You built some beneficial details there. I did a look for within the matter and observed most folks will consent with your webpage.

  6. Please, can you PM me and tell me number of much more thinks about this, I am truly fan of one’s webpage…gets solved properly asap.

  7. Good article, Every single and Every single and every Stage is good enough.Many thanks for sharing with us your wisdom.

  8. You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be really something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and very broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!

  9. Lastly an outstanding write-up in relation to the topic, continue the good work and also I hope to learn far more within you in the long run.

  10. Good blog, where did you come up with the knowledge in this piece of content? I’m glad I found it though, ill be checking back soon to see what other articles you have.

  11. I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading.

  12. Thank you for another great article. Where else could anyone get that kind of information in such a perfect way of writing? I have a presentation next week, and I am on the look for such information.

  13. Simply just needed to mention I really like your work on this website and the high-quality posts you writing. These type of blogging are precisely what keeps me going through the day. I found this post after a excellent friend of my own advised it to me. I do a little blogging and site-building on my own and I am always pleased to see others giving quality info towards the community. I will absolutely be following and have bookmarked your webblog to my diigo account for other people to look at.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here