Using Weeds as Biodiesel

Gumweeds are very common in the Intermountain West and do well here in northern Nevada. With more research we might just be using these weeds to fuel some of our cars and planes in the future. 

"These things that we've made are very close to jet fuel. This is the highest quality product that we produce," said Professor Glenn Miller. 

Our military for example could use some of the weed extract to fuel their jets. Miller and his team got a grant from the USDA about four years ago to start the project, and they've made some progress since then. There's still some testing to be done, including putting it in planes themselves, but it's possible. They've also produced a solution that is a combination of both diesel and weed extract that could possibly be used to put in our cars and trucks. 

"All you do is extract it, put it in a large reactor, heat it up, and whatever distills over can be converted over to fuel," added Miller. 

They've been collecting seeds and growing their own gum weeds for a while now. A small garden will produce enough extract for about two or three gallons worth of biodiesel every year or two. Gum weeds thrive in dry and somewhat salty climates. 

"Want to have something that basically will make agriculture money. That's the goal of what we're doing at the university to see if we can produce products that have economic potential," added Miller.

If we can get local farmers on board with the study, the research would grow even more. Replacing about ten percent of our sagebrush land in Nevada with Gumweeds would produce around 300 million gallons of this jet fuel. However, Gum Weeds are not the only kind of biodiesel out there. 

"Soybean oil is primary source of biodiesel. That isn't the best jet fuel because it has a lot of oxygen in it," added Miller. 

So while the Midwest might have the crop for cars, our gumweeds might be a great source for jets. Miller does not see the whole country using our weeds for diesel, it might be a good thing for our area.