As early as 1853, biodiesel has been made from used vegetable oil. Nowadays, engineers have figured out how to use biodiesel to power cars and even airplanes. By chemically reacting lipids with an alcohol, anyone can make their own biodiesel. Many fast food restaurants that use oil to fry their food are willing to give away the used oil. Because restaurants have to pay to get rid of the used oil, it is easy for anyone to get a hold of large amounts of oil. After a process called transesterification, you are left with a layer of biodiesel and a layer of glycerin. This glycerin can be used to make a variety of soaps and candles while the biodiesel can be used for fuel. Hooray for economically friendly biproducts! Below is a link to a Youtube video where you can learn how to make your own biodiesel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ramY_M_z4pk
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