A Coconut fuel on the way for diesel engines

LONDON (Reuters)

Car drivers in the tropics could one day be filling up with
coconut oil instead of diesel and petrol after a breakthrough discovery by a
Fijian student in Britain. Mikaele Dreu, an engineering student at Bolton Institute
in northwest England, has developed a way of making coconut oil, long-used for
heating, a viable fuel for diesel engines. "The coconut fuel can be used in
diesel engines at the moment and maybe with technological improvements the fuel
might be usable in petrol engines," he said in a telephone interview. Dreu,
27, has found a new way of extracting oil from coconut flesh without producing
large quantities of toxic sulfur which usually occur when the traditional drying
out method is used. Coconut fuel solidifies at around 15 degrees Celsius, making
it impractical for use in cold climate but ideal for the tropics. "It is aimed
primarily at the Asia Pacific area where the temperature is right and coconuts
grow. Diesel is an expensive fuel compared with coconut fuel," said the student.
So far the fuel has only been used on a diesel engine in a Bolton Institute
laboratory but the young engineer has already won a renewable energy prize.
The Thames Water Prize for sustainable use of natural resources has led to a
deluge of interest from companies keen to meet the young engineer and explore
ways of making his discovery commercial. "I haven't replied to any of them yet.
I'm in my final year and want to get my degree first," he said. Dreu has contacted
the Fijian government with details of his discovery in the hope that it would
help improve life for the people of his homeland but so far there has been no
response. "I think they are busy preparing for the election. Maybe after that
they will have more time."

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