Petrol sales plummet as prices climb

Our transport is heavily oil-based. What are the alternatives?

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adam2
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Post by adam2 »

I dont have a link, but have read that sales of heating oil and red diesel have increased substantialy. This is no doubt partly due to the recent cold weather, but I suspect that some is being illegally used as road fuel.

Customs and excise carry out regular checks, but cant catch them all.
There are said to be a number of criminal gangs removing the colour from red diesel and selling it for road use.

Cooking oil from discount supermarkets is now appreiciably cheaper the derv, and again I wonder how much is being used as road fuel.
"Installers and owners of emergency diesels must assume that they will have to run for a week or more"
goslow
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Post by goslow »

the biodiesel I use is nicely below derv price right now.

surprise surprise I suddenly get a new round of interested enquirers to our biodiesel group

don't even think about using straight veg oil in your car without getting a proper conversion
Aurora

Post by Aurora »

goslow wrote:the biodiesel I use is nicely below derv price right now.

surprise surprise I suddenly get a new round of interested enquirers to our biodiesel group

don't even think about using straight veg oil in your car without getting a proper conversion
BBC News - 05/04/11

A former mechanic has built a makeshift oil refinery in his garden to beat the rising price of fuel.

Michael Prokopiuk, from Northampton, collects used oil from local Asian restaurants and converts it into biodiesel with a kit that cost him £300.

By law anyone can make up to 2,500 litres of biodiesel a year tax-free.

Joel Mapp finds out how he does it.

Video & Original Article
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lancasterlad
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Post by lancasterlad »

This is what an acquaintance of mine is doing - http://offline.cooperatives-uk.coop/live/cme2150.htm

He's doing a great job in changing thinking in his village.
Lancaster Lad

Who turned the lights off?
goslow
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Post by goslow »

that's very nice, but a lot of work and upfront investment cost to make your own. We just get our biodiesel from a commercial supplier, though we do have one guy that does some homebrew.
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adam2
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Post by adam2 »

Sales of both petrol and diesel fall significantly.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19810276

Demand destruction is here !
"Installers and owners of emergency diesels must assume that they will have to run for a week or more"
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adam2
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Post by adam2 »

Things must be getting bad !
I even saw a mini-cab coasting up to a red traffic signal, instead of the more normal practice of driving at 35MPH (in a 30 zone) right up to the light and then braking hard.

I wonder how much of the reduction is due to the growing use of electric vehicles ? probably not that much, I doubt they are even 1% of the vehicles as yet, but every little helps.

In London, the buses are more frequent than in years gone by, and often well filled, presumably at least some of the bus passengers are ex drivers.

Suburban trains are definatly much busier, to the point of extreme overcrowding in many cases. Again presumably some of the extra rail passengers are ex drivers.

What on earth will happen when petrol reaches £2 ? time perhaps to order some more trains, in the hope that overcrowding will at least get no worse.
"Installers and owners of emergency diesels must assume that they will have to run for a week or more"
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JohnB
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Post by JohnB »

My mileage has shot up :shock:. I drove about 1,000 miles in the year to July, and 500 miles last month!
John

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PS_RalphW
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Post by PS_RalphW »

The BBC page has had over 700 comments in 4 hours. People may not know about peak oil, but they sure are pissed at the price of fuel.

Will the penny never drop?
extractorfan
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Post by extractorfan »

I am driving a lot less with a much smaller car, OH is driving a lot less, far fewer visits to inlaw's at weekends etc.

Just bought her a bike, I've already got one and a little seat for the littlun. We do these things for economic reasons (I don't claim to be a moral authority) and I guess many people are doing similar things.
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RenewableCandy
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Post by RenewableCandy »

Gah yous all beat me to it (Positive Room)
Soyez réaliste. Demandez l'impossible.
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Pepperman
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Post by Pepperman »

Update to the graph I posted on the previous page:

Image
Little John

Post by Little John »

goslow wrote:the biodiesel I use is nicely below derv price right now.

surprise surprise I suddenly get a new round of interested enquirers to our biodiesel group

don't even think about using straight veg oil in your car without getting a proper conversion
Whilst you can't use straight veg-oil without a conversion, it is perfectly possible to mix it with dino-diesel directly in the tank during the summer months. I've done it.

I've even used straight veg-oil mixed with a small amount of petrol and it has worked. It ran a bit shit though.... :lol:
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