Students in Agricultural and Chemistry classes are using a mobile production facility to learn about renewable fuel sources. When the school began to develop this program, the ultimate idea was to bring new and innovative concepts to the school curriculum and provide a community learning opportunity.

The mobile production facility has a 45 gallon bioreactor using waste vegetable oil as its primary feedstock. The bioreactor does have the capability to use other feedstock material such as soybean oil. The facility can run continuously with a production rate of 45 gallons per 2 hour batch. When used in conjunction with the curriculum of the Agricultural Education classes, the process takes 6 hours due to the instructional nature of the program. The motive of the Renewable Fuels Program is not simply to produce large amounts of fuel, but to develop an understanding and appreciation of the total production process.

The equipment was funded through a grant provided by the Biofuels Center of North Carolina.

External links

Washington High School

Biofuels Center of North Carolina