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What Is Biodiesel?
Biodiesel is the generic name of a range of non-petroleum based fuels which can be directly substituted for diesel oil in vehicles and for heating oil for space heating. That is, the equipment that burns the fuel does not have to be modified to use biodiesel and the user can switch back and forth between biodiesel and petroleum-based diesel with little or no adverse effects. (Please note that there are some exceptions to this which will be covered later on in this explanation.)
Biodiesel can be made from a wide range of vegetable oils and also from animal fats. Typical plant sources are soy beans, rape seed, mustard seed, safflower seed, and peanuts.
Animal fats come from rendering plants. Biodiesel can also be made from recycled cooking oils from restaurants and food processing plants.
The biodiesel we sell at FAST FUEL service stations and as a heating oil blend is soy bean based and comes from West Central Soy, a large farmer-owned cooperative in Ralston Iowa. It is not a recycled product. West Central Soy extracts the vegetable oil from the soy beans with a crushing process, which produces the "purest" finished product.(The alternative process for oil extraction involves using a solvent to dissolve the oils in the soy beans; the solvent then has to be removed using another chemical process.)
After extraction, the oil goes through a "transesterification" process which separates glycerin and water, which are then removed. The finished product is boidiesel, a fuel which is remarkably similar to diesel oil. It has nearly the same BTU content per gallon, a similar viscosity, higher lubricity, and a higher cetane rating. The biodiesel fuel sold by FAST FUEL and Acme Fuel is certified to meet the ASTM (American Society of Testing Materials) specification number 6751, which is the recognized high quality standard for biodiesel fuel.
There are many benefits to using biodiesel as a motor or heating fuel. Biodiesel usage reduces our dependence on mideast oil, helps American farmers, and reduces our nation's balance of payments deficit. Biodiesel exhaust has less particulates than petroleum diesel exhaust, and some studies show that the complete biodiesel production-transportation-use cycle reduces net carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Biodiesel's higher cetane and lubricity make for easier starting and smoother running diesel engines…and biodiesel exhaust smells better than petroleum diesel exhaust.
There are some disadvantages to biodiesel. It gels at about 28 degrees fahrenheit , so 100% biodiesel or blends close to 100% can't be used in below freezing weather. It is a very powerful solvent so it will dissolve and break loose sludge that may have been building up in older vehicle's fuel system for years; this sludge ends up in the fuel filter and can sometimes stop the engine. It can also dissolve natural rubber fuel lines in older vehicles. These problems are solved by changing the fuel filters ands replacing the old fuel lines.
The biggest challenge to using biodiesel as a motor fuel today is that virtually all of the major diesel engine manufacturers will not honor their engine warranties if blends of more than 5% biodiesel are used in the engines and the problems can be traced in any way to the fuel used. Some manufacturers will not warranty their engines if any biodiesel has been used. This situation is gradually getting better, but it is a very major issue because of the high cost of diesel engine repairs. (Many public fleets have been running on blends of 20% or 40% biodiesel for years with no problems whatsoever, but the engine makers are still very cautious and slow to come around).
Overall, the problems with using biodiesel are more imagined than real and the real problems are all temporary or easily fixed.
Biodiesel as a heating fuel is fairly new to the Northwest. As of this writing, ACME FUEL has been delivering a "B-20" blend of biodiesel heating fuel (20% pure soy-based biodiesel and 80% low-sulfur heating oil) in the Thurston County area for the better part of a complete heating season. We have had no problems with the fuel and highly recommend it for home heating.
For more information on biodiesel, go to www.biodiesel.com. |
How Does the FAST FUEL Rebate Program Work?
You can raise money for your favorite charity, religious, recreational, sports or other group every time you get gas or diesel at a FAST FUEL/CFN station.
It's called the FAST FUEL Customer Rebate Program and here's how it works. You get 10 or more FAST FUEL customers to register for the Customer Rebate Program and designate the cause you are supporting. That's all there is to it!
Then, anytime anyone in your group gets fuel at a FAST FUEL station or any affiiliated CFN station, one cent per gallon goes into your group's fund. At the end of each month, your group gets a check automatically for the total rebate earned.
In addition, each participating group member gets a note on his or her statement thanking them for the contribution and informing them of how much their purchases contributed. It's similar to supermarket fundraising programs but without the hassle since the FAST FUEL computer does all the work!
You still get the same low FAST FUEL prices as everyone else and you still get your discount for prompt payment. The FAST FUEL rebate program has been helping local organizations raise funds for years. We regularly send out monthly checks for $7 or $8 to over $100 per group! Plus, there's no charge to participate.
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How Does Real Time Access To My FAST FUEL Account Work?
Your regular monthly FAST FUEL invoice/management report gives you miles-per-gallon, total consumption and the dates, times and gallons purchased for each of your vehicles...but that's not until the end of the month when you get your printed statement in the mail.
Now, you can check the activity of each of the cards on your account in real time with the click of a mouse! Does your company have a vehicle on the way to California? You can check on where and when it stopped for fuel and how much fuel was loaded seconds after the transaction took place.
Does your teenager have a FAST FUEL card? Check on gallons used, fuel locations and times instantly.
Locate CFN Stations Anywhere Along Your Route
Are you planning a trip to another part of the country and wondering where the nearest gas stations are along your route? Like to have a map and directions to each site? You can call the Acme/FAST FUEL office for the latest free directory booklet...or sit down at your computer, go to the CFN website, type in your route information and get the details on all the CFN sites along your way, including maps. Print the information and you're on your way.
To check out the CFN interactive website, just go to http://www.cfnnet.com Then call us at (360) 943-1133 to get set up for real time access to your FAST FUEL/CFN account...or if you are not already a FAST FUEL customer, call us to set up your FAST FUEL account. There's no charge whatsoever to set up your account or for CFN access.
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How Do Gasoline Additives Affect Performance?
For the past several years, federal law has required that all gasoline sold in the USA — branded, unbranded, regular, mid-grade and super — be treated with additives to keep fuel injectors and intake valves clean.
The "LAC" or Lowest Additive Concentrate indicates the level at which a deposit control additive must be mixed with gasoline to meet the federal "keep clean" regulations. A majority of gasoline suppliers treat all their gasoline at a rate over the LAC to make sure that they always comply with federal law.
Also, most major brand suppliers treat their gasoline with additive concentrations well over the LAC to enhance and value and performance of their gasoline. Treating at higher concentrations than the LAC can actually "clean up" deposits on injectors and intake valves as opposed to "keeping clean" components that are already clean.
But, all additives are not the same.
Most of these same major brand suppliers use additives based on poly butane amine chemistry or "PBA." PBA additives mixed with gasoline can cause unwanted combustion chamber deposits, especially in the higher treatment levels needed to help "clean up" injectors and intake valves.
However, state-of-the-art additives based on poly ether amine chemistry or "PEA" do not cause significant levels of combustion chamber deposits and are considered "combustion chamber deposit neutral." PEA additives can therefore safely be used at the higher treatment levels required to maximize injector and intake valve cleaning.
FAST FUEL uses only top quality PEA additives at relatively high treatment levels. All FAST FUEL gasoline grades – unleaded, unleaded plus and super unleaded – are treated with a high quality PEA additive at a rate of 98 pounds per thousand barrels, which is well above the LAC and a rate that maximizes cleaning of your engine's fuel injectors and intake valves.
What does this mean to you? Simply this, that FAST FUEL PEA-additized gasoline can assure maximum performance of the fuel-related components of your vehicle's engine and -- depending on what gasoline you are using now -- could give you more power, smoother acceleration, better fuel economy and less ping and knock. Please note that this only applies to gasoline purchased at FAST FUEL's two Thurston County stations.
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How Do Diesel Additives Affect Performance?
FAST FUEL starts out with high quality, low sulfer clear motor diesel and adds “OTR Premium Plus 4” – a premium diesel additive made by the Index Division of Betz-Dearborn Chemical Company. This additized diesel does the following:
- Cleans fuel injectors and the entire fuel system to maintain top diesel performance. It meets CUMMINS L-10 and N14 tests for injector cleanliness and prevention of injector tip erosion.
- Improves lubricity, which prevents premature engine wear. It meets Stanadyne, John Deere and Bosch lubricity requirements. This is especially important for pre-1990 engines, which were not designed for low-sulfer diesel.
- Reduces or eliminates water and condensation but does not contain alcohol.
- Raises the fuel’s cetane rating by 4 points. This reduces ignition delay and makes for easier starting in cold weather.
- Prevents fuel thickening down to 20 degrees below zero.
What this all means is that FAST FUEL premium diesel fuel can’t be beat for engine protection and vehicle performance. As is the case with gasoline, this premium diesel is only available at the FAST FUEL Stations in Olympia, WA.
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What Is The Best Set Of Acme Services To Have If I Burn Heating Oil?
The most comprehensive, trouble-free set of services to have for heating oil users is automatic delivery service, a furnace service contract, tank replacement contract and the budget payment plan. Automatic delivery service assures that you will not run out of fuel, no matter how cold it gets. A furnace service contract provides for yearly furnace maintenance and straight-time emergency repairs for a set yearly cost. A tank replacement contract will remove and replace your heating oil tank if it springs a leak, and Acme's budget payment plan lets you pay for all of these services over the 12 months of the year with no interest or finance charge. Go to ACME FUEL-Services in this web site for more details.
No matter what ACME FUEL services you use, be sure to sign up for the State of Washington's PLIA (Pollution Liability Insurance Agency) heating oil pollution cleanup program. It will pay for pollution cleanup if your tank springs a leak, but you will not be covered if you are not registered with the program before the leak occurs.
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What Is The Best Set Of Acme Services To Have If I Burn Propane?
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The most comprehensive, trouble-free set of services to have for propane users is automatic delivery service, a furnace service contract, and the budget payment plan. Automatic delivery service assures that you will not run out of propane, no matter how cold it gets. A furnace service contract provides for a yearly furnace maintenance, safety check and straight-time emergency repairs for a set yearly cost, and Acme's budget payment plan lets you pay for these services over the 12 months of the year with no interest or finance charge. Go to ACME FUEL-Services in this web site for more details.
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What Is The Benefit Of A Furnace Service Contract If I Burn Natural Gas?
The main benefit of a service contract is that it assures that your furnace will be operating as efficiently and safely as possible. While natural gas units will often run for many years without service, efficiency may degrade as the burners get dirty and/or rusty. Also,
dangerous conditions such as flame rollout and heat exchanger leaks can develop unnoticed over a long period of time if the equipment is not serviced annually.
The instruction manual that comes with every gas furnace specifies that the unit be checked annually by a professional heating technician. A furnace service contract on a gas furnace gives you "peace of mind"
An additional benefit of the service contract is that it covers most parts as well as straight-time labor at no cost. Draft inducers, gas valves, ignition modules and main control boards can be quite expensive for gas furnaces; you could save $300.00, $400.00 or $500.00 if one of these parts must be replaced and you have a service contract.
For more information, go to "Furnace Service Contracts" in the Acme Energy Service-Services section of this web site.
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