My Open-Source Life...

It never really dawned on me how much I follow the Open-Source "way". I always knew I had a preference for open-source software (OSS), but it appears that way of living has permeated into the fabric of my life. Open-source software is software which is free - as in beer. My good friend Paul used to put it this way: "Yes, water is freely available, but would you drink from the swamp ?". I think this was his way of saying that you can get open-source software anywhere, but you should trust the source.

The same is quickly becoming evident in other areas of my life. About three years ago, a commercial company started making bio-diesel in a plant just near Aldersyde, AB - about 10 km north of where I live. Intrigued about alternative fuel (like alternative software), I began researching how bio-diesel was made. The company in Aldersyde takes the plant matter (canola, rapeseed, etc.), presses the oil themselves & transforms it into usable bio-diesel. Very cool...

Then I stumbled across a group of shade-tree engineers who were creating usable fuel out of vegetable oil. In their system, they had to extensively modify their vehicles to pre-heat the oil so it would combust properly. I didn't like this idea, as it would a) annoy my wife to no end, b) render my truck nearly impossible to sell or trade in, and c) annoy my wife to no end !


However, there was a second group who were converting used vegetable oil into perfectly good bio-diesel using a process called transestrification (www.ezbiodiesel.com). Essentially, they would take the oil, add Methoxide (methanol & lye in specific proportions) and cause the glycerine to seperate out of the vegetable oil. Now this had me intrigued. Being that it seemed too good to be true, I did a LOT of research. Seems this was not only more common than I realized, but even legal. Seemed the only downfall was the fact that if I brew more than 2000 litres a year, Revenue Canada wants 19% road tax ! Although I immediately wondered - 19% of WHAT ?

So I downloaded some plans off the Internet to build an "Appleseed Processor". I think the name has something to do with Johnny Appleseed - but don't quote me. Sam (my now 13 yr-old) and I spent about a week collecting all the parts, building the base plan, and then making minor modifications.

The rest, as they say is history ! I will admit, I have stumbled... OK Bob, yes I had a catastrophic failure that cost me an injector & a fuel pump in the truck ! But we learn by our mistakes...

Now I am considering other alternative sources of energy. Sam & I (budding shade-tree engineers ourselves !) are planning to build small-scale wind-turbines, photovoltaic panels, and possibly a solar hot-water collector (using www.builditsolar.com as a starting point). As you can see, we are keenly interested in renewable energy. Not because we wish to lessen our carbon foot-print (or some such nonsense), but because the whole concept of investing a little to get free (NOT as in beer) energy from a small up-front investment is intriguing.


This is the open-source way my life is going...

The opinions expressed are purely those of the author. Opinions are like noses - everyone has one, and they are entitled to it !