The recently passed $1 trillion Farm Bill will help Extreme Biodiesel produce its hemp-based biodiesel, bringing us one step closer to Cheech & Chong’s Sweet & Low Upholstery van…maybe.
Extreme Biodiesel (EB) is currently ironing out plans to purchase 40 acres of farmland to grow marijuana’s non-intoxicating cousin, hemp. The company is hoping that hemp will provide a stinky green future for the alternative fuel industry thanks to a hemp-based biodiesel. EB claims it’s waterless filtration biodiesel manufacturing system can produce 100 gallons of biodiesel in as little as 5.5 hours, with “Extreme Mini-Refineries” capable of producing as much as 600 gallons of biodiesel per day. For that though, you need a whole lotta hemp, which is where the Farm Bill comes in.
The Farm Bill, signed by President Obama in February, allows hemp to be legally grown in ten states, many of which are unsurprisingly on the forefront of marijuana reform. With EB’s home state of California being one, they have launched XTRM Cannabis Ventures to oversee the planned operations. The 40 acre parcel will include up to five indoor growing warehouses at around 20,000 sq. ft. each, 20 acres of land sectioned for outdoor grows and a processing facility.
With 40 acres, it appears as though Extreme Biodiesel is set on producing results in their experiments but this will not be an overnight sensation. Production will most likely begin slowly, as EB has stated that they may allow legitimate businesses to utilize unused portions of the facilities in order to create additional revenue streams. Hemp has a ton of legal uses because it’s strong, light, and all-natural, and turning it into biodiesel is just another use for this prolific plant.
Other attempts at integrating hemp into the automotive industry have been made in the past. Advanced ideas like Motive Industries’ Kestrel, with a body made entirely of hemp composites, and early attempts by Henry Ford to integrate hemp into his bio-plastic car have helped to show the real potential of this harmless plant that is habitually mixed up with its controversial cousin.
Sources: AutoBlogGreen
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