Diesel
Practical Action
Cost
Cost plays an important role in the choice of technology for rural applications. There are two
main costs to consider - the investment cost and the running costs. For diesel systems the
investment costs tend to be relatively low compared with renewable energy technologies while
the running costs will be high.
There are many factors which will determine the actual cost of the power supplied - generating
capacity, load factor, efficiency, fuel costs, etc so running can vary widely.
In the long term, the fuel costs for a diesel or petrol engine will be high compared with the
capital cost and this often causes problems where there are no guaranteed funds or income to
buy fuel so many machines sit idle due to lack of funds. In many developing countries foreign
exchange shortages mean that there can be regular shortages of fuel. Theft of fuel is also issue.
Suppliers, spare parts and maintenance
One important factor to consider when purchasing an engine is the availability of spare parts. If
there is a dealership or supplier for the manufacturer in the area then there should be no
problem obtaining spare parts. Importing spare parts can be expensive, take time to be delivered
or unobtainable.
There is usually a wide range of manufacturers represented in major towns and cities in most
countries throughout the world. It is worth checking this before purchase. Some countries are
affected by embargoes or trade restrictions which can make it difficult to find spares.
Maintenance of any machine presents many problems. It is important to ensure that the machine
will be regularly maintained by a competent person. In remote rural areas this can be difficult.
There is often no one in the area that is knowledgeable of the machine and it will be very
expensive and take time to bring in a skilled mechanic from the nearest town to carry out the
maintenance. It is worth considering sending a local person for training so that the maintenance
will be carried out regularly and competently.
Resources
Coconut Crude – Vanuatu – Hands On fact sheet
Donuts for Diesel, UK - Hands On fact sheet
Soluciones Prácticas (Practical Action Latin America) biodiesel project (In Spanish)
Production of Biodiésel. Fourth practical theoretical course of biodiesel. UNALM Web of
biodiésel
Appropriate Technology, Vol. 31/3, Sept 2004
This issue of the Appropriate Technology journal contains a range of articles including:
Renewable Energy: power from palm oil mill waste; biodiesel from Jatropha; AMA
(Agricultural Mechanization in Asia, Africa and Latin America)
From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank: the complete guide to using vegetable oil as an
alternative fuel Author(s): Tickell J, Tickell K Pub. Details: USA, 1999
This book provides concise, easy to understand instructions on how to use vegetable oil
to fuel a diesel engine. The book is organized into two sections: Section one - gives
historical, economic, and scientific context to using vegetable oil as a fuel. Section two -
gives directions for making biodiesel, building a biodiesel processor, running a diesel
engine on a mixture of kerosene and vegetable oil, and running a diesel engine on
straight vegetable oil
Rural Lighting, a Guide for Development Workers, Louineau, J., Dicko, M., et al,
Practical Action Publishing and The Stockholm Environment Institute, 1994.
Fuels and engines selection of Practical Action Technical Briefs
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