Science

Captain uses his fat to circumnavigate Earth

by William Atkins

Thursday, 20 December 2007

New Zealander Pete Bethune is using his fat as fuel to power his Earthrace motorboat around the world in an attempt to break a world record.

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The 78-foot (24-meter) Earthrace motorboat, which has been constructed at a cost of about US$3.5 million, will use around 43,590 gallons (165,000 liters) of biodiesel—part of which will be liposuctioned from Bethune's body and the bodies of two volunteers.

Biodiesel is a processed fuel that consists of short chain alkyl esters. It is made by the transesterification of vegetable oils, or in the case of Bethune's project, with animal fats. Some of it will come from human fat.

The fat contribution from Bethune is estimated to be about 2.5 gallons (10 liters) of human fat. That amount will power the boat for about 8 nautical miles.

The trip headed byBethune was officially announced on Tuesday, December 18, 2007. The major sponsor for the trip is SGC Energia (based in Portugal) which will supply nearly all the biofuel for the trip.

Bethune will run the ship on 100% biodiesel. He said it will have a net zero carbon footprint. Bethune is doing the trip in order to emphasize the fragility of the environment and the ability of humans to use reusable resources.

Bethune is trying to circumnavigate the world in under 74 days, 20 hours, 58 minutes, in order to break the current record established in 1998 by United Kingdom-based Cable and Wireless Adventurer boat.

He will begin his journey on March 1, 2008 from Valencia, Spain. He will then travel across the Atlantic Ocean, to the Azores and Puerto Rico, through the Panama Canal, near Manzanillo, Mexico and San Diego, California. He will then head to Hawaii, toward Majuro, Marshall Islands, and across the Pacific Ocean, From there, Bethune will go north of Australia, toward Singapore and the tip of India, through the Suez Canal, and back home again.

For additional information on Pete Bethune and his Earthrace motorboat, go to his website at: http://www.earthrace.net/index.php?section=1.

According to the website, “Pete [Bethune] is passionate about the environment, and believes strongly that renewable fuels must become a key part of our transport fuel mix. He is also keen to promote positive measures that everyday people can make to reduce their environmental impact, not just in transport fuels, but in many areas of their lives. His goal is to see the Earthrace boat and crew become a positive promotion for change.”

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