Legal use of veggie oil as a fuel

[cranetruck]

Biodiesel is available commercially and certain amounts of the homemade variety is permitted to be used legally, but what about veggie oil, used or fresh? I don't believe it's considered a legal fuel in any amount (other than as an additive), so does anyone know how to legally use WVO or VO?

Thanks,

 

[mangus580]

My suspicion is that you will need to track gallons used, and pay your local taxes per gallon....

 

[David_4x4]

Re: RE: Legal use of veggie oil as a fuel

My suspicion is that you will need to track gallons used, and pay your local taxes per gallon....

That's kinda what I was thinking. I dont think you'd have any issues using it as on off-road fuel. But once you start roaring down the highways using it. The govt starts worrying about not getting their tax money.

 

[cranetruck]

Re: RE: Legal use of veggie oil as a fuel

My suspicion is that you will need to track gallons used, and pay your local taxes per gallon....

I'm sure of that, but which form does one use, what is the accepted procedure?

 

[mangus580]

RE: Re: RE: Legal use of veggie oil as a fuel

Well the problem there I think is going to be the variation state to state. Have you investigated on any of the WVO forums?

 

[CCATLETT1984]

RE: Re: RE: Legal use of veggie oil as a fuel

for biodiesel up to 1600gallons per year is exempt from the federal taxes, but you still may have to pay your state fuel taxes.

 

[cranetruck]

This is from the article in the Feb 06 MVM issue, my question here is specifically about veggie oil, not biodiesel. Veggie oil, as far as I know is not recoginized as a fuel...

 

[wjruth]

There was a recent article about this. DOT was checking tanks of semis and saw a car pull in with a sticker on the back stating it was running 100% veggie oil and they pulled him over.
http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/S...SJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173351566923

 

[ken]

The guys at the bio station here in houston tell me that it can only be used as a additive. Ant that's why they only sell B99.9. There has to be some diesel to avoid taxes. But if there is no die in the fuel then how can they say it's not a additive or untaxed?

 

[superburban]

The guys at the bio station here in houston tell me that it can only be used as a additive. Ant that's why they only sell B99.9. There has to be some diesel to avoid taxes. But if there is no die in the fuel then how can they say it's not a additive or untaxed?

His understanding is not 100% accurate. They only sell B99.9 to collect on a tax incentive that only goes to "biodiesel blends", even when they have negligable amounts of diesel. The incentive is worded that the fuel blender gets 0.01$ per percent biodiesel made from virgin oilstock, and 0.005 (1/2 a penny) per percent biodiesel made from used oils.
The "it's only an additive" theory is wrong. All fuel additives sold in the parts stores and truck stops and service stations have already had the tax paid on them. It is included in the price.

As far WVO usage goes, it is not approved by the EPA, so according to them, it is illegal. BUT if you are using it a motor-fuel on-road, the IRS wants their cut. Your state also wants to dip their fingers in that. As long as you are not in an emissioned state (or county of Utah), the EPA will have a hard time ferreting you out. Your state is probably going to be a lot more proactive at going after you for their fair share (it is fair because you are using the public road, after all) of of the road tax than the IRS is.

The best advice is to keep your yapper shut.

 

[cranetruck]

... All fuel additives sold in the parts stores and truck stops and service stations have already had the tax paid on them. It is included in the price.......

Good, we are getting somewhere.

Is there some way to know if/how this tax has been paid? The images below show the front and back of the Heet jug, a fuel additive, I can't see any indication that the road tax is included in the price, please enlighten me.

Heet is almost 100% methanol, your car could run on it.

I'm also curious to know how road tax is paid on battery powered cars charged on house currrent....

I'd like to add that the reason for this thread is find an easy way to pay the road tax, not to avoid paying it.

 

[dabtl]

I have been involved in major road fuel tax cases. All fuel pumped from a terminal for vehicle use is taxed and paid by the buyer.

The government is not interested in quart purchases, hence no tax on the 'additives.'

My guess is that if you began to buy large quantities of veggie oil for fuel, the producer would have to alert the tax man or face problems of 'conspiring' to avoid the motor vehicle fuel tax.

The most common tax dodge used to be buying diesel for 'boiler' or 'off road use' purposes and then putting it into the semi. Now, with the color added to the non-taxed diesel, that is much easier to catch.

 

[cranetruck]

Thanks Dabtl.
I have googled "tax incentives" for alternate fuels, but have not come up with anything current, are there any at this time? It would be interesting to know how an incentive would mesh with road tax for same....

 

[superburban]

There is tons of info in this book:
http://biodieselbasics.com/catalog/...id=30&osCsid=43dc2fd7178cdd3dd07f13ef2583f58a
I dont have my copy in front of me, there's ton of info about incentives in there. I will dig it up and post some of the specifics tomorrow.