Going "Green" With Stoves: Alcohol and Biodiesel

Hey, Jim, all these stoves are all well and fine, but what about sustainability?

Well, good question.  Petroleum based fuels are great, but in no way are they sustainable.  However, there are a couple of fuels out there that are considered "green:"  alcohol and biodiesel.  Now, some people will be thinking "what about wood?"  Wood is a sustainable fuel, but in heavily traveled areas, the forest can be picked clean of downed wood, and people will start pulling down standing wood -- hardly a "green" practice.  So, for the purposes of this post, I'm going to talk about fuels that you bring, i.e. a substance that you bring with you and burn to cook with in order to minimize your impact on the environment and Leave No Trace.

ALCOHOL 
First, alcohol:  Alcohol stoves have been around for years.  The good news is that alcohol stoves will burn "green" alcohol just fine without any modifications.  In other words, the only thing you need to change if you've already got an alcohol stove is just your brand of alcohol.  Sweet!

Um, that's great, but just what is "green" alcohol?

Well, "green" alcohol is primarily ethanol (ethyl alcohol) that has been made in a sustainable fashion.  Generally, "green" alcohol has a higher ethanol content that "regular" denatured alcohol.

For example, "regular" Klean Strip SLX brand denatured alcohol is 45-50% ethanol, 50-55% methanol, 1-4% Methyl isobutyl ketone according to its MSDS.  In other words, the primary component is methanol.  Methanol is typically made from methane (natural gas), a fossil fuel -- hardly a sustainable product.

"Regular" Klean Strip SLX Denatured Alcohol

On the other hand "green" Klean Strip brand denatured alcohol is Ethanol 90-100%, methanol <10%, Methyl isobutyl ketone <10%, Acetic acid, Ethyl ester <5%.  There's a lot more sustainable ethanol, and there is far less unsustainable methanol.  Perfect?  No, but much better than SLX's regular product and far better than a 100% petroleum product.

"Green" Klean Strip Denatured Alcohol

BIODIESEL
Now, let's talk about biodiesel. First, I am not an expert on biodiesel.  But I'm getting enough questions about biodiesel that I though I'd at least post some general information based on the questions I've received.

Q:  Can I run stove "X" on biodiesel?   (where "X" is a particular stove such as an XGK, an Omnifuel, etc --  typical pressure stoves in other words)
A:  Maybe.  But it probably won't work very well, if at all.  Biodiesel is pretty heavy.  Stoves tend to foul and jam a lot on biodiesel.  Something like an XGK (about as robust a stove as you can find) would be your best bet, but I would test it thoroughly at home before taking it out on the trail.  No backpacking stove that I know of is designed for biodiesel.   I would definitely not try biodiesel in a stove with a valve at the burner.  Stoves with a valve at the burner tend to be more "sensitive" to fuel impurities.  Examples of stoves with a valve at the burner include the MSR Dragonfly, the Primus Omnifuel, the Coleman Apex II, and the Optimus Nova/Nova+. 

Q:  Can I run an alcohol stove (aka a meths stove) on biodiesel?
A:  No way.  You're just not going to get enough thermal feedback (enough heat) in a typical alcohol stove to vaporize a heavy fuel like biodiesel.

The take away from all this is that if you're going to try biodiesel in a backpacking type stove, it's going to be a rough go.  If I hear of a stove that works well with biodiesel, I will post an update.

In the mean time, if you want to go "green," get yourself a nice alcohol stove.

HJ

Related posts and articles:

• Getting Started with Alcohol
• DIY Alcohol Stoves -- Basic Design Considerations
• Cold Weather Tips for Alcohol Stoves
• Is Ethanol Worth It?
  
• Caldera Cone Alcohol Stove Review (on Seattle Backpackers Magazine)
• Caldera Cone Review Supplement -- Additional Photos and Technical Appendix with Weights
• The Clikstand Alcohol Stove System Review
• Caldera Cone vs. Clikstand Alcohol Stove Tests
• Trangia 27 Alcohol Stove System Review
• The Caldera Cone's 12-10 Burner
• The Trangia Alcohol Burner
• What's the Best Alcohol for Stove Fuel?
• What Is Meths?  (And how is that different than Methanol?)
• Going "Green" with Stoves:  Alcohol and Biodiesel

Can I Mail Backpacking Gas Canisters? YES! If ...

OK, first, I'm talking about domestic US Mail (USPS) in the contiguous 48 US states only.  This post does NOT apply to packages sent outside the United States.  This post does not apply to UPS, FedEx, or other private shippers.  I'm just talking about US Mail (USPS) within the contiguous 48 states – surface mail only.  No air mail.  No international mail.  No Alaska.  No Hawaii.  No overseas APO's or FPO's.

First, you generally can't send fuel in the US Mail, but there are exceptions.  The exceptions are for what is called "Otherwise Restricted Material – Domestic" (ORM-D), material in other words, that would otherwise be restricted but is NOT under certain conditions.  The conditions?  The conditions are laid out in USPS Publication 52.  See below for relevant sections.

NOTE:  If you refill your own canisters, check with the Postal Service before mailing.  I suspect that refilled canisters cannot be mailed.

Here's a summary:

• The canisters must contain butane mixes.  This is not a problem since that's what backpacking canisters contain.
• The volume of the canisters cannot be more than one liter (but multiple canisters may be included in one package).  This is not a problem because backpacking canisters are smaller than one liter in volume.  A 450 g canister is about 780 ml of fluid for example.
• Canisters have to be well packaged.  Use a good strong box and plenty of tape.
• You have to label the package "ORM-D, Consumer Commodity, Surface Only."
• Canisters have to be padded against shock.  In other words you can't just throw some canisters in a box and mail it.  You need to use bubble wrap, wadded up newspaper, artificial "peanuts", or other similar packing materials to absorb any shocks during shipping.

So, can you mail backpacking gas canisters? Yes – if you meet the conditions.

And of course, be up front with the USPS.  Tell them what you're doing, show them the relevant sections from Publication 52 (best printed from the USPS website, not my clips), and show them how you've labeled everything properly.  Some people have reported having problems with postal workers that simply won't believe that a flammable gas can be mailed – even after being shown the relevant portions of Publication 52. Your best bet then is to either ask to speak to a supervisor or to just take it to another post office.

HJ

From USPS Publication 52:

342.1 Definition

Hazard Class 2 consists of three divisions:

Division 2.1, Flammable Gases. A material that is a gas at 68° F (20° C) or less and 14.7 psi (101.3 kPa) of pressure. Flammable gases also include materials that have a boiling point of 68° F (20° C) or less at 14.7 psi (101.3 kPa) and that are ignitable at 14.7 psi (101.3 kPa) when in a mixture of 13 percent or less by volume with air or that have a flammable range at 14.7 psi (101.3 kPa) with air of at least 12 percent regardless of the lower limit. These conditions must be established in accordance with ASTM E681–85, Standard Test Method for Concentration Limits of Flammability of Chemicals, or other approved equivalent method. The flammability of aerosols must be determined using the tests specified in 49 CFR 173.306(i).

342.22 Mailable Gases

The following are examples of mailable gases: [emphasis added]

Butane. Butane (UN1011) and Receptacles, small (UN2037) with butane or butane mixtures are Division 2.1 flammable gases. Butane gases that can qualify as ORM–D materials are acceptable only in domestic mail via surface transportation when properly prepared under 342.3 and Packaging Instruction 2A in Appendix C.

342.3 Packaging

b. Metal Containers. Mailable nonflammable and flammable compressed gases are acceptable in metal primary receptacles that have a water capacity up to 33.8 fluid ounces (1 liter or 61.0 cubic inches). The liquid content of the material and the gas must not completely fill the primary receptacle at 130° F (55° C). Additionally, the following apply:

1. A DOT 2P container must be used if the internal pressure is from 140 psig to 160 psig at 130° F (55° C).
2. A DOT 2Q container must be used if the pressure is from 161 psig to 180 psig at 130° F (55° C).
3. A container with an internal pressure over 180 psig at 130° F (55° C) is prohibited from mailing.
4. Packaging Instruction 2A or 2B, as applicable, must be followed.

c. Flammable Gases. A mailable flammable compressed gas is restricted to 4 fluid ounces in a nonmetal primary receptacle or 33.8 fluid ounces (1 liter) in a metal primary receptacle per mailpiece Packaging Instruction 2A must be followed.

____________________________________________

Notice that in section 342.3 that b.1 and b.2 call for either a US Department of Transportation (DOT) 2P or 2Q container.  How do I know if I have a 2P or 2Q container?  Well, that is what backpacking canisters are, but you'll need to be able to show that to the Post Office.  Printed somewhere on the canister, you should see something like this:

On the canister, look for the DOT permit number, typically DOT-SP followed by some numbers.
This canister has DOT special permit 9758.

You can look these numbers up on the US Department of Transportation website on the PHMSA Special Permit List.   In the case of DOT SP 9758, we find the following:
"This special permit authorizes the transportation in commerce of a Division 2.1 material in a non-refillable, non-DOT specification inside container conforming to the DOT Specification 2P except ... "
Basically this special permit is an extension of DOT 2P and therefore meets the requirements for mailability.  You should be able to just show the DOT permit on your phone (if they even ask), but be prepared to give them a hard copy print out.

Powermax Fuel Is Definitely Dead :(

I've seen every retailer in my area discontinue carrying Coleman Powermax Fuel all at the same time.  Suspicious, I wrote Coleman to ask if they had stopped making the canisters.

Here is the answer I received:

Jim,

The Powermax fuel has been discontinued, The fuel is being discontinued due to low volumes . You might still find some sporting good store from existing stock.
I apologize for the inconvenience.

Thank you,

Margie
Coleman Consumer Service

In other words, Powermax fuel is definitely dead.   :(

Powermax was the best format out there in terms of gas canisters.  It had no threads to cross thread, it had nice aluminum canisters that were very lightweight (a 110g standard canister is heavier than a 300g Powermax canister!), it had a wonderful 35% propane blend in the US (40% propane overseas), and its liquid feed mechanism allowed it to operate down to -4F/-20C according to Coleman (although many users report good results in temperatures down to -10F/-23C).

A Powermax canister has no threads to cross thread.  Just twist and click.

 Unfortunately, it wasn't standard.  The threaded canisters that are in fact the standard are by no means superior; they're just the standard.  Despite the fact that Powermax was clearly a superior canister, particularly for cold weather, it just didn't catch on.  Distribution was always limited, and only three backpacking stoves (the Coleman Xtreme, the Coleman Xpert, and the Coleman Xpedition) could use the canisters.

A Coleman Xtreme stove hooked up to a Powermax canister

 For those of you lucky enough to own one of the three stoves, fear not!  There are still a lot of Powermax canisters out there.  Check around, and you'll find them.  And the canisters can be refilled.  Yes, I know it says not to, but people have been refilling various canisters for quite some time without problems.  Do note that refilling does have potential dangers -- serious dangers.  Definitely read up on the issue before engaging in refilling.  But for a careful, knowledgeable person, the dangers are minimal.  The Coleman stoves that use Powermax canisters will now be a bit of a bother since fuel is no longer as readily available, but those who know these stoves know their worth!

The inferno that is the flame of a Coleman Xtreme stove

If you've got one of the three stoves that uses Powermax fuel, hang on to it -- and lay in a stock of Powermax canisters.

HJ

Related posts:

• Stove of the Week:  Coleman Xpedition
• Stove of the Week:  Coleman Xtreme
• Update on Powermax Fuel 11/7/2011

What is "Meths?"

In the context of alcohol stoves, you may hear the term "meths" when people talk about fuel.  What is "meths?" (aka "metho") How is that different than Methanol?  How is that different than "Denatured" alcohol?

THE THREE TYPES OF ALCOHOL
Generally, there are three types of alcohol:

• Ethanol (ethyl alcohol)
• Methanol (methyl alcohol)
• Isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol)

Ethanol ("grain" alcohol) is what you get if you buy beer, wine, liquor, etc. It's not really in stove-ready concentration in most alcoholic drinks, although if you buy something like 190 proof Everclear, it will work very well as a stove fuel.  Ethanol is the byproduct of the fermentation of sugar.  Ethanol is used for drinking, as a fuel, and as a solvent.

Methanol ("wood" alcohol) is what you get if you buy HEET in the yellow bottle.  Methanol was first created by distillation from wood but is today typically created by chemical processes from methane (natural gas).  Methanol is used as a fuel, an antifreeze, a solvent, a denaturant for ethanol, and as a feedstock from which other compounds are produced.

Isopropanol is what you get if you buy "rubbing alcohol" or HEET in the red bottle.  Isopropanol is used as a solvent, in disinfecting pads, as an aid for swimmer's ear, a "gasoline dryer" (fuel additive to remove water), and as a feedstock from which other compounds are produced.

Alcohols as fuel:  Of the three types of alcohol, ethanol generally makes the best stove fuel. It has good heat content per gram, burns reasonably cleanly, and isn't overly toxic. Methanol isn't a bad fuel, but it has less heat per gram (which means you have to carry more to do the same amount of cooking) and is fairly toxic both in terms of breathing the fumes and skin contact. NEVER drink methanol.  Ingesting methanol may lead to severe nerve damage, permanent blindness, and death.  Isopropanol is a smokey mess when burned and generally makes a poor stove fuel.

Cold weather considerations:  When you're burning alcohol, you're really burning the vapor.  Methanol has a higher vapor pressure than ethanol which makes methanol vaporize more readily -- an asset in cold weather where sometimes it can be difficult to get ethanol to vaporize properly for burning. 

Denaturing:  As I said, unadulterated ethanol is the same stuff as in liquor. Governments typically tax liquor. For ethanol sold for purposes other than drinking, the ethanol is "denatured" (rendered undrinkable) by adding another substance, a denaturing "agent," to the ethanol so that it is not subject to liquor taxes. The generic name for ethanol with something added to render it undrinkable is "denatured alcohol".

Meths:  Outside the United States, methanol used alone is a common denaturing agent. Ethanol denatured by methanol is often called "methylated spirits" which, depending on what country you live in, is called "meths" or "metho" for short. Frequently, a dye, typically purple, is added to make it obvious that the alcohol is not intended for consumption.

In the United States, there isn't any regulation of what can be used to denature ethanol, and a variety of substances are used, typically in combination. In some cases the denatured alcohol is actually more denaturing agent than alcohol. 

Methanol is never suitable for drinking, so there is no need to "denature" methanol.

SUMMARY:
-Ethanol is a good stove fuel but to avoid liquor taxes it is typically denatured (rendered undrinkable) by adding some other substance or substances before it is sold for fuel or other purposes.
-"Meths" (or "metho") is one form of denatured alcohol.  Methanol is the denaturing agent for meths.
-Methanol is a different type of alcohol than ethanol and is a decent stove fuel but generally not quite as good as ethanol except in cold weather where methanol's higher vapor pressure facilitates combustion.

Hope that's helpful,

HJ

Related posts and articles:

• Getting Started with Alcohol
• DIY Alcohol Stoves -- Basic Design Considerations
• Cold Weather Tips for Alcohol Stoves
• Is Ethanol Worth It?
  
• Caldera Cone Alcohol Stove Review (on Seattle Backpackers Magazine)
• Caldera Cone Review Supplement -- Additional Photos and Technical Appendix with Weights
• The Clikstand Alcohol Stove System Review
• Caldera Cone vs. Clikstand Alcohol Stove Tests
• Trangia 27 Alcohol Stove System Review
• The Caldera Cone's 12-10 Burner
• The Trangia Alcohol Burner
• What's the Best Alcohol for Stove Fuel?
• What Is Meths?  (And how is that different than Methanol?)
• Going "Green" with Stoves:  Alcohol and Biodiesel

Getting Started on Alcohol

A few of my many alcohol stoves.  L to R:  Cat food can stove (home made), Atomic stove (Mini Bull Designs), open top jet stove (home made), White Box stove (White Box Stoves), civilian Trangia (AB Trangia)

First, let me say that you're talking to a long time white gasoline user here. When I was a kid, dad had an old white gasoline two-burner "suitcase" type stove. We used a white gasoline Optimus 8R when we went backpacking. I bought my first stove, a white gasoline only Whisperlite, in 1986. For all of the 80's and 90's, that was the only stove I had.

But as with us all, increasing age has crept up on me, and carrying a big, heavy pack simply isn't an option anymore. Lately, I've been trying to find ways to lighten up my pack. One of the ways I've tried to do that is by experimenting with alcohol stoves. Let me give you an example: Remember my Whisperlite that I bought in 1986? It weighs 312g/11oz for just the pump and stove (i.e. not including the windscreen, fuel bottle, and fuel). By contrast, my 12-10 alcohol stove from Trail Designs weighs 16g/0.6oz. That's right, my alcohol stove weighs less than one ounce. A Whisperlite is nearly twenty times heavier than my 12-10 alcohol stove.  Speaking of the 12-10 stove, if you'd like to see my pick for a good ultralight alcohol set up, check out my article and post on the Caldera Cone.

The 12-10 stove (in my left hand) from Trail Designs.

Now, in all fairness, alcohol doesn't contain as much heat per gram as white gasoline. One does have to carry more alcohol to do the same amount of cooking, but given that the Whisperlite is so much heavier to start with, unless you're doing multi-week trips without resupply, an alcohol stove will almost always be lighter overall.

Alcohol stoves take a bit of getting used to. They're slower, generally have less flame control (depending on the model), and are more vulnerable to wind. To start, you might try taking an alcohol stove on day hikes.  They're light and compact; you'll hardly notice they're there. A cup of hot tea on a cool fall afternoon is a real delight I must say. Then maybe try bringing an alcohol stove on a "quick overnighter" (one night out).  After you've tried some "quick overnighters," then maybe build up to a full weekend, and then maybe a multi day trip.  In no time, you'll feel very comfortable with your alcohol stove.

When you do start experimenting with alcohol stoves, I recommend an open style.  An open style is the easiest to fuel, easiest to light, and is fairly simple to make.

An open side burner stove (left) and a closed jet stove (right)

Here's a video from renown ultra long distance hiker Andrew Skurka on how to make a simple cat can stove.


When you start working with alcohol stoves, be sure to match the stove to the pot.  Take a look at the below photo.  Notice how the flames spill up around the sides of the pot?  Those flames are wasted heat and therefore wasted fuel -- fuel that you had to carry on your back.  You want to avoid flame spillage by choosing a low wide pot rather than a tall narrow pot.  Match the pot to the flame pattern of your stove.  You want to avoid any flame spillage.

This pot is too narrow.  Note how heat is being wasted up the sides.

Be sure to use a windscreen. The flames from a non-pressurized alcohol stove have a pretty low flame velocity.  Wind will play hob with your cooking if you don't have a windscreen.  If you've already got a liquid fueled stove, the windscreen from your liquid fueled stove should work fine. If you don't have a windscreen, check out my article and blog post on windscreens.  In particular look at the multi-layered aluminum foil windscreen I made.  For an alcohol stove, you won't need one that is as tall as the one I made for my canister stove, but the principle is the same.

A tip as you experiment with various types of alcohol stoves:  A slow stove is typically a more efficient stove.  Stoves that heat water more quickly usually burn through more alcohol -- alcohol that you just hauled all the way up and over that high pass.  Get a slower, more efficient stove, and you can make your fuel stretch a bit longer.  Alcohol is about lightness and efficiency.  If you're looking for fast boil times, you might want to look at gas or petroleum based liquid fueled stoves.

For beginners, I wouldn't recommend bringing an alcohol stove if:

• You're cooking for multiple people (too slow)
• You're melting snow (not enough power)
• You're cooking a complicated menu (not enough flame control typically)
• You're headed out in weather near, at, or below freezing (alcohol doesn't vaporize well in cold weather)

Set up on an alcohol stove is a breeze. There's typically no pumping or priming. Just pour in some fuel, light, and go. There's no heavy steel canister with delicate threads that could be cross-threaded as with a gas stove. There's no pump that could break or seals that could fail as with a petroleum based liquid fueled stove. And it's QUIET.

Try it; I think you'll like it.

HJ

Related posts and articles:

• Getting Started with Alcohol
• DIY Alcohol Stoves -- Basic Design Considerations
• Cold Weather Tips for Alcohol Stoves
• Is Ethanol Worth It?
  
• Caldera Cone Alcohol Stove Review (on Seattle Backpackers Magazine)
• Caldera Cone Review Supplement -- Additional Photos and Technical Appendix with Weights
• The Clikstand Alcohol Stove System Review
• Caldera Cone vs. Clikstand Alcohol Stove Tests
• Trangia 27 Alcohol Stove System Review
• The Caldera Cone's 12-10 Burner
• The Trangia Alcohol Burner
• What's the Best Alcohol for Stove Fuel?
• What Is Meths?  (And how is that different than Methanol?)
• Going "Green" with Stoves:  Alcohol and Biodiesel

A classic, old Trangia 25 alcohol burner.  Extremely windproof.