My recent biodiesel web projects:
After getting frustrated with the apparent lack of a Sydney Biodiesel scene on the web, I decided to make my own.
I bought a diesel vehicle, not just for the fuel economy and environmental benefits, but so that one day I could run it on biodiesel, which has significant environmental benefits. Unfortunately, after much trawling of the web and discovering little in the way of an open Australian biodiesel community, particularly a Sydney one, I decided to create a space of my own for other biodiesel users in Sydney to call home. I did this purely to try and uncover all the people who have previously been hiding in numerous and scattered forums across the web. Most of these places were not biodiesel specific, or not Australian specific. I felt that a specific place was needed that could be easily found and identified by the casual web surfer like myself who would look for terms like “biodiesel sydney”, “biodiesel coop sydney”, “sydney biodiesel users” or “purchase biodiesel Sydney” etc.
The site would need to be free, open to anyone, look professional and serve to promote biodiesel and connect the local Sydney community.
A pure web forum site would not offer the opportunity to promote biodiesel, or offer static content in a manner suitable to most casual web searchers. Conversely, a forum would be needed to connect the users together, allow them to share resources, information on making, using or buying biodiesel in Sydney.
I decided eventually to make 2 sites.
1. Sydneybiodiesel.com would be the main site, designed to promote biodiesel in Sydney, show the latest biodiesel news and announcements relevant to the Sydney scene and also allow other members of the group to contribute content.
2. biofuelsforum.com would provide the forums for the Sydney biodiesel users group, while also being available to any other communities in Australia, or elsewhere who wanted to discuss alternative fuels. Ethanol discussion is welcome, though the prime focus is to be on biodiesel or straight vegetable (SVO) or waste cooking oil (WCO) conversions.
Members are encouraged to post up information on their own vehicle conversions, or talk about where they might buy supplies to make biodiesel in Sydney, find others who are making it to help them, or join our Sydney Biodiesel Purchasing Group, if they wish to join a co-op to buy commercially produced biodiesel in Sydney.
I’m also hoping to benefit from cross promotion between the sites, which in time may make them both more findable on the web.