This may seem completely outrageous to you, but just think of the possibilities of being able to fuel not only yourself, but your car with wonderful coffee beans to power you through the day! There have been a team of scientists in Reno, Nevada, who have been learning that the process of removing the oils from the coffee beans is much easier than anyone ever expected. What that could mean for everyone out there is that there is a new option in the future for cheap and eco-friendly fuel that can potentially make millions of gallons per year for all of our vehicles we drive daily. Impressive!

One of the main researchers in this project hit this goldmine quite by accident because he left his coffee out over night and noticed oil around the edge the next day. He then decided to test the leftover oil deposit, and the rest is history! Well, not yet, but it does have the chance to make history as we expand the rich cultural uses and traditions of coffee to now potentially power our cars and save the environment. The study tested the oils of used Starbucks coffee grounds, and they found that since it was such a basic process, that this coffee fuel may be able to be sold as cheaply as one dollar per gallon! I know our gas prices have dropped lately due to the economy, but I am loving the idea of steadily inexpensive prices for fuel in my future.

Right now, the Department of Agriculture is showing that the world is raking in a little over seven million tons per year of coffee, so it seems that we are not hurting for a great cup of joe or a promising fuel resource. The even better part is that your new fuel of choice could smell like java too, and what a way to start your morning as you fill up your tank on the way to work. The fuel is also said to be more stable that regular biodiesel because coffee itself is so high in antioxidants in its natural state. This is being explained as a wonderful green option for fuel since it is so low cost and it also emits so much less carbon dioxide when it is used. The ozone will not be the only thing that is thanking us when we look to this alternative fuel resource.

This is not going to completely transform our environment as we know it, but there are a few things to look forward to, and one of them is exhaust that smells like coffee! Imagine yourself sitting in traffic, waiting for the light to change, while still enjoying the sweet smell of… coffee? That is something I never thought I could expect, but I think that it can’t get any better than that. It is amazing to see that the drink that we so know and love can not only titillate our taste buds but also protect our good Mother Earth. The best of both worlds by far!