During the Second World War, Americans and their allies faced severe rationing of countless goods, from water to metals, and everything in between. It should come as no surprise that in some places during those years, gasoline was nearly as valuable as gold. The war machine demanded, and got, all the fuel it needed, while civilians had to make do with very little, or often none at all.
From the depths of dire need sprang the idea of wood-burning cars. The allied countries were the leaders in this endeavor, with GM and Ford producing kits so consumers could convert virtually any automobile into a wood-fueled vehicle. Granted, most of these converted engines served on rural farms at the time, but urban populations saw their share of the odd contraptions. In addition, they were hard not to see, considering the conversion kits were monstrously large, noisy, and resembled something out of a bad science fiction film. Picture a Volkswagen Bug with bulging suitcases strapped to the sides.
Technically speaking, this is biomass, albeit in a crude, early form. Spearheading the technology on this branch of fuel development was the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA, an organization that has outlived the wood car). Alongside the U.S. Dept. of Energy, FEMA mass-produced a booklet instructing brave owners in the science of engine conversion. It was not easy, or pretty, but it worked. Those who were willing to devote time and a modest investment were able to avoid the hardship of wartime fuel scarcity and do what Americans do best, innovate when the chips are down.
Granted, some of the European Allied nations introduced their own wood-burning engines, but the FEMA booklet was a template used by the amateur scientists who wished to power their cars with surplus wood. Speaking of which, there was plenty of it. Defense policy in the Allied countries called for massive clear-cutting of tree-dense coastline, the better to prevent enemy attacks and infiltration. Typical wartime practice deforested up to a five-mile strip along every shoreline. For wood car enthusiasts this meant a rare surplus during the early 1940's. Throughout the decade, consumers were getting used to rationing of many staples. Meat, aluminum, coal, fruit, sugar, and electricity topped the list. Therefore, to enjoy a surplus of anything was cause for celebration, even when the commodity was wood.
Nowadays, all sorts of sophisticated conversion kits are on the market. In exchange for a small investment, car owners can build an electric or natural gas car of their very own, provided they find a suitable donor vehicle for use as a shell. The days of wood-burning cars are long gone, for better or worse.
From the depths of dire need sprang the idea of wood-burning cars. The allied countries were the leaders in this endeavor, with GM and Ford producing kits so consumers could convert virtually any automobile into a wood-fueled vehicle. Granted, most of these converted engines served on rural farms at the time, but urban populations saw their share of the odd contraptions. In addition, they were hard not to see, considering the conversion kits were monstrously large, noisy, and resembled something out of a bad science fiction film. Picture a Volkswagen Bug with bulging suitcases strapped to the sides.
Technically speaking, this is biomass, albeit in a crude, early form. Spearheading the technology on this branch of fuel development was the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA, an organization that has outlived the wood car). Alongside the U.S. Dept. of Energy, FEMA mass-produced a booklet instructing brave owners in the science of engine conversion. It was not easy, or pretty, but it worked. Those who were willing to devote time and a modest investment were able to avoid the hardship of wartime fuel scarcity and do what Americans do best, innovate when the chips are down.
Granted, some of the European Allied nations introduced their own wood-burning engines, but the FEMA booklet was a template used by the amateur scientists who wished to power their cars with surplus wood. Speaking of which, there was plenty of it. Defense policy in the Allied countries called for massive clear-cutting of tree-dense coastline, the better to prevent enemy attacks and infiltration. Typical wartime practice deforested up to a five-mile strip along every shoreline. For wood car enthusiasts this meant a rare surplus during the early 1940's. Throughout the decade, consumers were getting used to rationing of many staples. Meat, aluminum, coal, fruit, sugar, and electricity topped the list. Therefore, to enjoy a surplus of anything was cause for celebration, even when the commodity was wood.
Nowadays, all sorts of sophisticated conversion kits are on the market. In exchange for a small investment, car owners can build an electric or natural gas car of their very own, provided they find a suitable donor vehicle for use as a shell. The days of wood-burning cars are long gone, for better or worse.
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