How would it be like to stop at a takeaway stand while on a holiday trip and ask for some cooking oil and transform it directly into biodiesel? At first it sounds absurd, but it’s definitely possible, as the Japanese photo journalist Shusei Yamada proofed so spectacularly. He toured once around the world in this manner - with the technical support of LANXESS. 

With his unusual trip Yamada wanted to proof that biodiesel presents an effective source of energy for the future. To make the trip around the world possible, his all-terrain vehicle first had to be properly equipped: A biodiesel production plant compact enough to fit into a motorcar had to be installed.

He asked numerous experts how one could refine used vegetable oil from household or restaurant fryers for use as biodiesel. In the process Yamada discovered that the ion-exchange resin Lewatit GF202 from LANXESS a suitable filter is to remove the contaminants that result from the refining process. Apart from the ion-exchange resin, LANXESS also provided extensive technical supports, which proofed to be of valuable assistance in the building of the plant. Yamada spent 10 months developing his production plant for biodiesel fuel that included several trials.

In December 2007 he the started on his trip around the globe. After leaving Japan his “Biodiesel Adventure Project” made a short stopover in Canada before the trip continued right through the USA. From there it went on to Europe, Africa, Central Asia and, finally, right through Russia.  When he reached his final destination, Tokyo, on 1 December 2008, Yamada had travelled a total of 47,853 km in 360 days - through 17 countries.

After his trip, Yamada expressed his satisfaction with the adventure: “We undertook this project to demonstrate that there really is something that we as individuals can do for the environment. But, nevertheless, the project could only be made possible through the cooperation of many different people all over the world. Without the support of LANXESS the biodiesel refining plant might never have been produced. The company’s Lewatit ion-exchange resin was a decisive factor in making the project successful.”

And because of its success, Yamada has now started out on a second Biodiesel Adventure Tour: At the moment the Japanese journalist is travelling through the countryside of his home country - with Lewatit GF202 as his permanent companion.