clipped from: www.syracuse.com Butter that creamy, sweet bovine creation most often is seen dripping from corn on the cob, perking up popcorn or nestled snugly in a mound of mashed potatoes.
But when the curtain falls on this year's New York State Fair, the 900 or so pounds of butter making up the famous butter sculpture will not end up on a plate anywhere, or in the garbage. Instead, it will be powering vehicles at a Syracuse college.
This year's butter will be turned into biodiesel fuel by students and faculty at the State University College of Environmental Science and Forestry. The biodiesel will fuel cars and buses at ESF.
"Butter is 80 percent fat and oil and 20 percent water and protein," Nicholson said. "What we have to do is render it heat it to separate the fats and oils from the water and protein."
The water and protein is thrown away. Then the oil and fat is clarified making it pure and clean.