Biodiesel

By: Brian Goldberg

What is Biodeisal

• Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources.

How much biodiesel has been produced in the U.S.

• The National Biodiesel Board has released the following production volume estimates for the US, per calendar year:

• 2010 -- 315 million gallons 2009 -- 545 million gallons 2008 -- 691 million gallons2007 -- 500 million gallons2006 -- 224 million gallons2005 -- 112 million gallons

Can biodiesel help mitigate “global warming”?

• A 1998 biodiesel lifecycle study, jointly sponsored by the US Department of Energy and the US Department of Agriculture, concluded biodiesel reduces net CO² emissions by 78 percent compared to petroleum diesel.

Does biodiesel cost more than other alternative fuels?

• When reviewing the high costs associated with other alternative fuel systems, many fleet managers have determined biodiesel is their least-cost-strategy to comply with state and federal regulations. Use of biodiesel does not require major engine modifications.

Can I use biodiesel in my existing diesel engine?

• Biodiesel can be operated in any diesel engine with little or no modification to the engine or the fuel system.

• Biodiesel has a solvent effect that may release deposits accumulated on tank walls and pipes from previous diesel fuel storage.

How biodiesel is made

• is made through a process called transesterification. This process involves removing the glycerin from the vegetable oil or fat. During the process byproducts are left behind, including methyl esters and glycerin.

Advantages of Biodiesel• - Clean: Biodiesel is cleaner that it's cousin (low sulfur clean

diesel) and reduces carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and other harmful emissions that hurt the environment.

• - Life expectancy: Biodiesel is thinner than regular diesel and serves as a better lubricant thus, increasing engine life.

• - Smell: If you have ever smelled biodiesel than you understand how much better it is than regular diesel fuel.

• - Renewable: This is probably the most attractive thing about biodiesel fuel, which is the fact that it is plant-based (which means it can be grown over and over again).

• - Vegetable oil and used veggie oil are two popular products commonly used to make homemade biodiesel fuel.