aboutbiodiesel

About Biodiesel

Biodiesel is a renewable, cheaper and cleaner burning alternative to mineral diesel. Technically, biodiesel refers to a variety of ester-based oxygenated fuels made from vegetable oils or animal fats. The concept of using vegetable oil as a fuel dates back to 1895 when Dr. Rudolf Diesel developed the first diesel engine to run on vegetable oil. Diesel demonstrated his engine at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900 using peanut oil as fuel.

Renewable fuel

Biodiesel is a completely renewable fuel, made from oilseed crops such as soybeans, rapeseed, jatropha seed, cotton seed and mustard seed. Biodiesel is also made from waste vegetable oil and oil derived from animal fat (tallow) waste that would otherwise be disposed of.

Using biodiesel reduces our dependence on fossil fuels.

Carbon Neutral

Biodiesel is effectively carbon neutral, the carbon dioxide emitted on combustion is simply replacing the atmospheric carbon dioxide originally extracted by the plants that were used to make the vegetable oil. A 1998 biodiesel lifecycle study, jointly sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, concluded biodiesel reduces net carbon dioxide emissions by 78 percent compared to mineral diesel. This makes biodiesel is the best greenhouse gas mitigation strategy for today's medium and heavy duty vehicles.

Positive energy balance

The DOE/USDA lifecycle analysis shows for every unit of fossil energy it takes to make biodiesel, 3.2 units of energy are gained. This takes into account the planting, harvesting, fuel production and fuel transportation to the end user.

Health benefits

Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel in the US to complete EPA Tier I and Tier II Health Effects Testing under section 211(b) of the Clean Air Act, which provide the most thorough inventory of environmental and human health effects attributes that current technology will allow. These independent tests conclusively demonstrated biodiesels significant reduction of virtually all regulated emissions, and showed biodiesel does not pose a threat to human health.

Cleaner emissions

The lifecycle production and use of biodiesel produces approximately 80% less carbon dioxide emissions, and almost 100% less sulphur dioxide. Combustion of biodiesel alone provides over a 90% reduction in total unburned hydrocarbons, and a 75-90% reduction in aromatic hydrocarbons. Biodiesel further provides significant reductions in particulates and carbon monoxide than mineral diesel. Biodiesel provides a slight increase or decrease in nitrogen oxides depending on engine family and testing procedures. Based on Ames Mutagenicity tests, biodiesel provides a 90% reduction in cancer risks.

Better for diesel engines

Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel that runs in any conventional, unmodified diesel engine. It can be stored anywhere that mineral diesel is stored and can be used alone or mixed in any ratio with mineral diesel.

Biodiesel is 11% oxygen by weight and contains no sulphur. The use of biodiesel can extend the life of diesel engines because it is more lubricating than mineral diesel, while fuel consumption, auto ignition, power output, and engine torque are relatively unaffected by biodiesel.

Safer to handle

Biodiesel is safe to handle and transport because it is as biodegradable as sugar, 10 times less toxic than table salt, and has a high flashpoint of about 125C compared to mineral diesel, which has a flash point of 55C.