What is biodiesel?
Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.
Biodiesel Fuels: What is biodiesel, and will we ever run out of it?
Posted by AskQuestions.org
What biodiesel is and how its made - Pure biodiesel is a biodegradable, non-toxic, clean-burning fuel made from algae, vegetable oils, animal fats, and recycled restaurant greases. These resources are abundant here in the United States, and renewable. It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with few or no modifications, and it can also be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to produce a biodiesel blend.
Biodiesel is created through a chemical process called transesterification in which the glycerin is separated from the fat or vegetable oil, leaving behind two products: biodiesel and glycerin, a byproduct used in soaps and other products.
Why people like biodiesel - Biodiesel fuel in cars burns much cleaner than than petroleum-based diesel, creating about 60% less net carbon dioxide emissions. It is less toxic than table salt and biodegrades as quickly as sugar. Plus, because it is produced in the USA from renewable resources such as soybeans, its use decreases our dependence on foreign oil and contributes to our own economy. According to the National Biodiesel Board website (an industry group), biodiesel production will create an estimated 36,102 new jobs in all areas of the economy, and additional tax revenues from production will more than pay for the federal tax income incentives provided to the industry. It will keep, at minimum, $13.6 billion in America that otherwise would be spent on foreign oil.
How its used - Blends of 20 percent biodiesel with 80 percent petroleum diesel (called "B20") can generally be used in unmodified diesel engines found in many trucks and some cars. Biodiesel can also be used in its pure form (called "B100"), but may require certain engine alterations to avoid maintenance and performance problems. Some vehicle manufacturers hesitate over its use; in the United Kingdom, many maintain engine warranties only for use with maximum 5% biodiesel blended in with 95% conventional diesel. Yet many other manufacturers praise biodiesel, citing lower engine wear as one of its benefits: Peugeot and Citroën announced that their HDI diesel engine can run on 30% biodiesel. Scania and Volkswagen allow most of their engines to operate on 100% biodiesel, and pure biodiesel is available at many gas stations in Germany.
According to the US Department of Energy, methanol, or wood alcohol, can be used as an alternative to pure petroleum or biodiesel in flexible fuel vehicles that run on M85 (a blend of 85% methanol and 15% gasoline). However, it is not commonly used because automakers no longer supply methanol-powered vehicles.
Plentiful supplies are possible - The United States is well-equipped to handle an increase in biodiesel production In January 2001, the U.S. Department of Agriculture launched a program providing cost incentives for the production of 36 million gallons of biodiesel. Bills supporting the use of biodiesel and ethanol also were introduced to Congress in 2003, including one that would set a renewable standard for fuel in the U.S. and one that would give biodiesel a partial fuel excise tax exemption. More than a dozen states have passed favorable biodiesel legislation, making biodiesel a financially wise alternative.
Read More
Biodiesel 101 from www.biodiesel.org
Widipedia article about Biodiesel.
And directions for making your own biodiesel at www.biodieselcommunity.org
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Print | posted on Monday, September 10, 2007 10:55 AM