Many people have questions about biodiesel, but it is really just a simple, and effective, alternative to traditional diesel fuel. It’s a fairly recent industry that converts certain products, such as animal and/or vegetable fats into fuel, but it’s also one of the most thoroughly researched and tested alternative fuels available. It’s the only alternative fuel that has been tested to, and passed, the ‘health effects’ standards of the Clean Air Act, and the American Society for Testing and Materials has included biodiesel standards since 1999.
Many diesel providers are now providing biodiesel blending fuel as an alternative to standard diesel fuel. The United States still ranks far behind Europe in biodiesel production and use – approximately 10% of Europe’s consumption, although this is likely partially due to Europe having so many more diesel engine cars than the United States. At least 14 companies in the United States are building or operating plants that market biodiesel, and many have the capacity to double current production, which is estimated at about 200 million gallons today. More than 300 major fleets in the United States currently use biodiesel, and that number is expected to continue to grow.
Biodiesel is created through transesterification, wherein the core product is broken down chemically into biodiesel and a byproduct, glycerin. In the United States, most biodiesel is prepared using soybean oil, but the industry is looking into alternative sources, such as cooking oil or beef tallow. This fuel can be used to replace, wholly or partially, the petroleum that traditional diesel engines use. It can either be blended in with petroleum as a mixture, or it can be used whole.
Advantages of biodiesel include using a renewable resource instead of petroleum, being nontoxic and biodegradable, and biodiesel emissions produce 40% to 60% less pollution when burned. Biodiesel has been shown to extend the life of engines. It can be used in current diesel engines and fuel injection equipment, and provides comparable mileage and performance. It has the highest fuel efficiency of any alternative fuel. And its use is accepted by all major U.S. engine manufacturers in terms of warranties.
Disadvantages include a tendency to release previous deposits built up on the tank walls and pipe when first converting, so care should be taken at first to replace fuel filters often until the material has been removed. The cost of biodiesel may be slightly higher than regular diesel fuel – possibly 2 or 3 cents per gallon. However, biodiesel increases the diesel fuel’s lubricity, reducing wear on the fuel pump and injector. Certain gaskets and seals may be affected, but most manufacturers are now producing products that have overcome this obstacle. Also, finding biodiesel may still be an issue.
Should you switch to biodiesel fuel? As the world continues to have to take increasingly more complicated steps to extract hydrocarbons from the earth--in turn generating increasingly higher costs, choosing a renewable resource seems a worthy goal, both for environmental and financial reasons. As its popularity and viability continues to grow, and we learn more biodiesel facts, switching to biodiesel is likely to become an easier choice.
