Diesel – Part One – Biodiesel

by Darren

Biodiesel is an alternative energy that has a lot of support worldwide. Not too many of its’ supporters think that Biodiesel can completely replace gasoline as the fuel of choice for most car owners, but they are still confident that biodiesel can have a positive impact for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Biodiesel can generally be blended with regular petroleum based diesel, and this blend can run in a diesel engine without too much complication.

Biodiesel is made through the transesterification of fats. During this process, glycerin is separated from either fat or vegetable oil. Basically, the separation leaves behind two distinct elements, one of which is glycerin (which can be used in soap production), and the other is methyl esters, or biodiesel.

Biodiesel can be made from the byproducts of food production

One reason fans like biodiesel is because it can be made, relatively easily, from the byproducts of crop production.

“Biodiesel is an excellent renewable fuel for diesel engines,” said Vern Hofman, an NDSU Extension Service agricultural engineer. “It can be derived from almost all oil-producing crops, which chemically are converted into biodiesel.”

Some of the other advantages of biodiesel are:

1. Biodiesel is cleaner than petrodiesel or gasoline. It has significantly lower emissions than either, and is therefore better for the environment
2. Biodiesel is less toxic than table salt
3. Biodiesel biodegrades as fast as sugar
4. Biodiesel can be produced domestically, hence cutting the nation’s dependence on foreign oil
5. A blend of 20% biodiesel and 80% petrodiesel can be used unmodified in current car engines

Biodiesel is exciting to many, but it certainly has its’ share of critics, as well. Let’s look at the disadvantages of biodiesel.

1. Biodiesel doesn’t perform well at cold temps, which much of the nation has to contend with.
2. Biodiesel is more expensive than diesel or gasoline
3. Biodiesel is not readily available. There are very few “pumping stations” for most car owners to visit.
4. Biodiesel is tough to transport.

Biodiesel is here to stay. There are a large number of biodiesel plants being built in the U.S. and the investment from industry has been huge. But biodiesel probably plays a relatively small future role for alternative fuel sources. The cost and lack of distribution alone are enough to stop its’ widespread distribution. Depending on what occurs with future technology, that could change rapidly.

Continued from Alternative Fuel Sources – Part Two – Diesel