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

As more and more people are looking to find alternative sources of energy for their cars, used vegetable oil is now being targeted for theft from restaurants around the United States.

Used vegetable can be used as biofuel for diesel cars. The grease is transformed into fuel through a chemical process called transesterification, removing glycerine and adding methanol to the oil, leaving a thinner product that can power a diesel engine.

Businesses that have been set up to pick up this grease are finding that the grease bins are empty or missing.

David Levenson, owner of a grease hauling business said:

“It’s like a war zone going on right now over grease. We’re seeing more and more people stealing grease because it lets them stay away from the pump, but it’s hurting our bottom line.”

The people that steal the grease are believed to be individuals that refine the grease themselves in backyard sills, hurting the businesses that are legally operating.

In order to manufacture biofuel legally producers must register with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and pay taxes for using the road.

In the end, I’m sure that authorities will work to find the thieves stealing the vegetable oil and prosecute them. Is nothing sacred?

A company in New York thinks they’ve come up with a unique take on alternative fuel. Ithaca BioFuel thinks that leftover grease can be used as an efficient clean-burning alternative fuel source.

“Usually people have to pay to have this stuff taken away we pick it for free and we turn it into one of the most important commodities in our economy in a sustainable way,” said Tycho Dan of Ithaca Biodiesel.
Ithaca Biodiesel changes leftover oil into something people use everyday.
Tycho Dan says it’s better than trading with other countries, and it’s natural enough to drink.
Right now, Ithaca Biodiesel sells about a hundred gallons a week at four bucks a gallon, cheaper than the diesel at gas stations now.

The great part is that it gets rid of unwanted grease that can not be put in landfills, or recycled, and it turns it into affordable fuel. The question will be, how scalable is this solution?