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Biodiesel

Christian Andry

What is it?

Clean burning alternative fuel made from renewable resources.

Does not originally contain petroleum, but can be mixed with it to create a biodiesel blend.

Can be used in standard diesel engines with little or no modifications to the original engine.

Easy to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur.

How does it work?

Although it is made from vegetable oils, and scientifically named “mono-alkyl esters.” Biodiesels work just like diesel, but only in diesel engines.

Biodiesel blends are abbreviated Bxx, with the “xx” standing for a percentage of pure biodiesel.

B100 is pure biodiesel, and B20 is the most common blend (20% biodiesel) .

Running on biodiesel is almost the same as running on diesel with the exception that you are using a renewable and clean resources that is at a much less cost to you and the environment.

Advantages

Nontoxic (no sulfur)

Biodegradable

Safer to handle

Already can be used in many of today’s vehicles (smooth transition)

Cut reliance on fossil fuels

Easy to make

Better for engines

Disadvantages

Currently produced from corn, which could make food prices rise and contribute to hunger in the world

Less energy and more expensive than regular diesel.

Releases nitrogen oxide, which contributes to smog

Still can contribute to global warming

Significant problems at low temperature.

Susceptible to water contamination.

Environmental Impacts

Contributes far less carbon dioxide to the Greenhouse effect

Contains no sulfur

In the United States, biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to have successfully completed the Health Effects Testing requirements (Tier I and Tier II) of the Clean Air Act (1990)

Easily biodegrades into the environment.

Still contributes to global warming/greenhouse effect with carbon dioxide, in addition to releasing nitrogen oxide which contributes to smog.

Development

Very easy to develop, involving little more than the formation of vegetable oil.

Resources to make biodiesel are readily available in U.S. (corn, standard diesel for blending, ect.)

U.S. already has the capacity to produce more than 50 million barrels annually.

Reducing Oil Reliance

Plentiful and renewable energy source to reduce U.S. reliance on oil.

However, it has a lower energy yield, and even contributes more to smog formation and related harmful chemicals than gasoline.

Gasoline counterparts are more efficient with their energy usage, and some even with tailpipe emissions.