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Biodiesel is an alternative fuel similar to conventional or “fossil” diesel. It can be produced from straight vegetable oil, animal oil/fats, tallow and waste cooking oil. The process used to convert these oils to biodiesel is called Transesterification.
Environmental benefit
Biodiesel can be described as carbon neutral. This means that the fuel produces no net output of carbon because when the crop grows it absorbs the same amount of CO2 as it releases when combusted.
Health
US health department tests show that the cancer-causing potential of particulate matter from pure biodiesel is about 94% less than that of regular diesel.
Atmospheric
Biodiesel produces significantly lower levels of smog causing pollutants such as carbon monoxide, and unburned aromatic hydrocarbons, and also significantly lower levels of Sulphur that causes acid rain.
Biodiesel can be used in existing diesel pumps, and in vehicles with only minimum modifications to engines. Manufacturer warranties increasingly cover the use of biodiesel blends with mineral diesel of up to 20% (B20). Biodiesel’s higher flash point and ignition quality, known as cetane value, enables diesel engines to burn more efficiently and cleanly. |
