Fascinating Facts About Biodiesel

There have been reports of cars running on biodiesel being tested, and the results are very promising. So, what is it? Biodiesel is a clean-burning renewable source of energy, that is made from vegetable oils, recycled cooking oils, and animals fats. You can use it in any diesel engine without any modification of the machine.

It can be used in the pure form called B100. It can also be blended with diesel fuel in any ratio. B20 is the most commonly used form of the fuel, that has 20% blend of biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel.

• Biodiesel contains no petroleum, and can be mixed with petroleum diesel in any ratio.
• It is very simple to use, non-toxic, free of sulfur, aromatics, and is biodegradable.
• It has shown to have no ill-effects on human health and the environment.

• A study has shown that there has been 78.5% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions as compared to petroleum diesel with the use of this alternative source of energy.

• It is a renewable source of energy, and can be made as and when needed.
• It is made in America, and hence helps the country become energy independent, which helps save millions of dollars used to buy crude oil from foreign countries.

• It helps in starting the engine faster, and in the smooth running of the engine. This helps in reducing the levels of unburned fuel.
• If it gets mixed with a water source, it can harm aquatic and marine life, because of the vegetable oil.

• It is non-flammable, and therefore not as dangerous as petroleum products for storage and transportation.
• It can help in reducing cancer-causing emissions.

• It is not only used for running vehicles and machines, but can also be used as a heating oil in homes, power generation, and is also an effective cleaner, paint remover, and solvent.

• Its production uses less energy than that required for the production of diesel.
• Production of this alternative energy helps in more BTUs per gallon, as compared to any other type of alternative fuel.

• The closed-carbon cycle helps in reduction of the Global Climate Change.
• It is an efficient fuel that shows 100% reduction in sulfur dioxide, 40 - 60% reduction in soot particles, and 10 - 15% reduction in carbon monoxide.

• Its production gives rise to 96% less hazardous solid wastes, and uses 79% less water. The consumption of energy is 70 - 90% less than petroleum diesel.

• Sales have increased to around 1.5 billion gallons per year.
• About 7.3 pounds of soybean oil is used by one gallon of soy biodiesel.
• About 1.4 gallons is produced from one bushel of soybeans.

These facts prove that this alternative fuel has many benefits, that are not only pocket-friendly, but environment-friendly too. Above all, it is a renewable source of energy, and production requires much less finance as compared to buying petroleum diesel. Thus, the government has started giving tax benefits to people using alternative fuel as a source of energy.

It is one of the best types of alternative fuel source. Production involves use of vegetable oils like rapeseed, soybean oil, or any animal fat. Thus, the materials are readily available, and production of these vegetables leads to increase in agricultural income too.

There is less production of harmful gases like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides, which contribute to global warming. Thus, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions has become the aim of the government, and therefore, there is lot of funding towards the increase in the use of an alternative source of energy as fuel.

It performs as well as traditional fuel, and even helps in increasing mileage. Engines last longer with bio-fuels, and their wear and tear reduces considerably. There is less engine noise due to higher cetane ignition rating.