Biodiesel Provides a High Energy Return and Displaces Imported Petroleum

Life-cycle analyses show that biodiesel contains 2.5 to 3.5 units of energy for every unit of fossil energy input in its production, and because very little petroleum is used in its production, its use displaces petroleum at nearly a 1-to-1 ratio on a life-cycle basis. This value includes energy used in diesel farm equipment and transportation equipment (trucks, locomotives); fossil fuels used to produce fertilizers, pesticides, steam, and electricity; and methanol used in the manufacturing process. Because biodiesel is an energy-efficient fuel, it can extend petroleum supplies.

Biodiesel Reduces Life-Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions

When biodiesel displaces petroleum, it significantly reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By one estimate, GHG emissions (including carbon dioxide [CO2], methane, and nitrogen oxide [NOx]) are reduced by 41%, if biodiesel is produced from crops harvested from fields that were already in production. When plants such as soybeans grow, they take CO2 from the air to make the stems, roots, leaves, and seeds (soybeans). After the oil is extracted from the soybeans, it is converted into biodiesel. When the biodiesel is burned, CO2 and other emissions are released and return to the atmosphere. This cycle does not add to the net CO2 concentration in the air because the next soybean crop will reuse the CO2 as it grows. When fossil fuels such as coal or diesel fuel are burned, however, 100% of the CO2 released adds to the CO2 concentration levels in the air.

Written by Rickdatech

Oil wells are not the only source of fuel for your diesel engine and oil furnace; you can also burn organic oils like vegetable oil and animal fats in them if the conditions are right. To make the conditions right we either have to chemically alter the oils, or modify our engines to use oil, or thin the oil out with solvents.

Biodiesel is chemically altered vegetable oil. We change the oil through chemistry to make it compatible with diesel fuel. It is so compatible in fact that we can blend it with diesel fuel in any ratio from 0% biodiesel to 100% biodiesel and use it in any diesel engine or in your oil fired furnace. There are lots of short and long term studies on the effects of biodiesel on diesel engines and the common conclusion is that it works as good if not better than diesel fuel. Making biodiesel involves the use of hazardous chemicals which drive the cost of a gallon of home made biodiesel to about $1 a gallon. If making biodiesel at home sounds appealing to you, then you found the right web site, just keep reading.

Written by Rickdatech

Diesel Fuel and Vegetable oil are similar in that they both have a lot of carbon and hydrogen atoms bound together in a big molecule, giving both a high energy density and making them great fuels for motor vehicles. The big difference is that vegetable oil is thicker and less runny than diesel fuel. That's not that big a problem with the older extremely robust Indirect Diesel Injection type engines using mechanical fuel Injection Pumps. The problem arises with the push to make diesel engines more fuel efficient. As they become more efficient, they have become less tolerant of fuels that don't meet the official definition of diesel fuel.

Written by Rickdatech

Almost every diesel vehicle on the road came from the factory biodiesel compatible. So all you really need to do is put the fuel in the tank. There are some really old diesels that were produced before low sulfur diesel was introduced that have fuel lines that are not compatible with biodiesel. They will be easy to spot. The fuel lines will be leaking and wet and greasy from fuel on the outside of the fuel line. Since 99.9% of all diesels are biodiesel compatible, the best course of action is to just keep an eye on things and watch for leaks then fix leaks in a timely manner.
 
There are some issues specific ways that biodiesel is different from diesel. Those differences can cause problems, if we don’t pay attention to the differences.  

• Biodiesel has a higher gel point
• Biodiesel can plug filters
• Diesel Particulate Filters