Peanut Oil Biodiesel

By Rick Da Tech

Peanuts offer a potential oil source for farm based biodiesel. Peanuts are over 50% oil and according to the University of Georgia are capable of producing 123 gallons of oil per acre. The problem with Peanut biodiesel is it's high saturated fat content which raises the gel point. That's not really a problem farm based production of peanut biodiesel. It only grows in the hottest, most humid areas of the country. 99% of all peanuts are grown in seven Southeastern States.

The USDA has been researching various cultivars to bring costs down for farm based biodiesel production. According to the USDA, they have been able to bring the cost down to about $2.50 per gallon of peanut biodiesel.

Related Links

USDA Website page on Peanut Biodiesel

SouthWest Farm Press - Peanut biodiesel could save farmers millions in fuel cost - Roy Roberson

Production of Biofuel Crops in Florida: Peanut - University of Florida IFAS Extension

Optimization of base catalyzed transesterification of peanut oil biodiesel - African Journal of Biotechnology