Biodiesel

Biodiesel is a kind of biofuel. Biodiesel is manufactured from various biomass sources and it can easily function as a substitute for fossil fuels. An example of biomass sources from which biodiesel can be produced includes soya bean. But it can also be produced from corn, coconut, canola plants or peanuts. Biodiesel can even be chemically produced from animal fat.

How Does It Operate?

Biodiesel is not significantly different from any regular diesel engine. A diesel engine today can work on biodiesel without the need for special technical adjustments. It is possible to use a mixture of regular diesel with biodiesel in which the latter is only 20 per cent (referred to as B20). Most engines work on this combination. Alternatively, it is also possible to switch to engines that work solely on biodiesel (referred to as B100). However, using this option requires some technical innovations. The main problem is that biodiesel might corrode engine parts (pipes and seals) that are made of rubber.

Advantages

Biodiesel has a few prominent advantages.

1) Various studies have indicated that biodiesel decreases engine's physical deterioration in the long term. The result is enhanced engine performance and less maintenance costs.
2) Environmental considerations are paramount. Biodiesel is non-flammable. It is not toxic and can biologically dissolve into the atmosphere. The burning process of biodiesel emits a very small amount of carbon dioxide and so it is non-harmful when it comes to global warming. The use of biodiesel (and biofuels in general) will prevent acid rain and oceans pollution.
3) In comparison to fossil fuels, biodiesel is not limited since it can be produced and reproduced from plants. Moreover, fossil fuels are in control of a few select countries and are thus politically unstable.
4) The manufacturing of biodiesel is relatively cheap. In comparison to fossil fuel, producing biodiesel from frying oil is almost half.

Disadvantages

1) Biodiesel cannot be stored for more than one year.
2) The production of biodiesel requires vast agricultural territories.

In Europe, more than 2 billion litters of biodiesel are sold every year. In the United States, around 60 million litters are sold annually. The price of one litter of biodiesel in the US is eighty cents. In brazil everyone can purchase biodiesel as well as bioethanol manufactured from beet and sugar cane.

The European Union is encouraging its member countries to increase reliance on biofuels and biodiesel. Tax exemption is given in some member countries to biodiesel industries. In addition, the EU Council of Ministers is working these days on a special program that will provide a set of incentives to biofuel industries throughout the Union.

02.05.2008. 01:18