The Biodiesel: Fuel of the Future

Biodiesel: The Fuel of the Future

Biodiesel is considered the fuel of the future because it is clean and helps lessen global warming. Biodiesel is produced from domestic, renewable resources like animal fats and vegetable oils. It can be used alone or blended with petroleum at any level.

Compression-ignition diesel engines can use biodiesel with little or no modifications at all. Scientific evidence shows that biodiesel reduces net carbon dioxide emissions by 78 percent compared to diesel.

Biodiesel manufacturing facilities make biodiesel through a process called transesterification. In the transesterification process, fats are purified and reacted with alcohol through catalysts such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. They are then transformed into glycerol and esters.

Biodiesel is what remains after the transesterification process. The fuel can be derived from the plant oils of sunflowr, palm, canola, peanut, or soybean. Even recycled cooking grease can be made into biodiesel.

Most cars that run on diesel engines can use biodiesel. Car manufacturers have lists of cars that can run on pure biodiesel. One amazing thing about the fuel is that it acts as a solvent or cleaner. It loosens deposits that could clog the engine. Because of this, it lubricates the engine and makes it run smoother. The result is that the engine actually lasts longer because the fuel leaves few or no deposits at all.

Biodiesel is renewable and biodegradable. It helps fight global warming through its closed carbon cycle. The fuel itself is made from carbon dioxide through photosynthesis in plants. When the carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, it is recycled by plants, which are then later processed again into fuel.

Even with its huge advantages over petroleum diesel, biodiesel does have a few drawbacks. It has a tendency to produce more nitrogen oxide emissions than diesel, which contributes to the formation of smog. Another disadvantage is its availability. More expansion and promotion is needed. Despite these problems and some others, biodiesel is still the fuel of choice for environmentalists and people who just want to help fight global warming. With the last two decades of the 20th century being the hottest in 400 years, we may see a lot more of biodiesel soon.