What is biodiesel?
Biodiesel is a domestically produced renewable fuel derived from virgin seed oils (e.g. canola, soybean, mustard, or sunflower) pressed from crops that can be grown in Vermont. It can also be produced from reclaimed vegetable oil, animal fat and, most promising of all, from algae. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.
How is biodiesel made?
Biodiesel is made through a process called transesterification whereby alcohol (either methanol or ethanol) and lye (sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide) are combined to separate the alkyl esters (biodiesel) from the glycerin that occurs naturally in the seed oil.
Why should I use biodiesel?
Biodiesel is known to have less of an impact on human health and the environment than petrodiesel — such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions — while containing a similar energy (Btu) content. It is less toxic than table salt and biodegrades as fast as sugar. Since it is made in the USA from renewable resources, its use decreases our dependence on foreign oil, creates jobs, and contributes to our own economy.
How do biodiesel emissions compare to petroleum diesel?
Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to have fully completed the health effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act. The use of biodiesel in a conventional diesel engine or oil-fired furnace or boiler results in substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter compared to emissions from diesel fuel. In addition, the exhaust emissions of sulfur oxides and sulfates (major components of acid rain) from biodiesel are essentially eliminated compared to diesel.
Can biodiesel help mitigate "global warming"?
A 1998 biodiesel life cycle study, jointly sponsored by the US Department of Energy and the US Department of Agriculture, concluded biodiesel reduces net CO2 emissions by 78 percent compared to petroleum diesel. This is due to biodiesel's closed carbon cycle. Most of the CO2 released into the atmosphere when biodiesel is burned is recycled by growing plants, which are later processed into more fuel.
What is B100?
Full strength (100 percent) biodiesel is often referred to as B100 or "neat" biodiesel. A blend of biodiesel containing 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel is referred to as B20. The most popular blend of biodiesel in the United Sates is B20, which offers significant reductions in harmful emissions at an affordable price.
Can I heat my home with biodiesel?
Biodiesel is just as safe and performs as well as regular Number 2 heating oil, except that it burns cleaner. In fact, in most cases biodiesel can be blended with regular heating oil at a concentration up to 20 percent with no adverse effects. Higher concentrations can be used with minor oil-burner retrofits.
Some of the above material was adapted from the National Biodiesel Board and the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund.
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