Useful Ideas For Revealing Biodiesel Through Questions And Answers

Q. Will Biodiesel harm my engine?
A. Biodiesel may be used in a conventional petro diesel engine without any modification whatsoever. Multiple agencies have tested this combination over millions of miles and in every circumstance. Bus fleets and commercial haulage companies have been using biodiesel in their operations for many years and reporting great success.

Q. Biodiesel is experimental, isn't it?
A.The answer is no, it has been used in Europe in widespread fashion since the 80s and within the United States increasingly so over the last decade. In fact, biodiesel goes back to the 1930s when vegetable oil was first converted into fuel, being perfected during the 1980s.

Q. Is this alternative fuel accepted by the government?
A. Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel fully certified under the stringent provisions of the Clean Air Act, as modified in 1990. The EPA recognises and authenticates the use of certified biodiesel fuel.

Q. Where can I get biodiesel?
A. There are now 14 major production facilities in the US and a number of distribution channels. In addition, many hundreds of smaller operations exist in localities around the nation. As the number of diesel engine cars increases, additional manufacture plants and distribution points will emerge.

Q. Can I just use conventional vegetable oil instead?
A. No, the vegetable oil must be converted into biodiesel fuel through a process known as transesterification. Alcohol is used with a catalyst to extract the liquid used as biodiesel.

Q. Does it work in cold weather?
A. Biodiesel does have a tendency to gel in very cold conditions, just as conventional petro diesel. Employ the same precautions when the weather turns particularly cold.

Q. Is biodiesel good for the environment?
A. Biodiesel is carbon neutral, which means it is not contributory to the carbon emissions problem currently plaguing our planet. Biodiesel is made from vegetable crops and these were previously known as “sinks” for carbon, so the fuel is considerably more advantageous from an environmental perspective than the highly toxic, carbon emitting petroleum we otherwise use.

Q. What about clogged filters?
A. Biodiesel has some solvent properties and may dissolve certain deposits which have built up on your tank wall or within your pipes. These deposits could then become trapped in filters and it is advisable to clean or change your filters when you first convert from conventional diesel to biodiesel, making way for a cleaner running, longer lasting engine.

Q. Can I make biodiesel at home?
A.There are many people successful at making homemade biodiesel. Generally, making biodiesel is not very difficult in and of itself, so long as you take certain safety precautions and make sure that you follow the necessary instructions. It is great for the environment!

Q. As interest in biodiesel increases, will this cause over-harvesting?
A. Biodiesel growth must also be sustainable and must be managed so that harvesting does not cause an imbalance in the availability of agricultural crops, especially as they may represent absorbers of carbon already in our atmosphere. This is a challenge for the industry going forward.