Biodiesel Basics
Let’s break it down real simple like.

Q: What is this biodiesel stuff?
A: It’s a clean burning fuel that can be run in diesel engines (without modifications) as an alternative to petroleum diesel fuel or blended in any percentage with petroleum diesel fuel. It’s a renewable resource, which means it can be produced from natural sources that can be continually replenished in a sustainable way. These natural sources are also domestic, which means they can be found within the United States.

Q: Fancy talk, pretty boy, but what are these natural sources that are used?
A: Right now, most biodiesel in the U.S. comes from virgin vegetable oil and/or the recycled grease (used cooking oil) produced by restaurants. The main vegetable oils for production include soybean oil and canola oil, although other oils like mustard, sunflower, and peanut can be used. Most of this oil comes from crops grown on American soil, although some non-domestic oil, such as palm oil, can be used. Animal fats are another, much smaller source. There’s also research that demonstrates that a certain type of algae can be used.

Q: I thought it was made from corn?
A: You’re thinking of ethanol, another biofuel that’s intended for use in the gasoline engines that are more common in passenger vehicles. More on the differences between ethanol and biodiesel coming in future articles.

Q: So what’s so great about biodiesel?
A: There are a lot of great things about biodiesel. Here’s a list, in order of my personal preference:

1. Biodiesel has proven to be something that unites people in this country and around the world, even if they have different political viewpoints. We’ll explore this more in depth as the campaign continues.

2. Biodiesel is already a powerful tool for energy independence, and there is research indicating enormous potential for biodiesel to replace the petroleum fuel consumed in this country. Click on the bioTrekker vision tab for more on this lofty dream.

3. Biodiesel can be produced in a renewable, sustainable way. I’ll tell you why that’s an epically wonderful thing in future installments.

4. Biodiesel can be entirely domestic, produced in a way that channels money to farmers and manufacturers in this country, rather than overseas. If you’re still not convinced, I’m working on a parable called The Farmer, The Gypsy and The Crackhead. Keep your eyes open for it in the month of December 2006.

5. Biodiesel is better for the environment than petroleum diesel. It also biodegrades as fast as sugar and is less toxic than table salt. It has the highest flashpoint of any fuel, which means it’s safer to transport and use.

6. Biodiesel provides the highest return on energy investment of any fuel. That means that it provides more energy when burning it than goes into producing it. The return isn’t as high with ethanol, and with petroleum, it’s a net loss.

7. Biodiesel has lower emissions than petroleum in all but one category. That means the exhaust that comes out of your engine is less harmful to human health. The Environmental Protection Agency has run all their tests on it and come out with research supporting that claim, although there are some naysayers. I’ll be following this continuing conversation with a great deal of interest, and will report my findings. However, I prefer the common sense smell test. I’ve stood behind vehicles burning 100 percent biodiesel and I’ve stood behind vehicles belching petroleum diesel smoke, and I can say without question that my nose and my lungs find biodiesel to be the healthier of the two.

Q: Don’t you need a special biodiesel engine to run it?
A: No. B100 (100 percent biodiesel) will run in most diesel engines with little or no modifications. B20 (20 percent biodiesel) will run in any diesel engine without modifications. I’ll soon be providing a comprehensive list of diesel vehicles in the U.S. that are candidates for biodiesel.

Q: I don’t see many biodiesel stations. Where do you get it?
A: The National Biodiesel Board offers a nationwide list of biodiesel retail sites (http://www.biodiesel.org/buyingbiodiesel/retailfuelingsites/). No, biodiesel fueling sites are not as prevalent as petroleum, but new stations are popping up all the time. Plus, biodiesel stations are often homegrown businesses, so you usually get much more personal treatment and there’s a built-in sense of community. Think of it as a scavenger hunt.

Q: Couldn’t I just pour vegetable oil into my diesel vehicle?
A: You could, but you wouldn’t have a working diesel vehicle for very long. Biodiesel is not the same as straight vegetable oil. It is an altered form of vegetable oil.

Q: Whatchu mean, altered?
A: Biodiesel is made through a chemical process that separates the heavier, thicker glycerine from the rest of the oil. This process makes the oil thinner and cleaner burning, so it’s suitable for use in diesel engines. In case you’re interested, it’s called transesterification, although you don’t seem to like big words.

Q: You’re right. I’m not interested in that word. But what’s glycerine?
A: Other than a song title for the ’90s band Bush, glycerine is a sugar alcohol that is used in many applications. For example, it’s used to make soaps and is a food additive in its purer forms. It’s also known as glycerol. The nice thing about glycerine as a byproduct of biodiesel production is that it still has commercial value and so, rather than going to a landfill, it is recycled and used.

Q: I have a newer vehicle that is still under warranty. Will biodiesel void that?
A: Ohhh, this is a fun one. Engine and auto manufacturers are a little schizophrenic on this issue, some are more supportive of biofuels than others, but it basically comes down to the comfort level of each individual company. It’s safe to say that nearly all engine and auto manufacturers (OEMS) are very comfortable with B5 (only five percent biodiesel) and fairly comfortable with B20 (twenty percent biodiesel). As the blend increases, they get a little more sketchy. There are a variety of reasons cited for this, and it’s an interesting issue to ponder, and you can bet we’ll be pondering that together as the campaign continues. The Magnuson-Moss Act gives consumers some protection by mandating that any parts and workmanship issues that are independent of the fuel system are the responsibility of the OEM.

However, engine makers still have the power to decide what types of fuel will void their workmanship and materials warranty, and the issue could get cloudy if disputes arise over whether an engine problem is due to original materials and workmanship or fuel. I haven’t heard about any such issues at this point, but anyone who has had an experience with an issue like this is welcome to email me. The more information I can gather, the better.

As it is now, I feel comfortable recommending B20 from a reliable retailer, and I think it’s only a matter of time until all manufacturers support a blend of at least B20. The more people who use biodiesel, the more manufacturers will change their positions. As I am able to conduct more field-testing, I will update my recommendations based on the results.

Q: There must be some things about biodiesel that aren’t great, right?
A: Yeah, biodiesel has its flaws, just like petroleum diesel, although its flaws are different. On the production side, the fields that produce biodiesel, like soy and canola, are above ground, so they take up our livable space. So, with the current feedstocks we use for biodiesel, we don’t have enough room for crops to grow all of the fuel that we currently consume. Current biodiesel feedstocks also require freshwater, fertile land and are affected by the weather. Any issue with these things creates an issue in production and price.

But, as we continue to become more familiar with biodiesel production and continue to research new feedstocks, we’re certain to find ways to navigate around these obstacles.

On the use side, biodiesel is affected by cold weather, just like petroleum diesel. One hundred percent biodiesel has a cloud point of 34 degrees Fahrenheit. Below that, you should use B20, which has a cloud point of 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Below that, you should use B5. And make sure that the biodiesel is blended with winterized petroleum diesel or kerosene. Or, if you’re going to be in very cold weather for an extended period of time and would like to use higher blends of biodiesel, you might want to consider installing an engine block heater. At this point in time, there are currently no effective cold-weather additives for biodiesel on the market.

A second issue with biodiesel is storage. The National Biodiesel Board recommends that blends of B20 or higher should not be stored for more than three months, and recommends that B20 users flush their tanks with petrodiesel prior to storage.

Biodiesel has a slightly lower energy content than petrodiesel, so users of blends higher than B20 may experience a slight (one to two percent) reduction in fuel mileage.

While it shouldn’t be an issue in newer engines, biodiesel can clean off deposits from inside the fuel system when it is used in older engines that have been running on petrodiesel. This sends the deposits into the fuel filter, resulting in the need for replacement.

And finally, for older engines running biodiesel, especially those older than 1993, it is also suggested that rubber hoses and seals may need to be replaced with synthetic hoses and seals, such as Viton brand or similar. This is because biodiesel will eventually degrade rubber parts. This shouldn’t be a concern in the vast majority of engines manufactured after 1993, which use synthetic hoses and seals.

Q: I’m an RVer, so my vehicle is worth considerably more than a normal car. Before I think about putting biodiesel in it, I’d like to see some hard evidence that this stuff will perform well in RVs. Where’s the evidence?
A: That’s exactly the niche that the bioTrekker campaign is intended to fill. I have done enough research on my own — and talked to enough biodiesel users — to feel comfortable running this in my new motorcoach. But I understand if you haven’t. I intend that the testing I conduct will help to convince other RVers that biodiesel is a fuel worth using in their vehicles.

Please click on the Evolution of Biodiesel II article for a detailed article about biodiesel and the RV industry.