Biodiesel
March 5th, 2008 quote from President Bush:
"The legislation requires fuel producers to supply at least 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel in the year 2022," said Pres. Bush. "In other words, these just aren't goals, these are mandatory requirements. I'm confident the United States can meet those goals, and I know we must, for the sake of economic security, national security, and for the sake of being good stewards of the environment. Biodiesel is the most promising of these fuels."
Are you looking for a domestically produced, renewable fuel that you can use in your diesel engine? If so, biodiesel may be the perfect fuel for you.
When biodiesel is blended with petroleum diesel, it produces a fuel that is compatible with diesel engines, displaces imported petroleum, and reduces harmful emissions. Blends like B2 (2% biodiesel and 98% diesel) and B5 (5% biodiesel and 95% diesel) are becoming increasingly common as drivers become more aware of the many benefits. Biodiesel blends of 20% biodiesel or more are also widely available and may qualify for credits under the Energy Policy Act of 1992.
Biodiesel is manufactured by chemically reacting vegetable oils, recycled cooking grease, or animal fats with alcohol. Today's biodiesel is primarily made from domestically produced soybean oil, which has extremely low sulfur content. Cooking oil and animal fat biodiesel is also produced with very low sulfur so today's biodiesel already meets EPA 2006 regulations for ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel.
What types of vehicles run on biodiesel blends?
As long as the biodiesel used for blending meets ASTM D6751 standards, low-level biodiesel blends such as B2 and B5 can be used safely in any compression-ignition engine that is designed to be operated on diesel fuel. This may include diesel-powered cars, trucks, tractors, boats, and electrical generators.
Fuel Availability
For a list of stations that dispense biodiesel blends, visit the Public Fueling Locations page.
Fuel Costs
With the rising costs of diesel fuel in 2005, the cost of biodiesel blends is comparable to No. 2 diesel.
Benefits
In addition to displacing imported petroleum, biodiesel blends reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases. The superior lubricity of biodiesel can reduce wear and tear on the engine, and using biodiesel supports U.S. farmers by providing a market for excess soybean oil.
Performance
Biodiesel has an energy content that is about 10% less than diesel No. 2 and about the same as diesel No. 1. In theory, adding biodiesel to diesel No. 2 should slightly reduce fuel economy, power, and torque. In reality, low-level blends are practically indistinguishable from conventional diesel.
Biodiesel also has superior lubricity, which reduces wear and tear on the engine and can increase the life of engine components. In addition, it is a mild solvent that will help clean your fuel system.