Course: BFM 202 Biodiesel Production

Lecture

Truth and Myths about Biodiesel
Credits
BFM 202 Biodiesel Production Unit 1 Lecture has been adapted from "ENGY 131 Unit 1 Commentary: What is biodiesel?" by Southeastern Illinois College.

ENGY 131 Biodiesel Production course content by Southeastern Illinois College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Except where indicated otherwise.

Unit 1 What is biodiesel?

Truth and Myths about Biodiesel

There are many myths surrounding biodiesel, most of which are baseless.

They may have come from “home-brewed” biodiesel or poorly produced fuel

prior to biodiesel's ASTM D standards.

Click on each myth to read the truth:

Myth: Biodiesel is an experimental fuel that has not been thoroughly tested.

Truth: Biodiesel is methodically tested, just as petrodiesel, in accordance with ASTM standards. Data shows that biodiesel performance compares favorably to petrodiesel and is superior in its reduced negative effects on the environment and human life.

Myth: Standards do not exist for biodiesel fuel

Truth: Incorrect. The U.S. ASTM and European EN Standards have established quality standards and specifications for biodiesel.

Myth: Biodiesel performs poorly compared to petrodiesel.

Truth: Biodiesel has a higher cetane number than diesel fuel and can be used in most existing diesel engines.

Myth: Biodiesel blends are incompatible with the new diesel engine.

Truth: The fact is that the new engine emission control systems in the vehicles are all easily used with blends up to at least B5. These rumors are baseless.

Myth: Diesel engine manufacturers warranties are void if biodiesel is used.

Truth: B5 fuel is accepted by engine manufacturers and major automakers globally.

Myth: Quality issues exist with biodiesel fuel.

Truth: The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has verified that the biodiesel industry meets nationally recognized fuel quality standards.

Myth: Biodiesel cannot be used as a fuel in cold weather.

Truth: High quality biodiesel fuel form well-managed producers is successfully used in very cold climates for marine and jet fuels along with heating fuel.

Myth: Biodiesel increases global warming since land must be cleared to grow biomass feedstock.

Truth: New farmland isn't necessary since there's abundant non-food feedstock available globally. Biodiesel contributes to carbon reduction and is documented to decrease lifecycle carbon emissions up to 60-80 percent.

Myth: Food prices increase since biodiesel fuel uses cereal grains.

Truth: There are a variety of vegetable oils, plant and forestry residue, fats, waste grease and oil, and algae to use as feedstock. Eliminating biodiesel has little impact on food pricing. Replacing it with oil would result in increased imports of oil by millions of barrels per day making $108 per barrel crude oil look cheap.

Biodiesel: What is it?

Biodiesel is produced through a process in which organic oils are
combined with alcohol (ethanol or methanol) in the presence of a
catalyst to form ethyl or methyl ester. The biomass-derived esters can
be blended with conventional diesel fuel or used as a neat fuel (100%
biodiesel). Biodiesel can be made from any vegetable oil, animal fats,
waste vegetable oils, or microalgae oils. Soybean and canola (rapeseed)
oils are the most common vegetable oils used today.
As a fuel used in diesel engines, biodiesel can be used in its pure form
as is done in Brazil. In the United States it is blended with
petroleum-based diesel to reduce emission of particulate matter, carbon
monoxide, hydrocarbons, and other toxins.
In the U.S., biodiesel is derived from animal fats, vegetable oils, and
recycled grease. The driving factor in choosing a feedstock is its cost
and continued availability.
Aggressive research on biodiesel feedstock continues with discoveries
being made daily, literally.
Although there are varying conversion methods for producing biodiesel,
the primary reaction used in the U.S. is transesterification where heat
is applied to a mixture of alcohol reacted with triglyceride oils in the
presence of a catalyst. Typically a strong base, or alkali, catalyst
such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide is used. The resulting
products are fatty acid alkyl esters, known as biodiesel, and glycerin.
The variety of methods and feedstock used to produce biodiesel has many
effects on the final biodiesel products. Those effects along with fuel
quality, environmental effects, production methods, domestic vs.
geopolitical energy issues, and whether or not biodiesel can be
considered carbon neutral are fundamental building blocks of this course.