The Basics of Biodiesel

Energy Security

The United States currently consumes about 21 million barrels of oil per day. Of that 21 million barrels, roughly 60 percent (12.6 million bpd) is imported.

Every year, the United States dedicates a substantial portion of our military resources to protect this oil from acts of terrorism designed to halt oil production and interfere with getting the oil safely to our borders.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 43 percent of those 12.6 million barrels (5.4 million barrels) comes from the OPEC nations, which include Saudi Arabia, Libya, Iran, Iraq, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela. Therefore, when the price of oil is trading in the $60-per-barrel range, we send $300 million per day to these countries.

While many members of the OPEC nations are not hostile to the United States, it’s no secret that a number of them are. As long as we continue to use their oil, we will continue to fund, at least in part, activities that conflict with our country’s interests.

Biodiesel is a way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and, therefore, reduce the impact the OPEC nations have on our economy and our security.

Environment

Biodiesel is diesel fuel produced from domestic renewable resources that can be manufactured from vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled restaurant greases. Biodiesel is safe, biodegradable and reduces serious air pollutants such as particulates, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and air toxins.

Biodiesel is the best greenhouse gas mitigation strategy for today’s medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles. A 1998 biodiesel lifecycle study, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, concluded that biodiesel reduces net carbon dioxide emissions by 78 percent compared with petroleum diesel. This is due to biodiesel’s closed carbon cycle. The CO2 released into the atmosphere when biodiesel is burned is recycled by growing plants, which are later processed into fuel.

Biodiesel is a competitively priced substitute or extender for traditional petroleum diesel, and special pumps or high-pressure equipment for fueling are not needed. It can be used in conventional diesel engines, so special vehicles or engines do not have to be purchased.

lt is the only non-petroleum fuel to have fully completed the health effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act. The use of biodiesel in a conventional diesel engine results in a substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matter compared with 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 with diesel.

Performance

There is essentially no noticeable difference in the performance of a biodiesel blend vs. 100 percent conventional diesel performance. In fact, in some cases, blends perform better than straight diesel.

While it is true that the energy content of a gallon of biodiesel is slightly lower than that of conventional diesel, many fleet operators across the country have experienced better fuel mileage when using B20 vs. an unblended diesel.

In fact, the Little Rock School District has stated publicly that its fuel efficiency increased from 7.0 miles per gallon to 8.1 miles per gallon when the district switched to B20. Additionally, the Pulaski County Special School District experienced an increase of .64 miles per gallon when it blended its fuel.

While there are no formal studies on the matter, two explanations have been given for the phenomenon.

a. Biodiesel has a high lubricity value. High lubricity means less friction. Less friction means an engine doesn’t have to work as hard. An engine that requires less work requires less fuel.

b. Biodiesel has a cleansing effect on the engine and its parts. By using biodiesel, an engine comes closer to an optimum maintenance level.

(NOTE: As this cleansing effect naturally deposits sediments in the fuel filter, some fleet operators have engaged in the one-time activity of replacing fuel filters. This is a small price to pay for the increased efficiency that so many fleets across the country are experiencing.)