Biodiesel is the name given to a clean-burning alternative to diesel fuel. It is produced from a broad range of renewable resources including soybean oil, animal fats, and recycled cooking grease. Biodiesel is the first and only EPA-designated advanced biofuel in commercial-scale production across the country and can be used in existing diesel engines without modification. Biodiesel can be used alone or blended with petroleum diesel in any proportion.
Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level to create a biodiesel blend.
When Biodiesel is blended with petroleum, it becomes a Biodiesel blend. It is often labeled with the amount of Biodiesel found in the fuel, B20 for example is a blend of 20 percent Biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel.
Yes. The technical definition for Biodiesel within ASTM D 6751 reads:
Biodiesel: a fuel comprised of mono-alkyl esters of long-chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats, designated B100, and meeting the requirements of ASTM D 6751.
Biodiesel is manufactured from plant oils (e.g., soybean oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil, corn oil); recycled cooking greases or oils (e.g., yellow grease); or animal fats (beef tallow, pork lard); and various combinations of these feedstocks. Used cooking oils are mostly plant-based but may also contain animal fats. The Biodiesel manufacturing process converts oils and fats into chemicals called long-chain mono alkyl esters, or Biodiesel. These chemicals are also referred to as fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), and the process is referred to as esterification. The ASTM D6751 definition of Biodiesel states that Biodiesel is composed of “mono-alkyl esters of long-chain fatty acids derived from plant oils or animal fats.
No. Biodiesel goes through a process called transesterification to remove the glycerin from the oil. Fuel-grade Biodiesel must meet the strict industry standards of ASTM D 6751 to ensure proper performance.
Biodiesel is a diesel fuel replacement, made from excess renewable fats and oils. Using a production process known as “transesterification”, these feedstocks are converted into a class of compounds known as fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). Renewable Diesel is a fuel that utilizes the same renewable feedstocks used to produce Biodiesel, with a production process more like diesel fuel production. These processes yield compounds that are chemically indistinguishable from petroleum diesel fuel. While these two fuels are distinctly different, each offers performance improvements over the use of petroleum, such as the reduction of at least 50% greenhouse gas emissions.
* Is renewable
* Displaces petroleum-derived diesel fuel
* Can be used in most diesel equipment with no or only minor modifications
* Can reduce global warming greenhouse gas emissions
* Is compatible with new technology diesel engines (NTDE) and emissions control devices
* Can reduce tailpipe emissions from older vehicles, including air toxics
* Is non-toxic, biodegradable, and suitable for sensitive environments