Q. Will Biodiesel harm my engine?
A. Biodiesel will work in a conventional petro diesel engine with no problems at all. Multiple agencies have tested this combination over millions of miles and in every circumstance. Bus fleets and commercial haulage companies have been using biodiesel in their operations for many years and reporting great success.
Q. Is Biodiesel experimental?
A.The answer is no, it has been used in Europe in widespread fashion since the 80s and within the United States increasingly so over the last decade. In fact, biodiesel goes back to the 1930s when vegetable oil was first converted into fuel, being perfected during the 1980s.
Q. Is this alternative fuel accepted by the government?
A. Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel fully certified under the stringent provisions of the Clean Air Act, as modified in 1990. Further, the EPA authenticates and certifies bio diesel fuel.
Q. Where can I find biodiesel?
A. There are now 14 major production facilities in the US and a number of distribution channels. Across the nation, hundreds and hundreds of small operations cater to locals. As the number of diesel engine cars increases, additional manufacture plants and distribution points will emerge.
Q. What about using conventional vegetable oil?
A. Absolutely not, vegetable oil must be converted through transesterification into biodiesel fuel first. This involves the use of alcohol, and a catalyst to extract the final liquid.
Q. Does it work in cold weather?
A. Biodiesel does have a tendency to gel in very cold conditions, just as conventional petro diesel. Employ the same precautions when the weather turns particularly cold.
Q. Is this fuel good for the environment?
A. Our planet is plagued by carbon emissions and it is good to know that biodiesel is essentially carbon neutral. As biodiesel is fundamentally extracted from vegetable crops which were previously carbon “sinks,” the fuel is far better for the environment than conventional petroleum, which is extremely high in toxic greenhouse gas emissions.
Q. Will I have to worry about clogged filters?
A. Biodiesel has some solvent properties and may dissolve certain deposits which have built up on your tank wall or within your pipes. These deposits could then become trapped in filters and it is advisable to clean or change your filters when you first convert from conventional diesel to biodiesel, making way for a cleaner running, longer lasting engine.
Q. Can I make biodiesel at home?
A.There are many people successful at making homemade biodiesel. Generally, making biodiesel is not very difficult in and of itself, so long as you take certain safety precautions and make sure that you follow the necessary instructions. This can be a great way of making a difference, environmentally!
Q. Do we need to worry about over-harvesting if biodiesel becomes popular?
A. We need to ensure that biodiesel growth is itself sustainable and ensure that we do not over-harvest and cause an imbalance in agricultural crop availability, especially as we need these absorbers of carbon in place. This would be a challenge as things unfold.
