Breara Hollis Brandyn Wilkes biodiesel Breara Hollis Brandyn Wilkes

Biodiesel: the basics Made from various vegetable oils, such as canola oils, as well as Animal fats, or recycled greases. Made by a process known as transesterification, which creates two things: methyl esters(Biodiesel) and Glycerin(A component in various soaps). There are three main routes to biodiesel production: Base catalyzed transesterification with alcohol. Direct acid esterification with methanol. Conversion of oils and fatty acids and then to Alkyl esters via acid catalysis.

Biodiesel usage Biodiesel can be used in many ways, including: As an alternative for regular diesel To create hydrogen for standard Fuel-Cell Vehicles To clean up oil spills To generate electricity To heat your home

Current use of Biodiesel In addition to what biodiesel can be used for, Biodiesel’s current uses include: Transportation, replacing current uses of fuel like basic petroleum and gasoline. Power generation, slowly reaching a higher percentage of use in energy burning fuels Heat, slowly replacing a higher percentage of fossil fuels

Pros and cons of biodiesel Less CO2 is released into the air when fuel is burned. Ready to use Extends the working life of engines Can decrease dependence on foreign oil Cons Reduced fuel efficiency Can affect the food supply Can damage pipes and filters Not as accessible or affordable as other fuels

The Hidden Stuff of Biodiesel There is a chance Biodiesel and the burning of it could be more harmful than helpful, seeing as they could lead to the production of more greenhouse gases if burned the way they are. Still a decent amount of CO2 in Ethanol and other biofuels. On the other hand biofuels are still the only alternative fuel that has passed the Health Effects test.

Is Biodiesel accepted? Yes, biofuel technologies such as Bio Diesel are highly developed, and ready to be used The production and use of biodiesel and other biofuels are rapidly growing and integrating their way into other forms of energy use. The U.S produced over 4 billion gallons of Ethanol last year!

Do costs make it prohibitive for common use? Biodiesel costs $1.50 per gallon to produce, however diesel costs 1.4 cents per gallon in comparison. So Biofuels are MUCH more expensive to make and buy. However a successful biofuel industry could make thousands of jobs for us. The costs of technology don’t make it prohibitive for use, although, compared to Nuclear or Solar Power, it’s still the cheaper option.