Biodiesel: Environmental Friendly Alternative to Petrodiesel

Abstract

Biodiesel is a renewable, efficient, environmentally friendly and biodegradable fuel made from vegetable oil, including waste cooking oil. In the United States, soybean oil is the principal oil being utilized for biodiesel [1]. Animal fats, oils and greases generated in the food industry and restaurants can be recovered by interceptors and traps as a feedstock for biodiesel [2]. Insect fat has also been proposed as a promising resource for biodiesel production [3]. Biodiesel can be blended with conventional petrodiesel in any proportion (even 1% biodiesel will increase engine lubrication by 65%) for use in vehicles with an unmodified diesel engine. Unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matter are substantially reduced in the exhaust fumes, up to 75% cleaner than petrodiesel made from fossil fuels. Sulphur dioxide emissions are eliminated as biodiesel contains no sulphur. It has significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions particularly in the trucking industry [4]. In Canada canola oil is produced in massive quantities for domestic marketing. A large amount goes through restaurant deep fryers and must be disposed of after a few days of use [5]. The federal government provides, through the Sustainable Development Technology Canada’s NextGen Biofuels Fund, ongoing support in the development of advanced renewable biofuels [6]. Annually, the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association presents the Green Fuels Award to honour pioneers in the development, commercialization and promotion of low carbon renewable fuels. In Ontario, biodiesel is exempted from the provincial tax of 14.3 cents per liter. The largest biodiesel plant, Great Lakes Biodiesel Inc. located in Well and, produces 45 million gallons of ASTM 6751 quality biodiesel made from vegetable oils [7]. It has received BQ-9000 Producer status from the National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission for efficient production of high quality fuel to meet the growing renewable energy demands. Today finding an outlet is getting easier a new website has started up to catalog locations where drivers can get biodiesel for their cars and trucks [8]. Biodiesel is primarily obtained from the base catalyzed transesterification reaction of oils or fats. An American company, HomeBiodieselKits.com, sells biodiesel processing equipment (for three thousand dollars) that can make the processing of used cooking oil into biodiesel much easier [9]. Some people choose biofuel processors to convert local crops (corn) into renewable fuel (fiber cellulosic ethanol) that can replace gasoline or create electricity, thereby saving money and helping the environment. Biodiesel must meet a cetane number specification of 40 or more (to be higher than petrodiesel) [10], which is a measurement of the fuel combustion quality during compression ignition [11]. Other measurements of diesel quality include cold-flow properties, density, lubricity and sulfur content.