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The adoption of biodiesel and its integration within our society face a number of complex, interdependent or exclusive challenges. While there is, as yet, only a limited amount of comprehensively researched data available, many factors are changing in favour of biodiesel fuel. Only a decade ago, widespread adoption of this alternative seemed less likely, but this is changing very quickly.

We are all becoming very aware how traditional fossil fuels have caused damage and become a great concern for the future. When petroleum is made, greenhouse gases are guaranteed and we now know how this is affecting the planet’s average annual temperature. This type of climate change is leading to results that we can already see and we can be very worried about the problems that could face future generations. Changes must come and we must cut down our reliance on fossil fuels, even though this change is slow to materialise sometimes. We often do not like changes and challenges to the way that we exist and we certainly do not like additional economic costs associated. However, adopting alternative energy production processes and consumption patterns may put us at competitive disadvantage compared to countries that do not.

If we’re slow to act, scientists and environmentalists tell us that harm could become irreversible. Consequently, governments are starting to consider taxation of carbon itself, forcing organisations through market pressures to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and increase their energy efficiency. This could help to balance the playing field for biodiesel fuel. When traditional fuels become more expensive due to this carbon tax, biodiesel fuel will become more attractive.

Society will exert its own pressures and will move toward options that are seen to be far “greener” than they are now. Biodiesel fuels may represent a premium over alternatives and may be more difficult to find, but nevertheless a trend toward them will begin. Ways of making biodiesel will be explored and commercial solutions will begin to spring up in more and more places.

Farmers have been worried about declining demand for their products in recent times. These days, homemade biodiesel can be made from vegetable oils and surplus oils, together with animal fats and soybeans, for example could easily provide the raw material needed to produce the fuel. This in turn would help to keep revenues from the production and sale of fuel within our communities, rather than distributing these revenues overseas. It is sobering to realise that by the 2020s, two thirds of fuel purchased revenues could be lost to foreign countries.

As we enter the new decade, it seems that more and more people and organisations are going to focus on the need to be sustainable. The biodiesel industry should ensure that it’s front and centre to this argument. With so much at stake, not only with respect to the long term financial stability of our country, but also the priceless global sustainability which could be achieved, can any of us really afford to continue to wait until someone in power makes a decision?

Scrapbooking Paper biodiesel, diesel, engine, environment, fuel

Dr. Rudolf Diesel invented the well known diesel engine, in the 1890s. The doctor developed the project as an answer to the basic steam engines that have been around since the auto was first invented. Steam engines were known to be dangerous and could be very unreliable, not like the diesel engine, which was then popular.

The diesel engine was very different to the petrol engine and the diesel worked on the basis of ignition compression. Air enters into the engine cylinder and is compressed when the piston rises, igniting the mixture and emitting power. On the other hand, the petrol engine relies on a spark to explode the fuel mix and requires a backup system of leads, coils and pipes to work.

While the first public demonstration of what was essentially the early “bio diesel” engine occurred in 1900, it was to be the 1930s before modern biodiesel fuel was developed through the conversion of vegetable oils into fatty acid methyl esters.

When times were plentiful there was not much interest in biodiesel as an alternative fuel. Petro diesel was very cheap and the early versions of vegetable oil based fuels were not suitable for the diesel engines of the time. As the vegetable oil was subject to a higher viscosity, experimentation resulted in further development and the emergence of what we now know as biodiesel.

A Belgian inventor came up with a process subsequently termed transesterification in 1937, when he converted vegetable oils as a diesel fuel replacement, but it was to be well into the 1980s before this was perfected due to urgent needs associated with energy security and increased efficiency. The process of transesterification was successfully matched at this time, making biodiesel fuel a real alternative to those concerned about the environment.

Biodiesel first gained widespread acceptance in Europe in the 1990s, due to much higher prices of petro diesel. Biodiesel first went into production in the US in 1996, and during the decade to follow it has become more and more available and the subject of more interest in general.

Our society as a whole has become much more aware of damage caused to our environment through industrial and automotive pollution. While this awareness has been slowly emerging, costs associated with energy production have been rising inexorably. When gas prices reached the peaks in the United States recently, consumers really became aware of sustainability and the need to become more efficient. As petro diesel is now more expensive than conventional gasoline and each method of propulsion eats into a typical household budget, alternatives that are seen to be more beneficial to the environment are gaining acceptance.

The history of biodiesel seems set for an exciting chapter ahead as we focus more on energy security, environmental issues and balancing our budgets. Nowadays, homemade biodiesel is becoming a stepping stone for many as they seek to attain an element of independence and environmental stewardship. It comes down to the simple equation of whether a sustainable fuel solution can be produced at a lesser cost than the readily available alternative, and in this case, biodiesel is most definitely the answer. It’s a real solution, and a way forward.

Scrapbooking Paper biodiesel, diesel, engine, environment, fuel

If you have been introduced to the world of making biodiesel, then you will know that with patience and dedication you can achieve a freedom level that you have never seen and make savings as well. While the cost of petrol and petro diesel may have fallen back from the highs that plagued the US economy in recent years, who is to say that we could not fall victim to those far-off countries and their decision-making or other economic factors. In Europe, governments have always pushed punitive taxes on to transportation costs, making gasoline prohibitively expensive.

If you feel that you might want to move beyond the manufacture of biodiesel for just yourself or your family’s use, then you might wonder whether you could make a go of selling it commercially. This is definitely an underserved market, as there are few areas where biodiesel is readily available. You may be confused though as you may consider that the market is yet to formulate.

It’s good to know that biodiesel can be used, as it is, within the diesel engine and while there may be only one in 20 such vehicles in the US currently, the trend is increasing considerably. Note that in Europe, where fuel efficiency and trends tend to start, up to 50% of all vehicles on the road are diesel.

To make biodiesel commercially, resources and space must be created. The space that you use when making homemade biodiesel will probably not be sufficient and remember that you need a high level of purity before you may be certified.

It might be possible for you to get some local government or federal grants to help you establish your operation. You may well be able to present a good case to angel investors, well-off friends or other interested parties. You could aim to start off relatively small and finance expansion from your profits, and don’t forget to ride on the wave of sustainability that’s currently gripping the country. As the weeks and months go by, people are going to become even more concerned about the size of their carbon footprint, to say nothing of any cost savings they might be able to achieve.

Network what you are trying to do. Be in touch with established biodiesel producers regionally and see if you can somehow use their resources or even enthusiasm to help you get going. As time goes by, you may well locate parties who are interested in becoming subsidiary dealers for you.

You can have the opportunity to move from making biodiesel fuel as a hobby to a profitable business as an active distribution point for the local population. Why not go for it, and look to create some real change in your local environment? If you can find a job you truly enjoy, you never really work a day in your life! After all, what’s that well known saying that people all over the world have been talking about lately? Think global, act local!

Scrapbooking Paper bio diesel, biodiesel, diesel, environment, fuel

The automotive industry in the United States has taken a pounding during the great recession, accelerating a trend towards the introduction of the smaller and more efficient vehicles. Those days of $.50 gasoline and huge, inefficient cars are certainly on the way out, and we have now seen that sky-high gas prices can plague us, even when recessionary forces are not apparent.

We are now likely to see more European-style cars on the road in the US. In Europe, efficient vehicles are the norm and you never see those big American clunkers on this continent. If we are looking at trends and expecting European vehicles to become widespread in the US, we can imagine that an increasing number of diesel vehicles will soon be revealed. Diesel engine cars and trucks have a far better efficiency, even though the petro diesel required to fuel them can be a little bit more expensive.

If we can foresee a definite upward trend from the one in 20 or so diesel engine cars currently in the US toward the huge numbers popular in Europe, then we can see how biodiesel may have a considerable future there. As it emits very little in the way of greenhouse gases and can be made from readily available products, biodiesel fuel is much more friendly to the environment. The process for making biodiesel is fairly straightforward using animal fat or vegetable oil, commonly known as transesterification.

You may have already experimented with making homemade biodiesel in your garage and been quite successful. It is possible that you are considering a cottage industry and know that in your area there are no existing biodiesel distributors.

If you have an entrepreneurial bent, a commercial biodiesel operation may well be worth considering. Consider where you could find the oils or fats you need, the methanol and caustic soda in the correct quantities. You will need a reasonably sized space to be able to set up the production process and while it will require a bit more than just a simple ramping up from wherever you are now, the basic parameters remain the same.

Please note that before you will be able to sell your products you will have to ensure a certain level of purity and achieve certification and will of course need relevant business operational licenses. If you are unable to fund the entire operation set up yourself, note that you may be able to find grants and incentives, especially from government authorities that clearly see climate related pressures. It is very trendy to be sustainable these days and authorities realise that they should make public funding available to those who are following this trend.

Look at those who are already established. In certain parts of the country, biodiesel fuel users are more in evidence, especially in new England and the Northwest. If you research well, there is no reason why you should not benefit from an emerging trend. With so much change coming on the horizon, ever so much faster than we may realise, it only makes sense to become more sustainable as quickly as we can by turning to environmentally sound energy sources. Try biodiesel today, and see for yourself what the experience brings!

Scrapbooking Paper bio diesel, biodiesel, diesel, environment, fuel

The automotive industry is slowly but surely becoming more sustainable and is thinking about producing cars with better mileage figures, engines with longevity, reductions in carbon emissions and is also looking at major improvements to diesel engines. Conventional petro diesel is being replaced by a low sulphur alternative and this is of benefit to those who use, or wish to use biodiesel in their vehicles.

Equipment manufacturers are now making diesel engine motors that can accept either biodiesel or low sulfur. While it is true that pure blends of biodiesel can damage certain rubber compounds over a period of time, especially in older diesel engines, this issue is likely to decrease as more stringent rubber compounds are used. Indeed, if biodiesel is used in lower blends and not “neat,” any issues appear to be negligible.

Some consumers believe that should they use biodiesel in their cars they will void the warranty provided by the manufacturer. This is completely incorrect, as the diesel engined vehicle manufacturers all support the use of biodiesel. As biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to be certified by the US Environmental Protection Agency, savvy manufacturers are taking note of its potential and embracing its use. Within the automotive industry, senior executives can foresee that regulation is becoming much more likely as politicians react and they know that vehicles will be required with higher performance and greater sustainability.

More than 50% of all vehicles in Europe have diesel engines. This is more than a 10 times higher ratio than found in the USA, but we can see that more manufacturers are now planning to import and produce vehicles with diesel engines in this country as the trend toward smaller and more economical continues.

Within the last 10 years, interest in biodiesel in the US has grown considerably. Today, more than 700 million gallons are produced annually, compared to less than 1 million in 1999. This industry is likely to grow significantly as we go forward. Across the country, 14 organisations have multimillion dollar manufacturing operations, but there are hundreds of fledgling and micro operations elsewhere.

Not surprisingly, making biodiesel commercially is an option that many are considering, in some cases moving up from homemade biodiesel production, supplying neighbours and friends in the locality as they start a business. Commercial production of biodiesel fuel requires certification by the EPA, while there are certain incentives and grants also available to help.

If you are not sure and pondering whether the adoption of biodiesel as your fuel of choice would be a good idea, just consider the advances of the trend toward sustainability. The US Congress is looking at legislation to force major energy consumers and polluters to cut back considerably. As this trend continues, consumers will increasingly demand that organisations and individuals become more sustainable and show evidence that they are complying; biodiesel fuel is ideally placed to contribute. If you’re interested in helping the environment, and are looking for a way help others do the same, getting invovled with the production of biodiesel fuel is a great way to start!

Scrapbooking Paper bio diesel, biodiesel, diesel, fuel, gasoline