Opinion: Why Biodiesel?
I>Executive Director
ational Biodiesel Board
Given the flurry of new users and media coverage, by now you’ve probably heard of a fuel called biodiesel. It’s an alternative to diesel that can be made from any fat or vegetable oil — usually soybean oil. It contains no petroleum but can be blended with diesel at any level. Even if this is the first you’ve heard of biodiesel, read on, because it won’t be the last you hear of it.
Biodiesel is a cleaner-burning fuel that can be used in any diesel engine with few or no modifications necessary. Its use is spreading at an astonishing pace, and for good reason. More than 80 major fleets use it today, including government fleets, public utilities, garbage and recycling companies, school districts, public transit authorities and national parks. It is grabbing the attention of fleet managers covered by alternative fuel requirements, and also of those who aren’t. Here’s why drivers and fleet managers are using more biodiesel every week Biodiesel performs. It has the highest BTU content of any alternative fuel, similar to No. 1 diesel fuel. It exhibits premium diesel characteristics of high cetane and high lubricity. As ultra-low-sulfur diesel comes on line beginning in 2006, the lubricity of diesel fuel will be severely compromised. New ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel will require a lubricity additive to prevent premature engine wear or fuel injection system malfunction. Just 1% biodiesel can improve the lubricity of diesel fuel by up to 65%.
Biodiesel is uniquely positioned to fill this operational need as a no-sulfur lubricity additive. Stanadyne Automotive Corp., the largest diesel fuel injection equipment manufacturer in the U.S., submitted a letter to the EPA during the comment period of the recently passed low-sulfur rule stating that the company supports “the use of a low blend of biodiesel into the entire U.S. diesel pool” for lubricity purposes. Stanadyne stated that up to 2% biodiesel could provide sufficient lubricity for any distillate fuel, and has the potential to eliminate the inherent variability associated with the use of conventional additives. Since biodiesel is a fuel itself, there are no technical problems with biodiesel such as overdosing, separation and insufficient blending.
Biodiesel is 10 times less toxic than table salt and biodegrades as fast as sugar. Moreover, it has a flashpoint about twice that of diesel, making biodiesel the safest fuel to use, handle and store. It also has a higher cold filter plugging point than diesel fuel, but at the B20 level – a 20% mix with 80% petroleum diesel — no additional precautions are required above those used for No. 2 diesel fuel.
Biodiesel continues to become more cost-competitive with diesel. The cost of biodiesel is within a broad range based on region, feedstock, and volume purchased. B20 currently sells for about 5 cents to 20 cents more per gallon than diesel. As more fleets use biodiesel, the cost is expected to drop. Additionally, proposed federal legislation would provide a tax incentive for biodiesel.
The benefits of biodiesel to the environment and to human health are significant. Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to have passed the rigorous health effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act. The results, submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency in 2000, show biodiesel reduces air toxics by 90%. Emissions it reduces include carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons and particulate matter. A 1998 Department of Energy and Department of Agriculture joint study showed life-cycle carbon dioxide is reduced by 78% with biodiesel compared to petroleum diesel.
As a domestically produced product from renewable agricultural resources, biodiesel development offers significant opportunities for rural and urban economic development. The single largest component of the U.S. trade deficit is imported oil. Increased use of domestically produced and processed resources not only creates agricultural and manufacturing sector jobs, but can serve to improve the national trade imbalance.
In short, biodiesel is uniquely positioned to immediately address our national energy issues, because it is the only alternative fuel that works in existing diesel technology using the existing national petroleum infrastructure. Everyone wins with biodiesel. Its use contributes to domestic energy security and economic development, while helping protect and preserve our natural resources and the environment.
Fleets covered by the Energy Policy Act can use biodiesel to meet up to half of their alternative fuel vehicle requirements. Every 450 gallons of B20 biodiesel burned earn the fleet one AFV credit. Biodiesel is usually the least-cost option to meet these requirements because the fuel works seamlessly with existing diesel technology and infrastructure. Mechanics require no additional training, and biodiesel performs just like diesel fuel in a diesel engine.
Although not all fleet managers are required to use alternative fuels, we all can expect to see increased emphasis on renewable, domestically produced fuels like biodiesel. The U.S. is struggling with energy issues brought on by dependence on foreign oil and finite resources. As a result, the federal government and state legislatures are hunting for solutions with a fervor not seen since the 1970s. We can anticipate increased popularity of renewable fuels as tax incentives and other inducements come into play in the marketplace.
The National Biodiesel Board is funded in part by the United Soybean Board and state programs supported by soybean farmers.
This story appeats in the July 9 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.
