Biofuel can be produced from a number of renewable energy sources. These include
crops such as rapeseed or flaxseed which are grown for their oil. Vegetable oil
can then be subjected to chemical processing to produce a useable biofuel.
Industrial waste can also be converted to biofuel, reducing waste disposal and
recycling used oils perhaps once as cooking oil in the food processing
industry. Using biofuels reduces our reliance on non renewable fossil fuels
like crude oil and its derivatives diesel (DERV - Diesel Engine Road Vehicle)
or petrol fuels.
Biodiesel from Vegetable Oil
Biodiesel is a form of biofuel which can be obtained from vegetable oil. Once
processed, biodiesel can be used as a fuel in motor vehicles, replacing mineral
based petrol and diesel.
To manufacture biodiesel raw vegetable oil is first cleaned and filtered, this
prepares crude, refined or used oil ready for processing. This vegetable oil is
then transformed in a chemical reaction using methanol and a catalyst. After a
final processing, biodiesel is produced.
Biodiesel offers an environmentally friendly solution which produces no carbon
emissions when burnt. It also offers improved properties over mineral diesel
fuel, which can be exploited for fuel economy
Using Biodiesel in Diesel Engines
Biodiesel can be used directly in most diesel engines. Most diesel engines do
not require any modification and can be run on pure biodiesel or a mixture of
both, however to comply with manufacturer warranties and current European
standards, BS EN 590, it is often mixed with a percentage of mineral diesel.
Currently there is only a limited availability of biodiesel being distributed to
a limited number of locations across the UK, but current production capacity is
most likely to expand rapidly in coming years. Cost per litre should also fall
as production facilities increase production to satisfy growing demand.
Biodiesel offers a real alternative to fossil fuels.