Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning, renewable diesel fuel replacement made from vegetable oils or animal fats. The methyl/ethyl ester's of vegetable oil or what we now call Biodiesel is very similar to the petrochemical based diesel fuel that it replaces, so it does not require any vehicle or storage modifications.

     The main benefits derived from using Biodiesel come from the reduction in tail pipe emissions and the diesel fuel consumer can now ensure that their fuel money stays in America rather than going overseas.

     Biodiesel can be used as a pure fuel or blended with petroleum in any percentage. B5, a blend of 5% Biodiesel and 95% by volume of petroleum diesel has shown improvements in performance, enhanced lubricity and some reduction in emissions. A blend of 20 percent by volume Biodiesel with 80 percent by volume petroleum diesel called B20, has demonstrated significant environmental benefits with a minimum increase in cost.

     The main benefit derived from using Biodiesel comes from the reduction in emissions generated when using this biodegradable, low toxicity fuel. These emission benefits are gained all the while you are using a fuel that is made from a fully renewable energy source, grown right here in the US

• Biodiesel reduces carbon dioxide exhaust emissions by up to 80%.
  
• Biodiesel produces 100% less sulfur dioxide than petroleum based diesel, and sulfur dioxide is the major component of acid rain.
  
• Biodiesel reduces exhaust smoke (particulates) emissions by up to 75% so the usual black cloud associated with a diesel engine can be eliminated.
  
• The smell of the biodiesel exhaust is far more pleasant than petroleum based diesel, some times smelling like pop corn or doughnuts if the fuel is made from a waste vegetable oil feedstock.
  
• Biodiesel smells better than diesel fuel so it is a pleasant experience re-filling the vehicle's tank.
  
• Biodiesel is much easier to handle and does not require mechanics to use barrier cream on their hands to protect the skin from cracking or redness.
  
• Biodiesel is much less dangerous to put in a vehicles fuel tank as the flash point of biodiesel is ±150°C (300°F) opposed to petroleum diesel which is at ± 70°C (150°
  
• Biodiesel degrades about 4 times faster than petroleum diesel after spillage, with most of a spill broken down after just 28 days.
  
• Biodiesel provides significant lubricity improvement over petroleum diesel fuel so engines last longer, with the right additives engine performance can also be enhanced.
  
• Low Sulfur and Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel require additives to add the lubricity back into the fuel, biodiesel is a totally renewable additive for this role and complements the use of ULSD.
  
• Biodiesel reduces the classic diesel engine "knocking" noise.
  
• Biodiesel does not require any changes to the existing storage infrastructure so can be used in any tank or storage facility right away.
  
• Biodiesel can be mixed in with existing diesel to create various mixtures like a B5 or B20 blend.
  
• A diesel engined vehicle does not need to be modified in anyway to use biodiesel.
  

     Biodiesel's most noted attribute highlighted by consumers is the similar operating performance to conventional diesel fuel. Biodiesel has a very similar energy value per gallon as petrodiesel, so there is no need to compromise vehicle performance when using this alternative fuel. Blending biodiesel with petroleum diesel in small percentages of around 5%, will actually improve the engines performance and with the right additives, increase mileage.

     The beauty of biodiesel as an alternative, renewable fuel is that the standard storage and handling procedures used for petroleum diesel can also be used for biodiesel. There is no problem mixing biodiesel with diesel fuel in storage tanks or in vehicles.

     One of the largest roadblocks to the use of alternative fuels is the need for new storage facilities and modifications to the vehicle. Vehicles powered by CNG, LNG and many other alternative fuels have to stay within range of their fueling infrastructure, which limits their range of operation. Biodiesel suffers none of these issues.

     Biodiesel has desirable degradation attributes which make it the fuel of choice for environmentally conscious users. Studies at the University of Idaho, compared the biodegradation of biodiesel in an aqueous solution to diesel fuel and dextrose (sugar). Biodiesel samples degraded more rapidly than sugar, and were 95% degraded at the end of 28 days. Normal petroleum based diesel fuel was only about 40% degraded after the same 28 day test period.

     Blending biodiesel with regular petroleum based diesel fuel accelerates the blended fuel's overall biodegradability. For example, blends of 20% biodiesel and 80% diesel fuel (B20) degraded twice as fast as petroleum diesel. 100% pure biodiesel degrades as fast as sugar and a 20% blend will degrade twice as fast as petroleum based diesel fuel.

     Biodiesel and even petroleum diesel that has been blended with biodiesel is safer to store, handle and use than conventional diesel fuel. Biodiesel is so safe to handle that you can throw a lighted match into a bucket of biodiesel and the fuel will not ignite. Not only does this make gas stations and their associated delivery trucks much safer, but a vehicle fueled with biodiesel is also much safer as it will not explode if involved in an accident.

     Biodiesel has a flash point of 150°C (300°F), which is much higher than the flash point of petroleum based diesel fuel which is ± 70°C (150°F). (The flash point of a fuel is defined as the temperature at which the fuel becomes a mixture that will ignite when exposed to a spark or flame)

     Biodiesel is a fantastic lubricity additive and biodiesel is going to become even more important in the nations fuel mix as the US moves towards using Ultra Low Sulfur diesel fuel. Testing at labs such as Southwest Research Institute, Standyne Automotive and Engineering Testing Services have demonstrated that biodiesel provides significant lubricity improvement over petroleum diesel fuel, even at blend levels as low as 1%.

     When the sulfur present in diesel fuel is combusted by the engine, it results in the black smoke and high emission levels in the exhaust plume. The sulfur level of petroleum based diesel fuel that is used for on-road purposes is limited to 0.05% by weight. This limit was mandated in 1993 as a method to decrease particulate matter emitted from diesel powered vehicles.

     With the introduction of mandated Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) low-sulfur diesel fuel, fleet operators began to encounter premature wear and/or failure of injector pumps in increasing numbers. Pump manufacturers began recommending the use of lubricity additives to alleviate the damage that the low sulfur diesel was causing to their injection pumps.

     The refinery process that removes sulfur, not only lowers the sulfur content but also removes trace amounts of certain polar impurities. Both organo-sulfur compounds and these polar impurities are the ingredients that give diesel fuel its needed natural lubricating qualities.

     The EPA has now mandated that the sulfur content in diesel fuel be lowered in on and off road uses, with further tightening in 2005/6 to 15 PPM, a standard that is called Ultra Low Sulfur diesel. In France, biodiesel in small amounts is mandated in every gallon of diesel fuel sold and helps that country use Ultra Low Sulfur diesel throughout its fueling infrastructure. Biodiesel could be used in the same way here in America.

     The use of biodiesel in a conventional diesel engine results in substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter. Emissions of nitrogen oxides are either slightly reduced or slightly increased depending on the duty cycle of the engine and testing methods employed.

     Particulate emissions from conventional diesel engines are generally divided into three components and are in varying degree responsible for the black cloud emanating from a diesel powered vehicles exhaust tail pipe.

     The first component, and the one most closely related to the visible smoke often associated with diesel exhaust, is the carbonaceous material. This material is composed of sub-micron sized carbon particles which are formed during the diesel combustion process. It is especially prevalent under conditions when the fuel-air ratio is overly rich, such as full acceleration, maximum power or on start up.

     The second component is hydrocarbon material which is absorbed on the carbon particles, commonly referred to as the soluble fraction. A portion of this material results from incomplete combustion of the fuel and the remainder is derived from engine lube oil that passes by the piston oil rings. The third particulate component is comprised of sulfates and bound water, with the amount of material being directly related to the fuel's sulfur content. The US has comparably high sulfur content in most of its petrochemical diesel fuels, so diesel engine use in America is more affected by this problem than most other countries.

     The use of biodiesel decreases the solid carbon fraction of particulate matter as the increased amount of oxygen present in biodiesel enables a more complete combustion process. Biodiesel eliminates the sulfate fraction problem associated with petroleum based diesel as there is no sulfur in biodiesel, sulphur dioxide is the major component of acid rain. In addition to reducing the overall levels of pollutants and carbon, the compounds that are prevalent in biodiesel and petroleum based diesel fuel exhaust are different. Research conducted by Southwest Research Institute on a Cummins N14 engine indicates that the biodiesel exhaust has a less harmful impact on human health than petroleum diesel. Biodiesel emissions have decreased the levels of all largest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and nitrated PAH compounds were reduced by 75-85%.

     Biodiesel is nontoxic and poses little or no health risk to humans. Vehicles that run on biodiesel emit less sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter (soot), carbon-dioxide (CO2), with fewer heavy Hydrocarbons (HC) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH). Biodiesel does not contain sulfur so it will not contribute to sulfur dioxide emissions that result in acid rain. Tests have shown that the cancer-causing potential of particulate matter from pure biodiesel is about 94% less than that of regular diesel.