Frequently Asked Questions - Biodiesel

What is biodiesel?
Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics. The official definition of biodiesel consistent with other federal and state laws and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) guidelines is as follows: Biodiesel is defined as mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats which conform to ASTM D6751 specifications in the United States and EN 14214 in Europe for use in diesel engines. Biodiesel refers to the pure fuel before blending with diesel fuel. Biodiesel blends are denoted as, "BXX" with "XX" representing the percentage of biodiesel contained in the blend (i.e.: B20 is 20% biodiesel, 80% petroleum diesel).

What are fatty acids?
A fatty acid is a carboxylic acid often with a long un-branched aliphatic tail (chain), which is either saturated or unsaturated.

Can the Circle Biodiesel Processor handle various types of vegetable oil fatty acid content levels?
Yes, the Circle Biodiesel Processor can handle various feedstock types and slight variations in fatty acid levels up to 2.5% or less.

What are the skill-sets needed for a biodiesel facility?
You need to have at least one CEO or business manager who takes care of the paperwork and makes executive type decisions. You need to have two people that understand the science of “how to make biodiesel”. You need two people per eight hour shift to run the Circle Biodiesel Processor. This is the minimum work force necessary when producing a million gallons or more. The larger the facility the more labor is needed, although labor costs per gallon will go down as facility size and capacity increases.

What is a cetane number?
Cetane number or CN is a measure of the combustion quality of diesel fuel during compression ignition.

Is Biodiesel the same thing as raw vegetable oil?
Biodiesel is not the same as vegetable oil; rather it is produced from any fat or oil such as soybean oil, through a refinery process called transesterification. This process is a reaction of the oil with an alcohol to remove the glycerin, which is a by-product of biodiesel production. Fuel-grade biodiesel must be produced to strict industry specifications (ASTM D6751 in the US) in order to insure proper performance. Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to have fully completed the health effects testing requirements of the 1990 United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Air Act Amendments. Biodiesel that meets ASTM D6751 and is legally registered with the Environmental Protection Agency is a legal motor fuel for sale and distribution. Raw vegetable oil cannot meet biodiesel fuel specifications, it is not registered with the EPA, and it is not a legal motor fuel.

Is biodiesel used as a pure fuel or is it blended with petroleum diesel?
Biodiesel can be used as a pure fuel or blended with petroleum diesel in any percentage.

How is biodiesel made?
Methanol or Ethanol, used in conjunction with an appropriate catalyst under controlled conditions allows oil-based vegetable and animal material to be transesterified to a fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) or a fatty acid ethyl ester (FAEE).

What is transesterification?
The process of creating esters from vegetable oil (a triglyceride), and sodium methoxide. The products are Glycerin, Methyl Stearate, Methyl Oleate, Methyl Linoleate (assuming soy oil is used).

Can I use biodiesel in my existing diesel engine?
Biodiesel can be operated in any diesel engine with little or no modification to the engine or the fuel system. Biodiesel has a solvent effect that may release deposits accumulated on tank walls and pipes from previous diesel fuel storage. The release of deposits may clog filters initially and precautions should be taken. Ensure that only fuel meeting the biodiesel specification is used.

Is biodiesel approved for use in the United States?
Biodiesel is registered as a fuel and fuel additive with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and meets clean diesel standards established by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). B100 (100 percent) biodiesel has been designated as an alternative fuel by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the US Department of Transportation (DOT).

How much biodiesel has been sold in the United States?
The National Biodiesel Board has released the following sales volume estimates for the US:

2006 – 225 million gallons
2005 -- 75 million gallons
2004 -- 25 million gallons
2003 -- 20 million gallons
2002 -- 15 million gallons
2001 -- 5 million gallons
2000 -- 2 million gallons

How do biodiesel emissions compare to those of petroleum diesel?
Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to have fully completed the health effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act. The use of biodiesel in a conventional diesel engine results in a substantial reduction of carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, and particulate matter compared to emissions from petroleum diesel fuel. In addition, the exhaust emissions of sulfur oxides and sulfates (major components of acid rain) from biodiesel are essentially eliminated compared to diesel. Of the major exhaust pollutants, both unburned hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides are ozone or smog forming precursors. The use of biodiesel results in a substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons. Emissions of nitrogen oxides are either slightly reduced or slightly increased depending on the duty cycle of the engine and testing methods used. The overall ozone forming potential of hydrocarbon emissions from biodiesel is nearly 50 percent less than that measured for diesel fuel.

Can biodiesel help diminish “global warming”?
A 1998 biodiesel lifecycle study, jointly sponsored by the US Department of Energy and the US Department of Agriculture, concluded that biodiesel reduces net carbon dioxide emissions by 78 percent compared to petroleum diesel. This is due to biodiesel’s closed carbon cycle. The CO² released into the atmosphere when biodiesel is burned is recycled by growing plants, which are later processed into fuel.

Is biodiesel exhaust safer than petroleum diesel?
Scientific research confirms that biodiesel exhaust has a less harmful impact on human health than petroleum diesel fuel. Biodiesel emissions have decreased levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and nitrited PAH compounds that have been identified as potential cancer causing compounds. Test results indicate PAH compounds were reduced by 75 to 85 percent, with the exception of benzo(a)anthracene, which was reduced by roughly 50 percent. Targeted nPAH compounds were also reduced dramatically with biodiesel fuel, with 2-nitrofluorene and 1-nitropyrene reduced by 90 percent, and the rest of the nPAH compounds reduced to only trace levels.

Do I need special storage facilities for biodiesel?
In general, the standard storage and handling procedures used for petroleum diesel can be used for biodiesel. The fuel should be stored in a clean, dry, dark environment. Acceptable storage tank materials include aluminum, steel, fluorinated polyethylene, fluorinated polypropylene and teflon. The following materials should be avoided when storing biodiesel: copper, brass, lead, tin, and zinc.

Where can I purchase biodiesel?
The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) maintains a list of registered fuel marketers. A current list is available on the biodiesel web site at www.biodiesel.org or by calling the NBB at (800) 841-5849.

Who can answer my questions about biodiesel?
It is most likely that we know the answer to your question regarding biodiesel. Please contact us with any questions or requests, and if we don’t know the answer we can find someone who does.

What are the environmental benefits of biodiesel?
Biodiesel is made from sustainable and renewable resources therefore reducing the social and economic pressure on petroleum oil supplies. Using biodiesel is a way that individuals and businesses can reduce their carbon footprint - the amount of carbon dioxide emitted as a result of energy used.

What effect will biodiesel have on vehicle warranty?
Different engine manufacturers have various policies regarding biodiesel usage in their engines. The National Biodiesel Board has published a website with the various links to the Engine Manufacturers policies.

What effect does biodiesel have on engines?
Biodiesel increases the life span of engines by acting as a natural lubricant. If consumers change their fuel from diesel to blended biodiesel, the biodiesel will act as a solvent and may remove debris left by mineral diesel.

Why should farmers want to use biodiesel?
Biodiesel is a perfect way for farmers to create demand for the crops they grow through using it on their own farms.

What benefits does biodiesel offer farmers?
Farmers recognize that biodiesel is a high-quality product to use in their farm equipment. Even low percentage blends of biodiesel like B2 (2%) and B5 (5%) offer:

• Lower maintenance costs and less equipment downtime,
• A cleaner-burning fuel that is friendlier to the user and the environment,
• Exceptional lubricity,
• Longer equipment life

How much could farmers stand to gain from biodiesel’s potential to improve soybean and other feedstock prices?
Increased soybean demand is a key determinant to a potential increase in soybean prices, and the United Soybean Board says biodiesel represents the largest potential industrial use of soybeans. The economic benefits of using biodiesel are shown to accrue to farmers, local communities, end users and the nation as a whole.

Does biodiesel use void the warranty of farm equipment?
The use of biodiesel does not void the warranty of any major engine manufacturer.

How can farmers get biodiesel?
Farmers should ask their local fuel distributor to carry biodiesel. Petroleum distributors are increasingly making it available to their customers. A map with state by state distributors and a list of wholesale biodiesel suppliers is available at the NBB Web site, www.biodiesel.org.

Why is biodiesel an obvious candidate for use in marine applications?
Independent tests have found that pure biodiesel is non-toxic, readily biodegradable and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics and will not harm fish.

Is biodiesel biodegradable?
In tests performed by the University of Idaho, biodiesel in an aqueous solution after 28 days was 95 percent degraded. Diesel fuel was only 40 percent degraded. In a second study done in an aquatic environment (CO2 Evolution), various biodiesel products were 85.5-88.5 percent degraded in 28 days, which is the same rate as sugar (dextrose). Diesel degradation was 26.24 percent.

Has biodiesel been thoroughly tested?
Yes, biodiesel is one of the most thoroughly tested alternative fuels on the market. A number of independent studies have been completed with the results showing biodiesel performs similarly to petroleum diesel while benefiting the environment and human health compared to diesel. That research includes studies performed by the U.S. Department of Energy, as well as the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Biodiesel is the first and only alternative fuel to have completed the rigorous Health Effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act. Biodiesel has been proven to perform similarly to diesel in more than 50 million successful road miles in virtually all types of diesel engines, countless off-road miles and countless marine hours.

Does biodiesel perform as well as diesel?
Biodiesel has a higher cetane number than U.S. diesel fuel. In more than 50 million miles of in-field demonstrations, B20 showed similar fuel consumption, horsepower, torque, and haulage rates as conventional diesel fuel. Biodiesel also has superior lubricity and it has the highest BTU content of any alternative fuel (falling in the range between #1 and #2 diesel fuel).

Will biodiesel perform well in cold weather?
Just as the common #2 diesel does, biodiesel will gel in very cold temperatures. Although pure biodiesel has a higher cloud point than #2 diesel fuel, blends of 20% biodiesel are often managed with the same fuel management techniques, such as anti-gelling additives, as #2 diesel. Blends of 5% biodiesel and less have virtually no impact on cold flow.

How long can I store my biodiesel and how best should it be stored?
The current industry recommendation is that biodiesel be used within six months, or reanalyzed after six months to ensure the fuel meets ASTM D6751 specifications. A longer shelf life is possible depending on the fuel composition and the use of storage-enhancing additives. The biodiesel should be stored in a cool and dry place.

Who else is using biodiesel?
Biodiesel use increases every year. In the U.S. it is currently being used by over 400 fleets, numerous municipalities, school district buses, boaters, heavy equipment operators, all branches of the military, parks nation-wide and countless private vehicle owners with great results.

How many gallons are in a barrel of oil / biodiesel?
One barrel equals 42 gallons, whether you’re talking oil, biodiesel or ethanol.