BIODIESEL QUICK FACTS

BIOFUEL QUICK FACTS
(printable version)

Biofuels – fuels made from plant materials – can greatly reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with transportation. Along with conservation, more fuel-efficient vehicles and increased use of public transportation, biofuels can help wean America from fossil fuels.

All biofuels share these positive characteristics:

They are made from living plants, not fossil fuels, so the carbon they recycle is part of= the earth’s existing above-ground carbon cycle (no new GHGs).
They emit fewer G= HGs than gasoline – 18-85% less, depending on the biofuels.
They are virtually nontoxic and biodegradable.
They do not have = to be imported – they can be grown here.
Their use can ben= efit American farmers.

Some shared negatives of bio= fuels include:

Energy is require= d to grow, process and transport them. More fuel-efficient vehicles do not = have this drawback.
Their use can div= ert crops from food to fuel. Increased use of corn ethanol has already rai= sed corn prices more than 50 percent.
Not as widely ava= ilable as gasoline.
May be more expen= sive than gasoline.

Several governments in western Virginia are now = using biodiesel in their fleets, including Roanoke City, Salem, a= nd Harrisonburg.

Name of fuel and more resources

Runs in…<= /o:p>

Pros

Cons

Biodiesel= =3D vegetable oil + = alcohol (usually methanol)

Biodiesel 101 fr= om PBS

US government f= acts

Virginia T= ech Cooperative Extension

Can your veh= icle use it?

Diesel engines only

Can also be used for home heating without system modification

· Produces 78% less net greenhouse gases (GHG) than gasoline

· Made from organic materials like soybeans

· Helps lubricate engines

· Burns cleaner than gasoline and e= thanol

· Soybean biodiesel produces 93% more energy than is used to produce it – much better than corn-based ethanol

· Produces 2% more nitrous oxides than diesel gas

· Blends above 20% biodiesel may require engine modifications

· Gels more easily than gasoline

· Can damage rubber hoses in older engines

· Can clog fuel filters when first placed in use

Ethanol =3D starch crop ferm= ented and distilled

US government f= acts

Can your veh= icle use it?

Regular cars - most gas-burning engines can burn 15% ethanol

· Produces 18-29% less GHG than gasoline

· Made from corn or sugar

· Higher octane rating than gasoline

· Less energy per unit than other biofuels

· Most GHG of all biofuels

· Use has major impact on food prices

Cellulosic ethanol =3D biomass cell wal= ls fermented and distilled

US government f= acts

Can your veh= icle use it?

Regular cars - most gas-burning engines can burn 15% ethanol

· Produces 85% less GHG than gasoline

· Can be made from switch grass and plant waste

· Not yet available to public

BIODIESEL SUPPLIER= S

Unless noted, all suppliers are ASTM-certified

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BIODIESEL CO-OPERATIVES: There are two options for co-operative biodiesel use. <= /o:p>

o = In Blacksburg

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PAY-AT-T= HE-PUMP: Presently there are no pay-at-the-pump retail outlets in our area that sell bio-diesel

Click here to find other retailers in Virginia

WHOLESAL= ERS (these firms purchase B-100 from manufacturers and blend it with petroleum diesel for distribution to users who have a storage tank – it may be = used for vehicles or for home heating):

Central Oil of Virginia (Rocky Mount)=

Foster Fuels Inc. (Brookneal)<= /a>

MANUFACT= URER

Chesapeake Custom Chemical Corp., 126 Reservoir Rd., Ridgeway, VA 24148
Contact: Allen French 276-556-3145
Manufactures bio-diesel fuel from soybeans; sells exclusively to distributo= rs; permitted for production of 5,000,000 gallons annually.

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OFF-ROAD BIODIESEL (not ASTM-certified)

Bio-fuels of Southwest Virginia<= /p>

Jerry Sanders

popscat@aol.com