The Car Doctor - Biodiesel

Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, non-toxic, and essentially free of sulphur and aromatics.

How is biodiesel made?

Biodiesel is made through a chemical process called transesterification whereby the glycerine is separated from the fat or vegetable oil. The process leaves behind two products -- methyl esters (the chemical name for biodiesel) and glycerine (a valuable by-product usually sold to be used in soaps and other products).

A few Biodiesel facts.

The government recently announced that each person can produce up to 2,500 litres of Biodiesel per year tax free.

Biodiesel is a perfectly suitable replacement for fossil diesel, in fact it has better lubrication qualities than fossil diesel and recent tests by Porsche on behalf of Mercedes proclaimed that the qualities of Biodiesel could extend an engines life considerably.

As well as being a good lubricant Biodiesel acts as a solvent and cleans out the contaminants and dirt left by fossil diesel in your engine, these are deposited on your fuel filter, so we recommend that when you start to use Biodiesel you should change your filter after the first few hundred miles.

Each car manufacturer has their own recommendations as to whether you can use 100% or a mixture of biodiesel and fossil diesel, German manufacturers tend to be a lot more clued up about its use as it is widely available at the pump in Germany.

For those still unsure about putting 100% biodiesel in your car it mixes perfectly well with fossil diesel so you could try that first. A reputable supplier will provide you with a good quality biodiesel and any advice you require.

Production costs at domestic level work out at approximately 12p per litre plus the cost of your oil. If you collect your own from local chip shops, cafes or restaurants (currently they have to pay people to take it away) you could get it for free. If you buy in recycled oil, there are good reputable waste oil dealers throughout the country and your total production costs per litre should not exceed about 45p, considerably cheaper than fossil diesel!

Aside from its better running qualities, it is, more importantly, better for the environment, biodiesel is biodegradable and non-toxic, and typically produces about 60% less net carbon dioxide emissions than petroleum-based diesel, as it is itself produced from atmospheric carbon dioxide via photosynthesis in plants.

If you are interested in producing your own biodiesel then you can find out a bit more information by clicking on the two images below.