I think one of the biggest roadblocks to widespread use of biodiesel is in the way it is reported on in the media (aside from the severe lack of reporting that is.)

Every story I have seen or read about biodiesel is one of those cute "interest" stories at the end of the news where they show the veggie-van guys filling up with fry oil and talk about how they converted their car to run on McDonalds waste. Well, you don't have to be a hippie freak to use biodiesel, and you don't have to convert your car! They always focus on that novelty story while completely ignoring the story about commercially produced biodiesel fuel which requires no vehicle conversion. They introduce people to the biodiesel concept by basically telling them they can't use it. If instead they talked about how commercial biodiesel is an accessible fuel that can be used straight up in any modern diesel engine, then people might believe it's worth considering. But as long as they sell it as a freak show story it will never get a foothold in the mainstream schema.

The only thing stopping me from using it is that the only supplier within 50 miles of me is a commercial fuel outfit that's only open 9-5 M-F and is located in an industrial part of town I never go to (and can't during bankers hours anyway because I'm working.) When I lived in Minnesota, the farmer coop gas stations sold it and I bought it all the time. I have considered getting my own tank and having it filled by truck but that's a bit impractical in the city. If I had a TDI I would do it in a heartbeat so both my truck and car could fuel from it.

I think its a great idea but we're going to have to work on the accessibility issue and the PR problem. People just don't know about it or they think it requires special vehicles or conversions. We have to combat this ignorance and misinformation before it will become a serious possibility.

 

a. Probably not, but can pertolium fuels be produced entirely that way? No so is it a fair requirement?

b. MAybe maybe not, who cares? Every gallon of biodiesel saves that much petrol.

c. ONLY IF THEY DECIDE TO SELL THEM HERE. If they never make any then we won't buy them. Currently they say americans don't buy diesels so that means they don't want them. WABOS! People don't buy them because they're not available. Sure you can get a VW, MErcedes or Jeep Liberty. Those are not my kind of cars. Give me a small pickup like a tacoma with a little diesel engine and I'll buy it in a heartbeat. Same for a subaru wagon, or any other practical car that's not junk and I'll do it!

 

I agree 100%. Too much "smells like French Fries" and "backs his car up to a restaurant" comment to make it seem more that a way out their solution.

On the otherhand ... things are moving forward at a blistering pace in getting biodiesel to public pumps. We are doing our part in Ohio and hopefully will see additional retail outlets around soon. (see the www.cincitdi.com/?biodiesel last several articles and you'll know what I mean) When the President includes biodiesel in his stump speeches, follows up with visits to new biodiesel facilites after elected and congress passes and energy bill that is extremely generous to blenders using biodiesel in there D2 ... we can't help but see some widespread availablity trickle down. Several states are now considering mandating a percentage of biodiesel and the one 'extremely bright spot' is that ULSD coming next year has low lubricity ... the trait biodiesel excels in. Blending these two fuels with new particulate filters and NOx system on super efficient diesels being built in Europe and now by Honda should be very good for the future of diesel technology. Now when they start to manufacture those little diesels as hybrids it should be a marriage that evey you hybrid owners will adopt.

 

I would buy a turbo-diesel hybrid tomorrow if one was available. In case you have not read my, "BioDiesel Hybrids" go to goggle and search for: William Lucas Jones Hybrid. You'll get a couple of pages. It's evolved as we go along. Mitsubishi is doing a concept car using the wheel motors.

 

in addition to my HCHII hybrid,
I have a bus that ran on Diesel and was "converted" to run on Waste Vegetable Oil. In Los Angeles, this is becoming quite popular and i recommend the website
www.lovecraftbiofuels.com
The conversion only took 1/2 day and now our bus runs better than ever!!!!!
this is quite sustainable and collecting your own waste oil is not a big deal if you are "hobby" oriented.

 

First, I'd like to say welcome to this forum; I'm a new member. I've lurked for about a year. I don't currently own a hybrid, but have been interested in the technology and state of the art, in case we decide to purchase one in the future.

My high mileage vehicles are a 1998 VW Jetta TDI, and a motorcycle.

This discussion re: biodiesel interests me, as I've owned my TDI since I bought it new in 1998.

First, I don't want to unneccessarily upset those 'true believers' of biodiesel - I used to be one - but I have to make several points:
1) In theory, BD is a great renewable form of bio fuel; much more energy content than alcohol.
2) There are no manufacturers of diesel passenger cars and trucks in the US that authorize the use of a biodiesel blend of greater than 5%. There's a reason for this:
3) There are no standards of biodiesel manufacturing in the US. Nor is there a standards agency duly authorized to inspect and certify biodiesel is manufactured to a consistent standard. Type of oil, lubricity, etc are all CRITICAL to how a diesel engine will survive long-term. Not all veggie oils are the same. Nor are all biodiesel conversion processes the same. How much water is in the fuel? How much glycerin? How much filtering used in the process? How well was the veggie oil converted to synthetic diesel in the conversion process? What is the gelling temperature point?
4) Passenger car and light truck manufacturers are legally responsible for the long-term quality of their product. They will not sell a vehicle in the US to be authorized for use with high concentrations of biodiesel without these standards in place. And once in place, the engine systems have to be engineered to perform optimally - longevity (wear), emissions, performance, fuel economy - and thus the biodiesel must be engineered to perform similarly to petro-based fuel so that one design will work with both types of fuels.
5) The new ultra-low sulfur emissions systems being offered in upcoming diesel imports to the US are even less tolerant of biodiesel than were their predecessors. Ultra-low sulfur standards essentially has killed the future of biodiesel in the US. There was a reason the oil companies didn't really fight the new ultralow sulfur standards. These same companies already had ultralow sulfur refineries in Europe, so the technology was already in place.

EDIT: I understand that the new 'bluetech' emissions systems, in their various configurations (i.e. Mercedes uses urea injection, VW will not) are incompatible with bio diesel, and severe damage to these systems will result from the use of BD. So, sure; go ahead and run your 1978 VW rabbit diesel on bio. But in order for biodiesel to affect a significant change in the automotive culture, NEW CARS have got be compatible. They are not.

When there is a nationally recognized and enforced biodiesel manufacturing standard that is equivalent to those standards already in place in Europe, and the biodiesel industry is able to negotiate with the diesel vehicle manufacturers on a rational basis, then we may perhaps see biodiesel being used in new diesel passenger cars and light trucks.

Oh, BTW, I have no problem with do-it-yourselfers or small-scale businesses processing biodiesel and even selling it. But it's buyer beware. I will never put a blend of greater than 5% biodiesel in my car. It simply wasn't engineered to run optimally over hundreds of thousands of miles with a fuel of unknown manufacturing standard and content.

Maybe the tinkerers out there have no problem replacing engines with burnt pistons and ruined fuel injector pumps and nozzles; but I have better things to do with my time and property.

~Joe

 

Excellent first post, JoeV!

Welcome to the group. We always appreciate other points of view, especially when presented so well.

 

Actually the biodiesel industry is not the hap-hazard cottage industry you perceive it to be. If you're talking about small-scale back alley do-it-yourself biodiesel makers then I absolutely agree that discretion is paramount.

However, many of your other assertions are either outdated or inaccurate. Please make note of the following:

1. There are commercial suppliers that have tried and true production processes and produce it on an industrial basis.

2. There is a biodiesel association which occupies itself with ensuring a quality product through accreditation of producers and other means. The National Biodiesel Board can be found at http://biodiesel.org/

3. There are, in fact, approved biodiesel standards and specifications that govern its quality and production put out by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM D6751 and ASTM 975). http://biodiesel.org/pdf_files/fuelf...ets/BDSpec.PDF

4. Most diesel engine manufacturers, including passenger car makers, have openly confirmed that they will not void warranties for vehicles using 5% biodiesel, some up to 20% and even 100%, especially if the fuel meets ASTM-D6751 specifications. Also don't forget that the american auto industry and the oil companies have been lobbying together for decades, so there's also good reason for them to be slow in adopting non-petrol fuels.
http://biodiesel.org/resources/fuelf...arranties.shtm

5. There have been quite a few studies using various blends of biodiesel up to B100 in vehicles over hundreds of thousands of miles, with success. Here is one of the resources I used when I made the switch to biodiesel for my Dodge/Cummins truck: http://web.missouri.edu/~schumacherl...ns_Engines.pdf
Several other research reports (and lots of other great biodiesel research and info) can be found here: http://www.utahbiodiesel.org/biodiesel_links.html

These resources may or may not change your comfort level with using Biodiesel, but they have made much progress in improving and ensuring the quality of biodiesel fuel.

 

For me, Yes! With the continuing Oil Price increase (84$/Barrel) Biodiesel is really a money saver.


___________
jeep parts
gmc truck

 

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...725975,00.html

Sure, $$$ saved but bad for us as a species.

any comments on the article?

Why can't we just get on with electric transit using wind and solar? It's like we WANT to fail and keep burning our food...