Advanced BioFuels USA

(Diesel Technology Forum) When Rudolph Diesel patented his engine over a century ago, it was designed to operate on vegetable oils. Today, most diesel engines are still capable of operating on high quality fuels derived from vegetable oils. Whether it is biodiesel or renewable diesel fuel, the use of high quality advanced biofuels results in significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The use of biodiesel alone has cut greenhouse gas emissions by the same amount as removing 25.3 million cars from the road.

What is biodiesel and renewable diesel fuel?

Many of us are aware of ethanol that is blended into gasoline. Ethanol is derived exclusively from corn while biodiesel is a fuel derived from a variety of waste residues. In the U.S., soy and animal fats represent the largest feedstocks for the production of biodiesel.

Renewable diesel fuel is also derived from the same feedstocks as biodiesel. A different chemical process is used to generate an advanced biofuel that meets the same technical specification as petroleum diesel fuel, as defined by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM).

As long as we cultivate crops and livestock for other uses, we will be able to turn unusable waste into fuel.

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What are the greenhouse gas reduction benefits of renewable diesel and biodiesel fuel?

According to the U.S. EPA, biodiesel and renewable diesel fuel are classified as an “Advanced Biofuel” capable of reducing greenhouse gas emission by at least 50 percent. In the case of biodiesel, recent research indicates that greenhouse gas emissions are reduced between 66 and 76 percent relative to petroleum based diesel fuel. Renewable diesel fuel has the potential to further reduce emissions by upwards of 80 percent.

Exponentially more greenhouse gas emissions have been eliminated thanks to the use of biodiesel and renewable diesel fuel in California than either ethanol or all-electric cars and trucks. Since 2011, California adopted a program to require the reduction of the carbon content of transportation fuels like gasoline and diesel. Through the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, fuel producers and distributors have a variety of strategies to meet transportation carbon reduction requirements like installing electric charging infrastructure, natural gas fueling stations or distributing more biodiesel and renewable diesel fuel.

Since 2011, 18.9 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions has been eliminated from the use of renewable diesel and biodiesel fuel in California. This compares to just 4.9 million tons of greenhouse gas emission reductions from the use of all-electric cars and buses, according to the California Air Resources Board.

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Is biodiesel and renewable diesel fuel compatible with modern diesel engines?
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Diesel engines are capable of operating on blends of high quality biodiesel. Most heavy-duty engines that power commercial vehicles and off-road equipment are warranted to operate on blends of biodiesel up to 20 percent, or B20. Most new and newer diesel passenger vehicles and light trucks are also warranted to operate on B20 while a few later model diesel passenger vehicles are warranted to operate on blends of up to B5.

Because renewable diesel fuel meets the same ASTM standard as petroleum diesel fuel, most diesel engines are certified to operate on 100 percent renewable diesel fuel.

Valtra tractors, a division of agricultural equipment manufacturer AGCO, uses renewable diesel fuel as the factory fill fuel meaning all new tractors delivered to customers come with a full tank of renewable diesel fuel.

What is the cost of using renewable diesel and biodiesel fuel?

According to the U.S. Department of Energy that tracks retail fuel prices including alternative fuel prices, B20 is sold at a discount to petroleum diesel as of April 2018.

Historically, B20 prices track closely with petroleum diesel fuel, sometimes selling above and sometimes below petroleum diesel.  READ MORE

HOW RUDOLPH DIESEL CHANGED THE WORLD (Diesel Technology Forum)