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Biodiesel, a fuel made from renewable, non-petroleum sources such as vegetable oil, is the only alternative fuel available today that requires no vehicle modifications. That’s one reason it’s the fastest-growing alternative fuel in the U.S., with production tripling between 2004 and 2005.
Josh Tickell, author of Biodiesel America and From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank, says it has all the right characteristics to become a mainstream fuel. “It works in current vehicles, it fits into today’s infrastructure, it’s domestically produced, and it’s a renewable solution people can use right now,” he says.
While biodiesel pumps are not yet as common as conventional fuel pumps, they can be found in all 50 states, primarily in the Midwest and metropolitan areas. Biodiesel can either be purchased as pure biodiesel or mixed with regular diesel — B20 contains 20 percent biodiesel while B5 contains just 5 percent.
Want to be energy independent? You can begin making your own biodiesel right now with home biodiesel processors.
Community Voice
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* When you're running on 100% biodiesel - in the summer, obviously - the exhaust doesn't smell bad at all.
* I've run on regular diesel, B20, and B100, and my experience is that with regular diesel and even B20, if you spill it on your hands the smell is really hard to get rid of. B100 washes off very easily and your hands don't stink at all.
* The normal loud sound of regular diesel is much reduced by using biodiesel. I'm always a bit surprised when I run out of biodiesel and have to run on dino diesel for a bit and my truck is suddenly SO much louder =!
* I've also noticed that the normal cloud of smoke kicked out by diesel vehicles when you accelerate quickly is much reduced.
Overall I'm very happy with running on biodiesel and I'm looking forward to putting my GreaseCar kit into the truck and running on veggie oil.
Bungee Monkey
Nov 28, 2006 11:25:13 AM
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