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Modern diesels are now designed to run on a less viscous fuel than vegetable oil
but, in times of fuel shortages, cars and trucks were successfully run on
preheated peanut oil and animal fat. It seems that the upper rate for inclusion
of rapeseed oil with diesel fuel is about 25% but crude vegetal oil as a diesel
fuel extender induces poorer cold-starting performance compared with diesel fuel
or Biodiesel made with fatty esters (McDonnel K et al. JAOCS 1999, 76, 539).
Today's diesel engines require a clean-burning, stable fuel operating under a
variety of conditions. In the mid 1970s, fuel shortages spurred interest in
diversifying fuel resources, and thus Biodiesel as fatty esters was developed as
an alternative to petroleum diesel. Later, in the 1990s, interest was rising due
to the large pollution reduction benefits coming from the use of Biodiesel. The
use of Biodiesel is affected by legislation and regulations in all countries (Knothe
G, Inform 2002, 13, 900). On February 9, 2004, the Government of the
Philippines directed all of its departments to incorporate one percent by volume
coconut Biodiesel in diesel fuel for use in government vehicles. The EU Council
of Ministers adopted new pan-EU rules for the detaxation of Biodiesel and
biofuels on October 27, 2003. Large-volume production occurs mainly in Europe,
with production there now exceeding 1.4 million tons per year. Western European
Biodiesel
production capacity was estimated at about 2 million metric tons per year largely produced
through the transesterification process, about one-half thereof in Germany
(440,000 and 350,000 MT in France and Italy, respectively). In the United States, by 1995, 10
percent of all federal vehicles were to be using alternative fuels to set an
example for the private automotive and fuel industries. Several studies are now
funded to promote the use of blends of Biodiesel and heating oil in USA. In USA
soybean oil is the principal oil being utilized for Biodiesel (about 80,000 tons
in 2003). Details
may be viewed on-line through the National
Biodiesel Board web site.
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