Biodiesel

S3 Chemistry Mini-Assignment 2

What is Biodiesel

• Virtually everyone thinks that renewable sources of energy are better than continuing to burn fossil fuels. However people can’t agree on which renewable energy source would be the best choice.

• Biodiesel seems to be a good choice. It is made

from plants which use up carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. So, when it is burned, it will not add to the ‘greenhouse effect’.

• Biodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain carbon containing compounds.

• Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting vegetable oil or animal fat with an alcohol.

• Biodiesel is meant to be used in standard diesel engines and is thus different from the vegetable and waste oils used to fuel converted diesel engines.

• Biodiesel can be used alone, or blended with diesel.

• Bio-diesel is becoming more widely known since the EU and UK governments agreed that 5.75% of all fuels sold had to be ‘bio’ by 2010.

• For petro-diesel meant adding bio-diesel to it making it a blend.

• What you can currently buy in garage forecourts as ‘bio-diesel’ is referred to a B5 ( This is 5% biodiesel to 95% normal diesel).

• It is also possible in some places to find a B30 mix and a few places sell pure biodiesel – B100

Things to Consider

Websites

• http://www.bp.com/sectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=9030052&contentId=7055186

(Small BP Video)• http://www.biodieselfillingstations.co.uk/• http://www.esru.strath.ac.uk/EandE/Web_sites/0

2-03/biofuels/what_biodiesel.htm• http://greenfuels.co.uk/• http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/

sectors/32599.aspx• http://

www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/sep/21/biodiesel-industry-eu-policy-changes

(Interesting news article)