Biodiesel – The Facts
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With gas and diesel prices continually increasing we recently decided to look at the advantages of using a much cheaper fuel in our car – biodiesel. After a little research it has become obvious to us why it is better to use biodiesel over petro-diesel. Many people are still not familiar with all the biodiesel benefits, perhaps you’re one of them? Well we think the following reasons are a good starting point for understanding why biodiesel is an excellent alternative to presently used fuels.
Bio-Diesel is Economical
Let’s say it loud and clear, making biodiesel saves money! If you make biodiesel at home, you can save more than 50% of your petro-diesel expenses. The fact that making biodiesel is a relatively easy and safe procedure is encouraging more and more people to use biodiesel. Many fast food outlets pay to have used oil disposed of, and would be happy for you to take it off their hands!
Bio Diesel Resources are Reproducible
Biodiesel is generally produced from vegetable oil. These resources can be regrown and are not finite like crude oil, that is running out fast. When using biodiesel instead of petro-diesel the demand for crude oil products is reduced, and as a result their prices decrease.
Using Biodiesel is more Environment Friendly than other Energy Alternatives
When using biodiesel exhaust emissions are significantly less polluting than using petro-diesel. According to studies there are several toxins – like hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide that are reduced when using biodiesel in diesel engines. And the more biodiesel used the less petro-diesel used!
Supporting Agriculture Industry
As the main ingredients for preparing biodiesel are vegetables oils there is a growing need for the main biodiesel resources which are the seeds like canola, corn, soy and others. The growing demand for biodiesel resources enables agriculture in general, and the farmers in particular, to have another market to sell to. This in turn helps to produce stability in the farming industries.
Reducing Dependence on Petro-Diesel and Fuel Companies
The more we use biodiesel instead of petro-diesel the less dependent we are on the dwindling resources of crude oil. This means that these crude oil companies, and in many cases countries, will eventually have less domination over other countries in the aspect of energy resources. This will hopefully lead to a better balanced world.
Better for engine’s health
Experience shows that engines run better on biodiesel. Its lubricity is higher than that of petro-diesel fuel. This higher lubricity enables the engine to work in a smoother manner, and therefore reduce the physical deterioration of the engine.
Best Energy Alternative To Current Fuel
Looking at all the alternatives for diesel engines, there is one major factor where biodiesel shines above the rest. Other alternatives to petrodiesel fuel require adjustments and modifications to vehicles. Sometimes it is in the fuel injection system and sometimes another fuel tank must be installed for example. The majority of diesel engines will work smoothly with biodiesel with no modifications. It is important, however, to mention that there is a small drop in power when compared to using petro-diesel. Biodiesel has a drop in power of around 9%, which most drivers won’t even notice in general driving, as most cars are overpowered anyway.
In Conclusion
As far as we can see biodiesel is cheaper, cleaner, less environmentally damaging and much nicer smelling than petro-diesel – and it doesn’t line the already bulging pockets of the oil industry – let us know what you think!
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