Bio Diesel

By Max

• What is it? How is it used?

Bio diesel is a source of energy made from vegetable oil (usually corn oil), or animal fat based oils. It is converted into diesel and burned for energy. The oil produced can be used just like the oil that we put to use now.

• Is it cost effective?

No. Bio diesel costs more than petroleum diesel and gas because of the tax rates imposed by the oil companies driving up the price increase. Otherwise the two prices would be almost the same. Seeing as the oil companies hold the monopoly on the industry, they drive up the oil cost by tax increase. This makes oil significantly cheaper but still profitable for the oil companies, especially when the majority of people choose the cheaper alternative, driving up the companies income. Because of the cost of cropping and growing vegetables for bio diesel will drive up the cost. Sugar-cane is the most cost effective source of bio diesel but not the most plentiful so one of the least used.

• What is the environmental impact?

Corn is a common source of vegetable oil but soybean oil is also used. Other oil sources include: mustard, flax, sunflower, palm, coconut, and hemp oil. These crops are usually mono-cropped and harvested in mass amounts. Animal fats used include tallow, lard, yellow grease, chicken fat, and fish oil. The dependence on oil would be reduced, causing much more dependence and use of local resources such as coal, gas, and other renewable resources. While this would reduce gas emissions the crop sizes would be greatly reduced.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel
http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/what%20we%20do/uk%20energy%20supply/energy%20mix/renewable%20energy/explained/bioenergy/biofuels/biofuels-080414-2.pdf