Biodiesel

Biodiesel or methyl ester is produced from vegetable oils, soybean oil, used cooking oils, and animal waste. The transesterification process separates glycerine from fats, resulting in two products, glycerine and methyl esters.

How it works

• Biodiesel works the same way as mineral or petroleum diesel in vehicles. It is the clean fuel that can be used in all engines, however, some OEMs do not approve the usage of all blends.
• Australian diesel fuel standards allow up to 5% biodiesel in pump fuel, as higher concentrations of conventional biodiesel can cause issues with current infrastructure and engines due to higher oxygen and moisture levels.

Features:

• The Argonne National Laboratory found that 100% Biodiesel or B100 has 74% lower emissions than petroleum diesel
• With allocation and hybrid approaches it can achieve 54-74% reduction in GHG emissions.
• Biodiesel presents an opportunity to farms to contribute to Biodiesel production from additional crops or waste.
• Biodiesel can also improve fuel lubricity at levels as low as 1 per cent.

Typical use case:

Agricultural machinery

Implications for operations:

• Pure Biodiesel such as B100 or higher biodiesel blends can pose a problem in cold weather but can be solved similarly to petroleum diesel
• B20 and lower blends of biodiesel do not negatively affect the vehicle engine long term, however a solvent effect may lead to clogged filters initially and will require cleaning
• Less energy content per volume unit which can lower engine performance from 3 to 5 percent compared to traditional fuel. This can also lead to lower fuel efficiency
• Feedstock for biodiesel is vulnerable to seasonal variability, climate change and the distance of feedstock from processing plant
• Depending on the scale, it may present challenges for food and water.