Biodiesel is a renewable, alternative energy fuel, 100% compatible with petroleum diesel, which is produced from vegetable oils and/or animal fats. The process for turning these feedstocks into biodiesel has been around for decades and is not new technology. There are currently 3 processes for converting these oils into biofuel, their definitions are listed below. Biodiesel is to petroleum diesel what Ethanol is to Gasoline.
- BioDiesel: A fuel comprised of mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats that meets the fuel specification requirements of ASTM D6751. Produced in free-standing facilities.
- Renewable Diesel: Defined in the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) as fuel produced from biological material using a process called “thermal depolymerization” that meets the fuel specification requirements of ASTM D975 (petroleum diesel fuel) or ASTM D396 (home heating oil). Produced in free-standing facilities.
- Co-Processed Renewable Diesel: Renewable diesel that is produced when an oil company adds small amounts vegetable oils or animal fats to the traditional petroleum refining process when producing diesel fuel (coprocessing). Scheduled to be produced in existing oil refineries.
Source: National Biodiesel Board website - http://www.biodiesel.org/resources/fuelfactsheets/
The term "biofuel" is used in the media in relation to any bio-based form of energy. Such as; wind, solar, tidal, ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel, bio-gas, or any other energy derived from renewable sources. As next generation technologies become commercialized, in any of the fuel products like ethanol or biodiesel, the original name seems to stick to the whole product group. As can be seen in the definitions above, there is a significant difference between the 3 forms of "biodiesel" and it is important to be able to differentiate. In many cases, the term biodiesel is used to represent all of these bio-diesel based products.
Government Mandates
Governments around the world have been adopting mandates which require the blending of biofuels with petroleum products for use in the transportation pool and in some cases home heating as well.
On May 28th, 2008, the Canadian Federal Government passed Bill C-33 which requires the blending of both Ethanol and Biodiesel for domestic use, starting in 2010 for Ethanol and 2012 for biodiesel. Provisions in the bill are as follows:
According to a government news release, this bill allows the government to regulate renewable content in fuels. Amendments to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 proposed in this bill allow the federal government to implement regulations requiring 5% average renewable content in gasoline by 2010. Subsequent regulations will also require 2% average renewable content in diesel and heating oil by 2012 on successful demonstration of renewable diesel fuel use under the range of Canadian environmental conditions.
“Renewable fuels” refers to fuels made from renewable resources such as agricultural crops and other organic matter. Renewable fuels include ethanol made from grains, renewable diesels such as biodiesel made from vegetable oils and animal fats, and next-generation renewable fuels under development made from non-food agricultural residues such as wheat straw or forest biomass. Gasoline vehicles made since the 1980s can use up to 10% ethanol in gasoline, and many diesel vehicle manufacturers include in their warranty the use of 5% or higher biodiesel blends.
