A joint survey conducted by DuPont and SAE noted some rather common sense and some surprising results from the movers and shakers in the automotive world.

BioDiesel is the fuel predicted to be in highest use in this study released today.

DuPont and SAE say that environmental issues are the biggest challenge facing automakers

Posted Apr 14th 2008 4:33PM by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Seems like AutoblogGreen's been on to something these last couple of years as it relates to the greening of the automotive industry. For the first time in fourteen years, the annual DuPont Automotive/SAE survey of OEM and supplier designers and engineers, conducted by Consumer Insights, Inc, found that environmental concerns topped cost as the biggest hurdle automakers must overcome.

Other highlights:

• Fifty-four percent of respondents say that fuel efficient vehicles with reduced environmental impact are important to consumers -- that number seems a bit low to us.
• For the fifth consecutive year, alternatively powered vehicles are predicted to have the greatest impact on the industry.
• Fifty percent of respondents see diesel engine technology as a key focus to help achieve 2020 efficiency regulations, compared with forty-six percent for hybrids
  
• In 10 years, most people predict the majority of vehicles will run on bio-based diesel fuel (27 percent); petroleum-based diesel (20 percent) and E85 (20 percent). Only 18 percent predict gasoline will dominate.

Diesels look to make a strong impact on the American market, according to this survey. We see no real mention of electric cars here, which we believe could makea a big impact in the coming years.

Press Release:

Environment Tops Cost as Top Auto Industry Challenge According to 2008 DuPont Automotive/Society of the Automotive Industry Survey

DETROIT, April 10 -- A new survey conducted by DuPont (NYSE: DD) and the Society of the Automotive Industry (SAE) shows that environmental issues top the list of challenges facing the automotive industry, outranking cost reduction for the first time in 14 years.

A total of 53 percent of the respondents said that a basket of environmental factors such as fuel economy, CAFE and emissions or clean air regulations are the top challenges versus 32 percent who cited cost. The survey, released today, was conducted among automotive designers and engineers in advance of the upcoming SAE World Congress in Detroit.

"While cost reduction remains very important, the automotive industry's emphasis is on the environment and the demands that puts on innovation," said Chris Murphy, director -- Americas, for DuPont Automotive. "In the results, environmental considerations are driving system and vehicle design and development and are a differentiator in the consumer marketplace. Automotive designers and engineers are working with suppliers like DuPont to address these issues and to design and develop cost-effective, fuel-efficient vehicles with reduced environmental impact."

To support that drive, DuPont Automotive has launched several new material families and technology solutions, including:

-- MetaFuse(TM) nano-metal/plastic hybrids which offer the strength and stiffness of metal combined with the design flexibility and lightweight benefits of high-performance thermoplastics to help take the weight out of structural automotive components. This also helps improve fuel economy and contributes to reduced emissions.

-- DuPont(TM) Renewably Sourced(TM) Materials -- high-performance, bio-based materials and biofuels that are made in whole or in part from renewable agricultural feedstocks such as corn, soybeans, sugar cane and wheat, rather than petroleum. Today, nine product families have been launched, including DuPont(TM) Sorona(R) polymer, DuPont(TM) Sorona(R) EP thermoplastic polymer, DuPont(TM) Hytrel(R) RS thermoplastic elastomer and DuPont(TM) Zytel(R) long chain polyamides.

The annual DuPont Automotive/SAE survey of OEM and supplier designers and engineers was conducted by Consumer Insights, Inc Key findings include:

-- Fifty-four percent of respondents say that fuel efficient vehicles with reduced environmental impact are important to consumers. Forty one percent say enhanced safety and 37 percent say improved comfort and convenience are important to consumers.
-- For the fifth consecutive year, alternatively powered vehicles are predicted to have the greatest impact on the industry. Sixty percent selected alternatively powered vehicles in 2008, while 15 percent selected safety features and 16 percent selected electrical/electronic advances.

Future is Bright for Diesel
-- Fifty percent of respondents see diesel engine technology as a key focus to help achieve 2020 efficiency regulations (35-mpg in U.S. and sub-120g/km CO2 in Europe), while 46 percent say hybrid-electric powertrains and 42 percent say extensive use of lightweight materials.
-- Optimizing diesel and hybrid-electric engines will dominate engineers' work for the next 10 years, say 25 percent and 24 percent of respondents, respectively.
-- In 10 years, vehicles will run on bio-based diesel fuel (27 percent); petroleum-based diesel (20 percent) and E85 (20 percent). Only 18 percent predict gasoline will dominate.

Materials Matters
-- Cost reduction is still one of the top material selection criteria, say 91 percent, but weight reduction jumps to the top of the criteria list for 82 percent, up from 66 percent last year.
-- Poised to grow the most over the next 10 years are advanced composites, say 62 percent of respondents. Bio-based, renewable materials will grow the most, say 26 percent; the same number who predicts aluminum will grow the most.

[Source: DuPont]

Biodiesel is has an even better net energy ratio than we thought. Older studies said biodiesel had a 3.2 to 1 energy ratio, but a comprehensive study by the NREL and USDA have shown a positive net energy ratio of 3.5 to 1. This is big news and puts to bed the idea that it takes nearly as much energy to make biofuels as we get out of the biofuels. Corn ethanol? Yeah, not particularly efficient (1.3 to 1). Biodiesel? 3.5 to 1.

This means that for every one unit of energy (say, gallon of fuel) it takes to make biodiesel, we get 3.5 gallons of biodiesel. Where does the extra energy come from? That's easy: the sun. Plants take the sun's power and convert it to energy better than the best solar panels do.

Here's the National Biodiesel Board's press release.

Feb. 6, 2008

  Biodiesel Yields Even Higher Energy Balance
New Study Shows 3.5 Units of Energy Gained For Every Unit Needed to Produce Biodiesel

ORLANDO, Fla.– A new analysis shows that the energy balance of biodiesel is a positive ratio of 3.5-to-1. For every unit of fossil energy needed to produce the fuel over its life cycle, the return is 3.5 units of energy, according to new research conducted at the University of Idaho in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The announcement of the increase—up from 3.2—was made today at the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo in Orlando.

The Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) and USDA had produced the first comprehensive life cycle inventory for biodiesel in 1998. That landmark research found a 3.2 energy balance for biodiesel, while petroleum diesel yielded only 0.83 units of energy per unit of fossil energy consumed. The many changes that have occurred in the U.S. biodiesel and agricultural industries since the 1990s prompted researchers at the University of Idaho to update the study in cooperation with the USDA. Both the 1998 and 2007 study are based on biodiesel production from soybeans, which according to U.S. Census data is responsible for more than 80 percent of 2007 estimated biodiesel production. Biodiesel’s energy balance improved in the 2007 study even though the new analysis is more comprehensive than previous work, and even extends to the energy required to manufacture the farm machinery used to produce soybeans.

“The bottom line is that the energy balance of biodiesel has definitely improved in the last decade,” says University of Idaho Department Head of Biological and Agricultural Engineering Jon Van Gerpen, who credits Assistant Professor Dev Shrestha and graduate student Anup Pradhan for their work on the study. “The increase in soybean yields and a decrease in herbicide use greatly contributed to the increased energy balance. Meanwhile, energy used for crushing soybeans is significantly lower than what was reported in the NREL study.”

The researchers found national soybean yield data from 1975 to 2006 shows that the yield has increased at the rate of 0.6 bushels per acre per year. Yet, the fertilizer application rate has essentially remained the same and the herbicide application rate has declined to one-fifth of its rate in 2000. Reduced herbicide applications have the added benefit of requiring less diesel for field spraying.

At the processing level, technology improvements at soybean crushing facilities led to 55 percent less energy needed than what was reported in the NREL study. Although transesterification to convert soybean oil into biodiesel has also become more energy efficient, this process only contributes a small fraction of overall energy in the lifecycle analysis.

Today’s announcement came during a conference session highlighting promising feedstock developments, ranging from higher oil content in soybeans to new feedstocks, like algae. The NBB has launched a feedstock development initiative to help the market spur additional sources for biodiesel.

“As demand for biodiesel climbs, having enough feedstock available at a competitive price will continue to be an important issue,” said Ed Hegland, NBB chairman and a Minnesota soybean grower. “Soybean oil will continue to play an important role, but we are also excited about the prospect of algae and other feedstocks on the horizon. A rising tide lifts all boats.”

Biodiesel is a cleaner burning alternative fuel that can be used in any diesel engine. A domestically produced, renewable fuel, it can be made from animal fats or vegetable oil. The use of biodiesel in a conventional diesel engine results in a substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter.

Sometimes folks ask a simple question: "What is biodiesel?". Here's a short explanation:

Biodiesel is a vegetable oil-based fuel that runs in unmodified diesel engines - cars, buses, trucks, construction equipment, boats, generators, and oil home heating units. Biodiesel is usually made from soy or canola oil, and can also be made from recycled fryer oil (yes, from McDonalds or your local Chinese restaurant) or any other vegetable oil or animal tallow.

You can blend biodiesel with regular diesel or run 100% biodiesel. You can blend your percentages of biodiesel-to-diesel fuel at any ratio, at any time. This means you can be running b100 (100% biodiesel), get down to a quarter tank and add regular petroluem diesel and essentially be running b25 (25% biodiesel), then get down to near empty and add straight petroleum, straight biodiesel, or any percentage in between.

What are the benefits?
1) National security. Since biodiesel is made domestically, biodiesel reduces our dependence on foreign oil. That's good.

2) National economy. Using biodiesel keeps our fuel buying dollars at home instead of sending it to foreign countries. This reduces our trade deficit and creates jobs.

3) It's sustainable & non-toxic. Face it, we're going to run out of oil eventually. Biodiesel is 100% renewable... we'll never run out of biodiesel. And if biodiesel gets into your water supply, there's no problem - it's just modified veggie oil! Heck, you can drink biodiesel if you so desire, but it tastes nasty (trust us).
(Learn more)

4) Emissions. Biodiesel is nearly carbon-neutral, meaning it contributes almost zero emissions to global warming! Biodiesel also dramatically reduces other emissions fairly dramatically. We like clean air, how about you? Plus, the exhaust smells like popcorn or french fries!
(Learn more)

5) Engine life. Studies have shown biodiesel reduces engine wear by as much as one half, primarily because biodiesel provides excellent lubricity. Even a 2% biodiesel/98% diesel blend will help.
(Learn more)

6) Drivability. We have yet to meet anyone who doesn't notice an immediate smoothing of the engine with biodiesel. Biodiesel just runs quieter, and produces less smoke.

Are there any negatives?
Of course. There is no perfect fuel.
1) Primarily that biodiesel is not readily available in much of the nation, YET (click here for a map of locations), although availability has jumped considerably in the last five years. Commercial consumption of biodiesel jumped from 500,000 gallons in 2000 to 15 million gallons in 2001 to 75 million gallons in 2006. And there's no measure how much home-produced biodiesel there is.

2) Biodiesel will clean your injectors and fuel lines. If you have an old diesel vehicle, there's a chance that your first few tanks of biodiesel could free up all the accumulated crud and clog your fuel filter. But this is a GOOD thing... think of it as kicking up dust around the house when you clean.

3) Biodiesel has a higher gel point. B100 (100% biodiesel) gets slushy a little under 32°F. But B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% regular diesel - more commonly available than B100) has a gel point of -15°F. Like regular diesel, the gel point can be lowered further with additives such as kerosene (blended into winter diesel in cold-weather areas).

4) Old vehicles (older than mid-90s) might require upgrades of fuel lines (a cheap, easy upgrade), as biodiesel can eat through certain types of rubber. Almost all new vehicles should have no problem with biodiesel.

5) Finally, the one emission that goes up with biodiesel is NOx. NOx contributes to smog. We feel that a slight increase (up to 15%) in NOx is greatly offset by the reduction in all other emissions and the major reduction in greenhouse gasses.

Discuss this partnership and other diesel vehicles in the biodiesel vehicles section of our forums. 

In a press release, Chrysler announced a special discount program for ‘members’ of the National Biodiesel Board to purchase or lease a Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge vehicle. The focus is on the company’s new diesels which means it only includes the Dodge Ram HD pick up truck and Jeep’s high end Grand Cherokee SUV. Although the effort Chrysler is making to team up with the NBB to promote clean, domestic, renewable biodiesel is to be applauded, their vehicle lineup is rather skimpy.

On a brighter note, Chrysler and the NBB are working together for a new national fuel standard for B20, a fuel composed of 80 percent conventional diesel and 20 percent biodiesel. A standard is anticipated in the next several months. “A B20 standard will enable us to support the use of B20 in all diesel vehicles – from passenger cars to the largest city buses and semi-tractor-trailers – further encouraging use of this clean, renewable, American-made fuel,” said Deborah Morrissett, Vice President – Regulatory Affairs for Chrysler.

Chrysler has already approved use of B5 (5 percent biodiesel fuel) in its diesel vehicles, and the Grand Cherokee and Dodge Ram pickups are delivered to customers running on the renewable fuel, Morrissett noted. And the company has approved use of B20 by its fleet customers who follow specifications for fuel quality.

Increased use of renewable fuels, including biodiesel, is needed if Americans are to achieve ambitious goals for greater energy security, less dependence on oil and a cleaner environment, Morrissett said. For example, a Dodge Ram diesel pickup or Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV running on B20 fuel would use nearly 40 percent less petroleum over its lifetime compared with a comparable gasoline-powered vehicle.

“Like NBB, we believe that biodiesel has an important role to play in America’s energy future,” Morrissett said. “We look forward to continuing our work with NBB and its members on this important national priority.”

It is interesting to see what a small community can do to improve their green footprint on the planet. Folks in the rural farm town of Reynolds Indiana have that opportunity. While I pretend to make changes by trading out my incandescent light bulb for compact fluorescents and run little biodiesel in my efficient car, this community is making a bigger change. For Reynolds Indiana, known as BioTown USA, the goal is to create a model community that is energy self-sufficient. According to the Indiana Agriculture Director Andy Miller, “Our goal is to make Indiana a leader in the future of agriculture, and to do that, we must be progressive in advancing new uses for our products and finding more environmentally-friendly ways to dispose of our byproducts.”

Here’s a YouTube segment from Motorweek highlighting the BioTown USA project.

Cruise line signs biodiesel contract

Imperium Renewables said Friday it has a deal to provide Royal Caribbean Cruises with biodiesel. The Seattle-based biodiesel maker, which is scheduled to inaugurate its Grays Harbor plant this month, will sell the cruise line 15 million gallons of biodiesel in 2007 and 18 million gallons annually for four years after that. The Miami-based cruise line has four vessels that call in Seattle. “We believe this is the single-largest long-term biodiesel sales contract to an end user in the U.S.,” the company said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Imperium also said it had reached an agreement to purchase Royal Caribbean Cruises’ 7 percent stake in the Grays Harbor facility.The company is pushing back the completion date of three planned biodiesel plants by one quarter. Its Hawaii and Argentina facilities are now scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2008, and a Philadelphia plant for the first quarter of 2009.

Seattle Times

EDIT: Adding an excellent video link here. 

For those in our group  that are politically active and support the use of cleaner, renewable and domestically produced fuels, I encourage you to make your voice heard to your representative. I'll offer up an article describing the current loophope in the 'biodiesel blenders tax credit' from the Christian Science Monitor -- perhaps a discussion of who to contact and what to say should appear in the comments section?

RichC

from the June 08, 2007 edition -

Biofuel boondoggle: US subsidy aids Europe's drivers

By Mark Clayton | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

Fast-rising worries over global warming have created a biofuel boondoggle.

Called "splash and dash," "touch and go," or an unfair trade practice, it features biofuels traders who exploit a US tax credit, European drivers who get cheaper diesel fuel, and American taxpayers, who are footing the bill.

It also illustrates a cautionary tale of how government incentives, no matter how well-intentioned, can sometimes be subverted into windfalls for the few.

"You have US taxpayers providing a very nice tax incentive, and they're not receiving any energy-security benefit or added fuel to the marketplace or benefits to US development in return," says Joe Jobe, chief executive officer of the National Biodiesel Board, which represents US biodiesel producers.

So far, the subsidies involved are relatively small – conservatively estimated at $30 million last year – but they're rising fast. And while efforts to close the loophole are under way in Congress, they're complicated by competing interests.

Created under the 2004 American Jobs Act, the "blenders tax credit" was supposed to boost US production of biodiesel by encouraging US diesel marketers to blend regular petroleum diesel with fuel made from soybeans or other agricultural products. It succeeded, perhaps too well.

Attracted by the $1-per-gallon subsidy, US diesel-fuel marketers mixed away, setting off a nationwide boom in biodiesel refinery building. But no one anticipated splash-and-dash.

The maneuver begins with a shipload of biodiesel from, say, Malaysia, which pulls into a US port like Houston, says John Baize, an industry consultant in Falls Church, Va. Unlike domestic diesel-biodiesel blends, which typically contain from 1 to 10 percent of biodiesel, the Malaysian fuel starts off as 100 percent biodiesel, typically made from palm oil.

Then, the vessel receives from a dockside diesel supplier a "splash" of US petroleum diesel. It doesn't take much to turn it into a diesel-biodiesel blend that is eligible for US subsidies.

If the ship holds roughly 9 million gallons, it takes only about 9,000 gallons of traditional diesel (0.1 percent of the total) to make the entire load eligible for the blenders tax credit.

The US importer of the load applies to the Internal Revenue Service for the credit – a dollar for each of the 9 million biodiesel gallons, Mr. Baize calculates. The next day the tanker can set sail – dash – for Europe. There, the US importer resells the biodiesel, taking advantage of European fuel-tax credits that, in effect, keep biodiesel prices above US prices.

"Splash-and-dash is something Congress never intended," says Baize. "It's bad for taxpayers and it ought to be fixed now."

Signs of splash-and-dash began to show up last fall. But efforts to fix the problem only began taking shape in Congress this spring after European biodiesel manufacturers complained in March about the subsidized imports and the US biodiesel industry also complained a month later.

"This [splash-and-dash] is something our people are aware of and that's on their radar screen," says a staff aide on the House Ways and Means Committee, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press. "It's one of the issues that's driving closer scrutiny."

European officials are also unhappy about the practice. Such "touch and go" maneuvers could quickly become a much larger problem, warned Raffaello Garofalo, secretary general of the European Biodiesel Board, in a March 19 letter to the European Trade Commissioner.

European manufacturers are worried about all US biodiesel imports – not just the splash-and-dash variety – because the subsidized fuel is flooding their markets, cutting into their domestic biodiesel business and lowering prices.

"We want really to get a fair trade and want this unfair subsidy to stop," says Mr. Garofalo in a phone interview. "The US products get subsidies in the US, and in Europe, a double subsidy."

The industry is calling for trade sanctions against the US.

So rich is the US subsidy, however, and awash in biodiesel is the European market at present, that a third form of imported biodiesel is now reportedly hitting European shores – at US taxpayer expense. European biodiesel producers themselves are shipping fuel to US ports to get the US blenders credit and then bringing it back to Europe for sale, according to British press accounts.

But US biodiesel manufacturers and Congress may not be in a hurry to close the loophole, some insiders say. That's because the blenders credit not only benefits splash-and-dash traders, it gives US producers of soybean-based biodiesel a distinct export advantage, industry insiders say.

"The US biodiesel producers talk out of one side of their mouth and then the other, because some of their members are clearly benefiting from this credit," says one veteran industry expert, who asked not to be named because such comments could harm his business prospects. "It's their own members importing a lot of that palm oil and biodiesel."

Indeed, congressional staffers say a legislative solution is snagged at present.

"There are trade issues involved in solving this problem," says a committee aide who asked not to be named because of the issue's political sensitivity. "The tax people want to go after it, but the trade people say you can't and I don't know precisely why that is."

Mr. Jobe, however, says his US biodiesel trade association remains committed to stopping abuse of the blenders credit loophole "to the extent that it is occurring."

So far, the amounts involved look relatively modest. Although there is no official IRS tally of how much US taxpayers have spent on this program, the US Department of Agriculture does track exports of US vegetable and animal oils, a category that is mostly biodiesel, experts say. In one year, those exports quadrupled – from about 9 million gallons in 2005 to 36 million gallons last year. If biodiesel accounted for 80 percent of the total, analysts calculate that taxpayers would have paid out about $30 million in 2006.

This increase is corroborated by the European Biodiesel Board, which has tracked 50-plus shipments from the US to Europe totaling about 60 million gallons in the first four months of this year. Most of those shipments originated in Houston; Savannah, Ga.; or New Orleans and arrived in the ports of Rotterdam, Netherlands; Bilbao, Spain; or Hamburg, Germany, Garofalo says.

Ultimately, this rise of US exports points to a larger American problem: a serious imbalance between domestic biodiesel production capacity and demand, some experts say.

Although biodiesel sales in the US soared to 250 million gallons last year – more than triple the level in 2005 – domestic biodiesel plants are still operating at just half their capacity, industry analysts say. That's because the industry, spurred in part by the blenders credit, has been on a tear building new plants. Another 1 billion gallons of capacity is expected to come on line this year.

Renewable-fuel standards that mandate biodiesel blending may one day boost US domestic demand. Until then, the US industry seems set to depend more on exports – and the blenders tax credit, industry experts say.

I generally try not to repost in whole someone else's work, but I liked Megan Murphy's post over on the Renewable Energy Access site enough that I didn't want it to get lost ... so I'm clipping so it will be archived here in case it disappears. There's also an algae biodiesel article is in the works; it may be worth reading too -- so I'll post a link to it when I see it.

How Does Biodiesel Affect U.S Energy Consumption? -- May 8, 2007

Q: I am a retired biochemist and worked as a rice farmer from 1945 to 1949. So I am concerned about supply of oil for food production, which is now completely dependent on oil-driven machinery in the U.S., Japan and others. I would appreciate it, if you could give me some information on biodiesel production. -- Hitoshi Maruyama, Kenmore, WA

A: I wish I could say biodiesel, a renewable alternative to diesel fuel, is produced in such a way that it could safeguard our food supply from the effects of declining oil reserves and permanently higher fuel prices. Unfortunately, biodiesel is not a silver bullet, able to eliminate American agriculture's dependence on fossil fuels. But biodiesel, produced sustainably and reducing our petroleum demand, can make the transition to a new energy economy less painful.

In 2005, America's farms spent $27.4 billion on energy-related expenses. That breaks down to $3.4 billion on electricity and $12.8 billion on fertilizers that along with pesticides create a significant, indirect source of fossil fuel-dependent energy consumption for agriculture. The fuels and oils required to operate equipment and machinery cost farmers $11.2 billion, and included the cost of about 3.5 billion gallons of diesel fuel used to plant, tend, and harvest our crops and raise our livestock (1).

It sounds like a lot but the total energy use by the agriculture sector peaked in 1978, and has decreased since then despite increased agricultural output (2). Farm equipment and practices have become more efficient as farmers stay competitive in the market by keeping their energy costs down.

In America, a common way to produce biodiesel is from virgin soybean oil. The oil is harvested from the plant and sold on the commodities market. A biodiesel producer purchases the oil and ships it to a biodiesel refinery, where the process of making biodiesel, a transesterification reaction, takes place. The large triglyceride molecules of vegetable oil are broken into the smaller and less viscous, long chain mono alkyl esters of biodiesel. The reaction requires a short chain alcohol (usually methanol) and a catalyst (usually sodium or potassium hydroxide) (3). Glycerin, a sugar, is also produced in the reaction and is often sold to industry for use in soap, cosmetics, and many other applications.

The American biodiesel industry is experiencing tremendous growth, from its humble beginning of less than 10 biodiesel plants in 2000 to 65 plants operating and 58 more under construction or expanding in 2006. Biodiesel production capacity is projected to reach 1.7 billion gallons by 2008 (4).

1.7 billion gallons of biodiesel would cover almost half of the 3.5 billion gallons of diesel we use on farms, but biodiesel is not just sold to farmers and 1.7 billion gallons is more of a drop in the bucket when it comes to the annual 60 billion gallons of diesel fuel consumed in America.

Making a dent in the total diesel consumed in the U.S. would require a lot of biodiesel. According to a white paper from John Deere & Company, use of a B2 (2% biodiesel, 98% petroleum diesel) blend nationwide is an attainable goal. "It would require 1.1 billion gallons of pure biodiesel... [and] consume all the soybean oil from 18 million acres, or about one-fourth of current U.S. soybean production (5)." (John Deere & Co. is forgetting about my favorite, sustainable feedstock, Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO). And are you wondering about algae? Stay tuned for my next column.)

Eighteen million acres of soybeans grown for fuel to meet 2% of our nation's diesel fuel demand, when my salad came all the way from California? Biodiesel cannot replace all or even close to all of the diesel fuel we consume here in the U.S. But there are simple and delicious ways to reduce our food supply's dependence on petroleum like buying local, organic produce.

I live on the East Coast and on average the produce available here is 3 to 4 days older than the produce available in California. I don't want to spend a lifetime eating old lettuce and wasting fuel. Fortunately, there is a growing movement towards Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in America, where small organic farms can provide enough vegetables to support 200 to 300 local families on 5 to 10 acres of land. Here in upstate New York, I can get almost all of my produce during the growing season from the local farmers' market or join a CSA and have a weekly share of what is in season. I can ride a bike (the chain greased with biodiesel) to where my beets are grown, instead of having them shipped to me from California. I find fresh vegetables and efficiency very appetizing.

So make your biodiesel sustainable and eat your locally grown kale and we might just make it out of this pinch.

Footnotes:
1. United States Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration. "Adjusted Distillate Fuel Oil and Kerosene Sales by End Use," 2005.
2. United States Department of Agriculture. "Energy and Agriculture," August, 2006.
3. United States Department of Energy. "Biodiesel Handling and Use Guidelines," March, 2006.
4. Borgman, Don. "Agriculture, Bio-fuels and Striving for Greater Energy Independence: A John Deere perspective on the realistic role US agriculture can play in satisfying America's increasing appetite for renewable fuels," January 4, 2007.
5. Ibid

-- Meghan Murphy

One of the questions I get asked on a regular basis is why people should use Biodiesel. I think there's several reasons to use this great renewable resource! Here's a few that I think stand out.

It's Economical
Biodiesel can be produced by individuals on a small scale relatively inexpensively when compared to Petrodiesel. Figures range anywhere from $0.40 a gallon to about $1.25 a gallon depending on the cost of materials required to make it. With prices that low, most people are able to save hundreds of dollars on their fuel bills. In some cases it even goes into the thousands of dollars. With savings like that, most people are able to recoup their initial investment on the equipment needed to make biodiesel within a matter of months.

It's Renewable
Biodiesel has been touted far and wide for it's renewable properties. Instead of making a fuel from a finite resource such as crude oil, Biodiesel can be produced from renewable resources such as organic oils, fats, and tallows. This means that it can be made from things that can be regrown, reproduced, and reused. So, if you need more, you can just grow another crop of seeds for the oil.

It's Good For The Environment
When Biodiesel is used to power diesel engines, the emissions at the tailpipe are significantly reduced. Studies by the US National Renewable Energy Lab indicate drops in several key area's that help the environment. Carbon Dioxide, Hydrocarbons, and Particulate Matter (the black smoke from diesels) all are significantly reduced when Biodiesel is used. When used in older diesel engines such as indirect combustion diesels, the results are astounding. I personally saw a reduction in our tailpipe emissions of nearly 90%. It's one of the many reasons Utah Biodiesel Supply even exists. I was incredibly impressed by the results.

It Supports Farmers
When Biodiesel is made from organic oils such as Canola, Soy, Peanut, or other domestically grown seed crops, it helps the farming community out. Because the oil used to make Biodiesel is "domestically grown", it keeps the money flowing to those that "grow" the feedstock. This continues to help out the renewable aspect of Biodiesel because this means more seed crops can be grown by local farmers.

It Reduces Dependence On Crude Oil
When Biodiesel is used in place of petro-diesel, it reduces the amount of crude oil used up. This means that it helps to reduce our dependence on a limited resource and increases our use of renewable resources. We think that's a great step toward reducing our dependence on a fuel that may not be around forever.

It's Enjoyable To Make
We think that making Biodiesel is one of the funnest things in the world to do. With a little practice and know-how it can easily be made and is extremely simple to do. We've found it to be an incredibly fulfilling experience. There's just something to be said for being able to make your own fuel and drive past a gas station and wave instead of pulling up for a fill-up. Words just don't describe the incredible feeling we get each time we make a batch.

It's Good For The Engine
Biodiesel, unlike Petro-diesel, has a much higher "lubricity" to it. This means that it's essentially "slipperier" than normal diesel fuel. With the added "lubricity" of Biodiesel, engines have been shown to experience less wear and tear when used on a regular basis. Also, because Biodiesel is less polluting, it means that it's easier on the engine. US Government Studies have shown that in some cases large fleets using Biodiesel have been able to go longer between oil changes because the oil stay's cleaner when Biodiesel is used.

It's The Perfect Alternative Fuel
When compared to several other Alternative Fuels available, Biodiesel comes out way ahead. Most alternative fuels require changes to a vehicle to be used. Natural Gas & Propane require special tanks to be installed and changes to the fuel injection system must be made as well. Ethanol also requires specialized changes to the fuel injection system. Electricity requires a completely different engine. In most cases, once a vehicle undergoes the conversion necessary to run the alternative fuel, there's no going back. You either run the alternative fuel or you don't run the vehicle. No propane? No go!

Biodiesel is different. Unlike other alternative fuels, Biodiesel can be used in most any diesel vehicle UNMODIFIED! Yes, you read right. In most cases, you just pour the Biodiesel in and go. No fancy tanks, no special injection equipment, no switches to throw. Just pour it in and drive away. And, unlike the other alternative fuels, if you need to switch back to Petrodiesel you can. Just fill it back up with diesel! In fact, Biodiesel will even blend with regular diesel fuel in any mixture; from 1% to 99%. It's really that easy!

Another benefit Biodiesel has over other alternative fuels is fuel mileage. In most cases, when alternative fuels are used the fuel mileage per gallon drops significantly. In some cases it's even as high as a 60% drop! With drops that significant any benefit derived from using the alternative fuel quickly diminishes. However, this isn't the case with Biodiesel.

Biodiesel has been shown to only have about an 8% to 10% drop in power when measured over petroleum based diesel. With that said, most people using Biodiesel don't even notice the drop and if they do, they report that it's only a "slight" drop in power. Most report seeing a decrease of only 2-3 miles per gallon reduction in fuel mileage.

It Just Makes Sense
So, as you can see, there's several reasons why Biodiesel is an ideal alternative fuel to diesel fuel. It's good for the environment, it can help you keep more of your hard-earned money, it's better for your engine, and it's fun to make! We believe that when you compare Biodiesel to all of the other alternatives out there, it just makes sense!

Give It A Try!
If you'd like to see if Biodiesel is right for you, we encourage you to give it a try! Biodiesel can be purchased commercially from several Commercial Biodiesel Retailers. Once you've tried it and are sure it's right for you, you can even begin making it yourself!

 -Graydon Blair

Below is a list of diesel vehicle manufacturers and their latest warrantee information. All warrantees are based on the biodiesel being ASTM D 6751 certified. Of course, if you want to use a higher blend than your engine manufacturer recommends, feel free to do so... just realize that they won't warrantee your car.

At this point, almost everyone approves at least a b5 (5% bio, 95% diesel) blend. 

Cummins - Neither approves nor disapproves biodiesel use in the engine, but like other fuels, will not warrantee an engine that dies because of any bad fuel (be it bio, diesel, gasoline, etc).

Detroit Diesel - Detroit Diesel Corporation highly recommends biodiesel fuels made from soybean or rapeseed oil through the proper transesterification reaction process. Other feedstock source of biodiesel fuels such as animal fat and used cooking oils are not recommended by DDC. Biodiesel fuels meeting ASTM D 6751 specification, prior to blending can be mixed up to 5%maximum by volume in petroleum diesel fuel. The resulting mixture must meet the fuel properties listed in Table 5-1 and ASTM D 975 specification. Failures attributed to the use of biodiesel fuel will not be covered by Detroit Diesel product warranty. Also, any engine performance problem related to the use of biodiesel fuel would not be recognized nor considered DDC's responsibility

Ford -  Fuels containing no more than 5% biodiesel may be used in Ford diesel powered vehicles.
Consistent with WWFC (World-Wide Fuel Charter) category 1-3, “Fatty Acid Methyl Esters
(FAME) used in commercial fuel must meet both the EN 14214 and ASTM D 6751
specifications”.

GM - Beginning with the January 2004 production cycle, GM’s Duramax Diesel engines will be approved for B5, a blend of 5% biodiesel fuel, giving fleets another choice for fueling and for complying with state and federal requirements.

International - Warrantees up to 5% biodiesel blend that meet the ASTM D975 standard.

Mercedes-Benz - Mercedes-Benz USA now approves the use of B5 biodiesel (standard diesel with a maximum 5% biodiesel content) in all Common Rail Injection Diesel "CDI-engines.

Nissan Diesel (no passenger vehicles) - Approves up to 5% biodiesel use.

Volkswagen -  Approves up to 5% biodiesel use.

Volvo - Approves up to 5% biodiesel use.