Biodiesel Technology and Business Considerations

Jake Jacobi, Rick Starkweather | June 2009

Biodiesel is clean-burning, non-toxic, biodegradable diesel replacement fuel manufactured from renewable, non-petroleum-based sources such as virgin vegetable oils, animal fats, and used cooking oils and trap grease from restaurants. Many European countries have been producing and using biodiesel since the early 1990s.

Biodiesel has many advantages. It is renewable, biodegradable and nontoxic. It has lower emissions than fossil fuels, requires no engine modifications for use, can be blended in any proportion with petroleum diesel fuel and has excellent lubricity.

Biodiesel also has some disadvantages. Its energy content is lower, soybean oil-based biodiesel crystallizes at 32 degrees, it can form sediments and varnish, it increases NOx emissions in some engines, and there are issues with feedstock supply and cost.

In the document “Biodiesel Technology and Business Considerations,” ScottMadden addresses the details of biodiesel technologies and research and development efforts as well as the costs, funding, and investment issues and profiles some of the emerging environmental and regulatory issues surrounding the development of biofuels.

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