Comments on: Biodiesel Pros and Cons http://www.energyrefuge.com/blog/biodiesel-pros-and-cons/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:29:51 -0600 hourly 1 By: Animal Fat Fuel http://www.energyrefuge.com/blog/biodiesel-pros-and-cons/comment-page-1/#comment-2702 Animal Fat Fuel Tue, 16 Dec 2008 02:36:11 +0000 http://www.energyrefuge.com/blog/biodiesel-pros-and-cons/#comment-2702 [...] Biodiesel Pros and Cons [...] [...] Biodiesel Pros and Cons [...]

]]> By: D Trahan http://www.energyrefuge.com/blog/biodiesel-pros-and-cons/comment-page-1/#comment-1560 D Trahan Sat, 02 Aug 2008 13:54:51 +0000 http://www.energyrefuge.com/blog/biodiesel-pros-and-cons/#comment-1560 Biodiesel. Recently has lost a lot of ground in the discussion for energy independence. No one at the onset realized how limited the feedstock for biodiesel really is. Simple. We plant 75 million acres of soybeans in the US. Sounds like a lot. That only produces 1 bbl of oil per acre, producing only 90% of this into biodiesel. Well in the process of consuming that amount of a food crop converting into fuel will drive up the cost of soy-based food tremendously. But wait a minute, the real kicker is that biodiesel is not totally domestic. The main co-ingredient in biodiesel (chemical name: methyl ester) is the methanol portion. All methanol used in making biodiesel comes from outside the US. So much for a 'domestic' fuel. The solution to our energy dilemma will come from wide range of alternatives, wind, solar, hydro, biomass conversion, etc. Biodiesel. Recently has lost a lot of ground in the discussion for energy independence. No one at the onset realized how limited the feedstock for biodiesel really is. Simple. We plant 75 million acres of soybeans in the US. Sounds like a lot. That only produces 1 bbl of oil per acre, producing only 90% of this into biodiesel. Well in the process of consuming that amount of a food crop converting into fuel will drive up the cost of soy-based food tremendously.

But wait a minute, the real kicker is that biodiesel is not totally domestic. The main co-ingredient in biodiesel (chemical name: methyl ester) is the methanol portion. All methanol used in making biodiesel comes from outside the US. So much for a ‘domestic’ fuel.

The solution to our energy dilemma will come from wide range of alternatives, wind, solar, hydro, biomass conversion, etc.

]]> By: Krzysztof Lis http://www.energyrefuge.com/blog/biodiesel-pros-and-cons/comment-page-1/#comment-1504 Krzysztof Lis Tue, 08 Jul 2008 07:25:45 +0000 http://www.energyrefuge.com/blog/biodiesel-pros-and-cons/#comment-1504 In my opinion, biodiesel is only one of methods to use vegetable oils for fueling engines. Not the best, just one of many. The others are heating the oil just before it's injected to the engine or mixing it with something that will reduce its viscosity. It takes a lot of work to make biodiesel, while heating it needs none. You just need to put some stuff in your engine compartment, and do it once. In my opinion, biodiesel is only one of methods to use vegetable oils for fueling engines. Not the best, just one of many. The others are heating the oil just before it’s injected to the engine or mixing it with something that will reduce its viscosity.

It takes a lot of work to make biodiesel, while heating it needs none. You just need to put some stuff in your engine compartment, and do it once.

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