Biodiesel is a biofuel that is used as a replacement for diesel, a fuel also known as diesel or gas oil. It is a substance that is produced by animal fats or oils of vegetable origin that are subjected to different industrial processes. Biodiesel is usually mixed with diesel that comes from petroleum. Said combination can be made in different quantities. B100 is pure biodiesel (or 100% biodiesel). On the other hand, according to the percentage of biodiesel in the mixture, we can speak of B50, B15.
Given that biodiesel is less polluting than those that arise from oil, there are many campaigns that recommend its use for the feeding of various types of engines, among which stand out those of automobiles. In addition, fuels from hydrocarbons are not renewable: that is, they can be depleted. On the other hand, biodiesel made with vegetable oils can be renewed through new plantations.
In any case, the increase in the use of biodiesel also generates conflicting situations. When the land is used to cultivate the plants that allow this biofuel to be obtained, deforestation processes usually take place. On the other hand, the replacement of crops for food purposes causes the price of food to increase, since there is less supply.
Process
The transesterification process consists of combining the oil (usually vegetable oil) with a light alcohol, usually methanol, and leaving as glycerin residue that can be used by the cosmetic industry, among others. The source of vegetable oil is usually rapeseed oil, as it is the plant with the highest oil yield per hectare, although you can also use used oils (for example, frying oils), in which case, the raw material is very cheap and In addition, what is otherwise waste would be recycled. It is produced from renewable raw materials. Biodiesel is produced from vegetable oils, virgin and recycled. The virgin vegetable oil is extracted from the cultivated seed leaving behind the seed flour that can be used as animal fodder. The oil is refined before being incorporated into the biodiesel production process. Although there are more than three hundred types of oilseeds, the most common in the production of biodiesel are rapeseed, soybean, sunflower, and palm. The recycled oils come from the collection of sectors such as hospitality, food, domestic kitchens, With the recycling of used oils, we avoid its dumping, by watering the pollution of groundwater, fluvial and marine waters, as well as the life that lives in them.
ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANTAGES
Among the advantages of using this fuel instead of diesel are, of course, the conservation of the planet's natural resources, since it is a source of renewable energy. On the other hand, we reduce the import of fuels if we produce biodiesel here, in this way, our energy dependence on fossil fuels, which is 80% in Spain, also decreases. Likewise, it favors the development and fixation of the rural populations that dedicate themselves to the production of this fuel.
Other of the many advantages it has are: helping to reduce CO emissions emissions to the atmosphere; It does not contain sulfur, so it will eliminate the problem of acid rain; reduces soil contamination and toxicity risks, in case of accidental spillage, as it is a biodegradable and non-toxic product. In the technical aspect, it has an excellent lubricity and a higher flash point, which gives it greater safety.
What are the disadvantages of biodiesel
One of the biggest drawbacks today is that its cost still does not make it competitive compared to conventional diesel. Regarding the technical properties, it has lower calorific value, although it does not mean a loss of power or a significant increase in consumption. Another disadvantage is that it has less oxidation stability, this being important at the time of storage, and has worse cold properties, which makes it incompatible at very low temperatures. These last two properties can be rectified by adding some additive.
Think of the Environment
Everything seems to indicate, despite the intense international outreach that environmental issues have had in recent years, that society is not entirely aware that its well-being is closely related to energy consumption and the instability of the international socio-political situation; and much less possess a thorough knowledge of the alarming and shocking data related to energy consumption worldwide, which can even ruin the survival of human beings in a relatively short period of time.
It is known that 80% of the energy generated comes from fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal). None of them is renewable and the most optimistic forecasts estimate the depletion of oil and gas in the next 80 years, and of coal in no more than 300 years.
The magnitude of the problem lies in the astronomical figures of annual consumption of coal, gas, and oil. In 2017, for example, 8,034 million tons of oil were consumed, a figure that represented an increase in consumption of 1.3%, compared to 0.3% in the previous year. Nothing seems to indicate that this growth stops (currently 10 billion are consumed per year), since not only the developed countries consume more, but the less developed require even greater increases for their own development, as is the case of China, the India or Brazil.
The production and use of these fuels in 2017 generated 6.44 trillion tons of coal that rose to the atmosphere in the form of carbon oxide (CO2), which contributed to the occurrence of acid rain, pollution of all kinds, changes unpredictable climatic conditions, and an increase in average global temperature to 14.52 ° C.
Therefore, it is clear that the depletion of fossil fuels, as well as the emission of gases that accelerate the greenhouse effect, it is essential to introduce or expand energy sources to gradually replace existing ones, and at the same time, generate fewer pollutants.
Biodiesel is considered a good replacement for diesel made from petroleum for use in compression ignition engines since it emits less harmful gases and sulfur when burned. Biodiesel is also considered safer than its counterpart of fossil origin because it is non-toxic and less flammable (it has a higher ignition point). Although biodiesel contains approximately 8% less energy per gallon than petroleum diesel, no significant difference in performance or fuel economy has been reported.
He still has a long way to go to have it as a viable alternative in the market. However, it has shown its worth to exercise competition in a sector dominated, even today, by fossil fuels. Ecology, economy, and legality do not always go hand in hand, although there is a very high potential for energy self-sufficiency and emission reduction, there is a lack of legislative will.