Advantages of Biodiesel

Environmental Concerns

Carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels are recognized as a primary cause of global warming.  Biodiesel addresses this concern in the following ways:        

The carbon released into the atmosphere by the burning of biodiesel is ultimately absorbed by the crops being grown to produce biodiesel, resulting in a 78% lifecycle reduction in carbon dioxide (source: Department of Energy).

Because diesel cars are more fuel-efficient than gasoline-powered cars, they will always emit less carbon dioxide.

Other environmental problems caused by fossil fuels are polluted air and water, which lead to health problems. Biodiesel addresses these concerns in the following ways:      

Biodiesel is non-toxic and biodegradable:  Although a biodiesel spill or leakage of biodiesel into the ground would be both messy and undesirable, it would not be deadly.

Biodiesel burns cleaner than petroleum diesel, resulting in the following reductions in these pollutants:

• Unburned hydrocarbons: -67%

• Carbon Monoxide: -48%

• Particulate Matter: -47%

• Sulfates: -100%

• Polycylic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH): -80%

• Nitrated PAH’s: -90%

• Ozone Potential of Speciated Hydrocarbons: -50%

(source: EPA)

Energy Security, National Security, Economic Concerns

Our fuel supply is becoming less reliable, both due to political problems in the nations supplying us with fuel and due to the fact that oil is a limited resource. Much of our fuel comes from unfriendly nations.  The fact that we purchase fuel from them gives them more money and power.  It also limits our ability to act against these nations, either diplomatically or militarily. The fact that we import so much fuel causes our trade deficit to be larger than is advisable and could lead to economic instability.  The total United States trade deficit for 2006 was $763.6 billion.  In 2005, it was $716.7 billion.  (source: US Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics).  Eliminating oil imports would reduce the trade deficit by approximately one-third.  Biodiesel addresses these concerns in the following ways:

Biodiesel is a renewable fuel.  We will not run out of biodiesel nor do we need expensive new techniques in order to continue producing biodiesel.  We will eventually run out of petroleum oil or will have to engage in drilling techniques that are prohibitively expensive. 

Biodiesel is domestically produced.  Although other nations also produce biodiesel, currently 100% of the biodiesel sold in the US is produced in the US.  We are capable of producing enough biodiesel in the US to support our future energy needs.