BioDiesel FAQs
What is Biodiesel?
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Biodiesel is a clean, renewable and domestically produced diesel fuel. Both biofuels and fossil fuels are of an organic nature (made from biological matter) but biofuel has been recently grown, rather than stored and processed over many years. Biofuel is made from what can be grown today whereas fossil fuel comes from biomatter grown millions of years ago – and is therefore not renewable . Biofuel is not a finite resource - we are only limited by what we can grow.
Many reports state that the overriding advantage of biofuel is that it doesn't add CO2 to the atmosphere and can be locally produced and used. Biofuel is therefore a low carbon alternative to fossil fuel.
Bioenergy Direct biodiesel goes one step further and makes biodiesel from 100% recycled waste vegetable oil, thereby removing the complex and emotive food vs fuel debate, and reducing carbon emissions even further.
Do we process a good quality biodiesel?
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Our biodiesel is tested and is processed to an EN specification.
What is the difference between biodiesel and biofuel?
- When people refer to biofuel, they may well be referring to biodiesel - biofuel is a more generic term for renewable fuels. We use the term biodiesel as we make biofuel suitable for diesel engines.
Where does Biodiesel come from?
- Bioenergy Direct Biodiesel is produced from waste vegetable oils that have been used and discarded from commercial food fryers. These oils might otherwise find their way into already over-used landfill disposal sites or burnt as waste. Bioenergy Direct Biodiesel comes from restaurants and pubs in the South East. You’ll know which establishments we collect from by the circular sunflower sticker displayed in their window. This sticker is a sign that the pub or restaurant has made a commitment to sustainability and supports the responsible recycling of waste oil.
Where can I use biodiesel?
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Biodiesel can be used without engine conversion in most diesel cars, boats, trains, trucks, diggers, generators, ships, space heaters etc. Biodiesel can be used in central heating oil boilers with a simple burner nozzle change. Do contact us if you are unsure whether you can use it in your vehicle or heater.
Why is biodiesel environmentally friendly?
- Biodiesel is biodegradable and non-toxic. According to US Dept of Energy findings, it is less toxic than table salt and biodegrades as quickly as sugar.
- Biodiesel produces less (up to 20%) of the noxious emissions of particulates from the tailpipe when compared to petrodiesel. This is mainly due to the presence of oxygen in biodiesel which allows for complete combustion. Particulates in the form of carbon dust, together with unburned hydrocarbons are inhaled into the lungs and are suspected of being carcinogenic (cancer forming) to humans.
- Biodiesel has a low sulphur concentration in comparison with other fuels. It is the presence of sulphur in the air which leads to the “acid rain” phenomenon.
- Biodiesel is a renewable fuel and as such is nominally carbon neutral as it is only putting back in the atmosphere what has been extracted in the process of photosynthesis in plants. In practice some CO2 is produced in the production of biodiesel and in its transportation.
- As stated above, when the base product is waste vegetable oil, Bioenergy Direct Biodiesel is simply recycling something that otherwise would end up in landfill.
- Litre for litre biodiesel replaces the use of petrodiesel. Increased biodiesel use lowers both total CO2 growth, mankind’s dependence on fossil fuels and supports the government's commitment to reducing carbon emissions by 80% by 2050.
- Bioenergy Direct Oil is committed to taking practical action to fight climate change and lessen our dependance on fossil fuels. Biodiesel made from waste vegetable oil is a local, sustainable, resilient alternative to petrodiesel. It is easily implemented and reduces costs as well as CO2.
What do I need to know about use of biodiesel in a normal diesel engine?
- Pure biodiesel can be used in most diesel engines. During winter months, a low-temperature biodiesel is necessary to avoid problems with viscosity and gelling. There is a method of using pure biodiesel at low temperatures which involves installing a second, insulated tank which is heated and the driver then switches to this once the biodiesel is heated to the correct temperature.
- Some vehicles have rubber gaskets and hoses, and as biodiesel will degrade these over time we recommend replacing these parts. Because biodiesel is cheaper than petrodiesel, you will make your money back in the long run - and of course the environmental benefits are substantial and harder to put a price on.
- Biodiesel is a better solvent than petrodiesel and has a cleansing effect on engines that have previously run on petrodiesel. This can lead to fuel filters and injectors becoming clogged with particulates when biodiesel is first used, as biodiesel cleans out the system. It is therefore recommended that the fuel filter is changed within 6 – 800 miles of switching to biodiesel.
How is Biodiesel rated?
- Biodiesel is given a B rating according to the percentage of it in a fuel mix so that pure biodiesel would be a B100, and a 20% mix would be a B20. At Bioenergy Direct, we make B100, which you can either use straight in your vehicle, or mix with normal diesel to create a blend.
How is biodiesel viewed by the car manufacturers?
- Some UK manufacturers only maintain their engine warranties for use with a maximum 5% biodiesel blend as compared to standard fuels it is relatively untested.
- Volkswagen and Scania now allow most of their diesel-engined vehicles to operate on 100% biodiesel.
- Peugeot and Citroen have both announced that their PSA Hdi engine can now run on 30% biodiesel.
How does the cost compare to petrodiesel?
- At present our Biodiesel is cheaper than petrodiesel.
- Biodiesel can be more expensive to purchase than petrodiesel but this can vary from country to country according to the governmental attitude to it and its tax treatment. In Germany, for instance, it is normally cheaper than petrodiesel at petrol stations where both are sold. As production expands it is likely that economies of scale will kick in and the price will reduce.
