Biodiesel - The Right Choice for America
The use of biodiesel and other biofuels increases domestic energy security. The United States imports more than 60% of its petroleum, two-thirds of which is used to fuel vehicles in the form of gasoline and diesel. And the demand for petroleum imports is increasing, while the price per gallon continues to escalate, often on a weekly basis. With much of the worldwide petroleum reserves located in politically volatile countries, the United States continues to be vulnerable to supply disruptions.

Protecting Public Health and the Environment
Compared with using petroleum diesel, using biodiesel in a conventional diesel engine substantially reduces emissions of unburned hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and particulate matter (PM). The reductions increase as the amount of biodiesel blended into diesel fuel increases. B100 provides the best emission reductions, but lower-level blends also provide benefits. B20 has been shown to reduce PM emissions 10%, CO 11%, and unburned HC 21% (see graph). Learn more about biodiesel emissions.

Using biodiesel also reduces greenhouse gas. For example, B100 use reduces carbon dioxide emissions by more than 75% compared with petroleum diesel. Using B20 reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 15%. Image Source: EPA 2002

Biodiesel Improves Engine Operation
Biodiesel improves fuel lubricity and raises the cetane number of the fuel. Diesel engines depend on the lubricity of the fuel to keep moving parts from wearing prematurely. Federal regulations reduced sulfur in diesel fuel to 15 ppm a few years ago, which resulted in reduced lubricity of petroleum diesel. Diesel specification ASTM D975 was modified to require lubricity; biodiesel provides adequate lubricity to meet this requirement at blends as low as 1%.

Providing Safety Benefits
Biodiesel is nontoxic, so it causes far less damage than petroleum diesel if spilled or otherwise released to the environment. It is also safer than petroleum diesel because it is less combustible. The flashpoint for biodiesel is higher than 150°C, compared with about 52°C for petroleum diesel. biodiesel is safe to handle, store, and transport.

For more information regarding biofuels and biodiesel, go to the U.S. Department of Energy website at http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/fuels/biodiesel_benefits.html.