Biodiesel

What's that Smell?

If watching Al Gore prognosticate the end of Earth as we know it made you run out and buy a biodiesel-capable Volkswagen, you may have plenty of questions. The first that comes to mind, after wondering exactly what this alternative fuel is and why it makes Al Gore happy, is exactly what that smell is.

Did the manufacturers replace the compression engine with a deep fryer? Did some fast food lobbying group finally find the ultimate subliminal advertising ploy to steer you into a drive-thru for a burger and milkshake? Because whatever is making that new Volkswagen engine purr like a Jaguar sure smells like french fries.

You will not find a deep fryer under the hood. But you will find the greasy gook that goes into the vats to create the crispy goodness that's the backbone of the fast food industry and plenty of kitchens across the county (i.e. vegetable oil).

Biodiesel Basics

This doesn't mean you should head to the market and stock up on vegetable oil to pour in the gas tank. The process doesn't quite work like that. Various oils (vegetable, soybean, etc.) and fats make up the foundation of biodiesel, hence the smell. However, the oils and fats are refined to seep out the glycerin. The process, which involves alcohol mixing with the oil and creating a reaction, has quite the scientific name: transesterification.

How Biodiesel Helps

Biodiesel is used both as an additive to regular diesel and as a fuel itself. Many standard diesel engines will run on the fuel, although a new line of vehicles specifically designed for biodiesel are on the market. You might scratch your head and wonder what benefits biodiesel has over regular fuel, considering both are carbon-based. Also, both fuel types release tailpipe emissions at a comparable rate. Now the science kicks in and things get a bit esoteric.

When scientists do a "full life cycle assessment," they find that biodiesel releases almost 80% less carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. You do not have to be Al Gore's advisor to know that CO2 is the heat-trapping gas that causes excessive warming of the planet.

The grocery store metaphor is handy here. Think of biodiesel as all natural, tasty Wisconsin organic cheese. Regular diesel is a bit like overly processed Cheese Wiz or an infamous log of Velveeta spread. Which is better for the body and easier on the system?

In the case of fuels, plants dine on the biodiesel emissions much more readily than the stuff regular diesel engines spit out. Thus, more emissions from biodiesel are food for the plants, whereas standard disel emissions tend to hang out in the atmosphere and cause trouble. So, in the end, to get a complete understanding of why biodiesel is more environmentally friendly, you need to look at the system as a whole.

The use of biodiesel also helps reduce up to 50% soot causing particle matter released into the atmosphere. Filling up with biodiesel also reduces the release of toxic crud like the cancer-causing benzene.

Drawbacks

If you are considering converting to biodiesel and you live in the upper reaches of Minnesota or someplace like Buffalo you might want to think twice, at least in the winter, about the changeover. The viscosity of biodiesel when it meets the cold creates flow issues not associated with regular diesel fuel. This requires a consumer in cold weather country to either load up on various additives or install a fuel heating system to keep the flow moving.

Another issue is the fact that plant-based biodiesel is essentially a solvent. While not a problem on biodiesel-specific vehicles, those old standard diesel engines might develop some clumping in the fuel line during the transition process.

Finally, although biodiesel has numerous benefits for global warming and pollution in general, there is one small stain on the record. Nitrogen oxide emissions tend to spit from the tailpipe of biodiesel vehicles at a higher rate. These nasty particles contribute to a city's smog factor. Thus, if you are thinking of going green in Los Angles or another western city that struggles with smog, you might want to consider an alternative.

Of course, in the long run, one has to also ponder the issues involved with biodiesel production. Will it result in the higher use of pesticides on crops? Will there be an increase of the controversial use of genetic modification? Ultimately, you must consider whether the production of a good thing triggers negative impacts in other areas, and if those impacts are acceptable.