Distillates play a significant role in our economy, but they also drive conversations around emission reduction. Recently, there has been an undeniable discussion to alter our carbon footprint for the sake of global health. How can we bridge a century+ gap and still maintain peak efficiency while supporting our local economy? Biodiesel is a step in the right direction.
Below are some of the biodiesel benefits:
- Biodiesel is a domestically produced product with ingredients sourced from vegetable or crop oil, animal fats, and even restaurant grease among other sources. These sources help support our local communities.
- By adding additional bio content to diesel fuel, for both for on road and off-road use, the U.S. will need to produce more supporting crops to create biofuel. These additional crops will also consume the carbon dioxide released from the exhaust of vehicles. The higher the bio content in the diesel fuel we use, the less destructive emissions will become.
- Since the mandate to reduce sulfur content in diesel fuel has caused our fuels to become more abrasive, it is harder on the equipment that consumes it. Examples of the equipment are injectors, fuel rails, tanks, pumps, and more. As a result of the reduced sulfur, scarring and premature wear is likely to occur when not paired with a proper lubricity adder. Biodiesel is a natural lubricity adder and helps offset the abrasive nature of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD).
- The addition of a bio product to diesel helps to reduce risks associated with it being flammable and combustible. Contrary to many beliefs, diesel fuel is not anywhere near as combustible as gasoline. In fact, the flashpoint of gasoline is -45 degrees Fahrenheit. Traditional non biodiesel fuel has a flashpoint of about 125 degrees Fahrenheit, which is more stable as it requires much more heat to ignite or combust. Now, consider the stability of a 100% biodiesel flashpoint at well above the boiling point of water. The more bio content in our fuel the less volatile the fuel becomes.
