Petroleum-based conventional fuel resources are estimated to last only till the first half of the next century. Efforts have been on for the last one century to develop alternative fuels. Biodiesel is one of the viable alternative fuels developed to reduce the consumption of (and to finally replace) petroleum-based conventional fuels.

Biodiesel is a term used for a class of ester-based oxygenated fuels made from renewable agricultural resources such as vegetable oils or from animal fats.

So, what are the advantages of bio diesel that makes it viable as an alternative fuel to reduce the consumption of (and to ultimately replace) petroleum-based conventional fuels?

The key advantages of biodiesel that make it a viable alternative bio fuel to petrol and diesel are described below.

It is the only alternative fuel to successfully pass EPA Tier I Testing for Health Effects under section 211(b) of the Clean Air Act. EPA stands for the US Environmental Protection Agency. Its attributes are such as to have no detrimental environmental or human health effects as per the current technological expertise available for testing.

It is the sole alternative fuel that can be used in any diesel-operated conventional engine without the need for any modifications in the engine. Its further advantage lies in the fact that it does not require to be stored in any special vessel. It can be stored in a storage vessel that is similar to the one in which diesel is stored in.

Biodiesel can be used by itself or alternatively blended with conventional diesel in any conceivable ratio and the blend then used in a diesel engine. The common blend used currently contains 80% diesel and the rest biodiesel. The blend is known as B20. B therein stands for biodiesel and 20 therein indicates that the blend contains 20% biodiesel.

Biodiesel scores heavily over conventional diesel in some other advantages that it possesses. These include 80% less emissions of carbon dioxide and nearly 100% less sulfur dioxide during the production and use of biodiesel considered as a whole.

Further, the combustion of only biodiesel results in 90% less ‘total unburned hydrocarbons’. Its combustion also results in 75% to 90% less unburned aromatic hydrocarbons. In both cases the percentage figures pertain to comparisons with the respective unburned hydrocarbon content found in the case of conventional diesel.

These figures show the excellent clean-burning attributes of biodiesel. Its combustion also results in significantly less emissions of carbon monoxide and particulate matter as compared to conventional diesel fuel. The cancer risks assocbiodieselh biodiesel are about 90% less than those with conventional diesel.

Biodiesel’s lubrication property is much more than that of conventional diesel. This helps in a much longer life of the engine than with conventional diesel. Some of its advantages include comparatively less effect on fuel consumption, power output, engine torque, and auto ignition than found with conventional diesel.

The other advantages of biodiesel include similar power and performance as with conventional diesel.