FAQ's
What is biodiesel?
Biodiesel is a cleaner-burning, EPA-approved; renewable fuel made from seed oils such as soy, canola, sunflower, peanut, or other oil bearing seeds.
How is biodiesel produced?
Oil is extracted from the seed and then is chemically treated in a process called transesterification, which lowers the viscosity of the oil to make it comparable to the diesel you purchase at a conventional gas station. The by-products from the process are biodiesel and glycerin (which can be used to produce soap or other chemicals).
Can I run biodiesel?
Since biodiesel is very near in viscosity to petroleum diesel it can be run in most diesel engines without any modifications. Some older diesels may require replacement of the rubber fuel lines and sometimes other seals in the fuel system.
Can I mix biodiesel with the diesel in my tank?
Biodiesel can be mixed with petroleum diesel or run straight in a diesel engine. Some of the most common blends of biodiesel range from 1% (B1) to 20% (B20). At American Greenfuels we sell high quality B100 from Houston Biodiesel. This biodiesel meets all ASTM-D6751 standards for biodiesel.
Why should I use biodiesel?
There are a number of reasons to run biodiesel. Some of the most common reasons are; noise reduction in your injectors, higher lubricity that reduces friction (which extends the life of your engine), more environmentally friendly than petroleum based diesel, decreased the U.S. dependency upon foreign oil’s while increasing the cash crops for the agricultural community, and right now it is CHEAPER!!!
What are emissions like with biodiesel?
Considerably better! Here is a chart taken by the EPA sometime around 2002.
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/models/biodsl.htm
There have been a number of more recent studies taken by universities and professionals that have shown even better emissions with a wider variety of year and engine models. Other recent data compiled by the NREL (National Renewable Energy Lab) appears to show NOx emissions to be a wash, with some engines showing a slight increase, while others have a slight decrease. For a more thorough discussion on the NREL’s data, see:
http://www.cleanhouston.org/energy/features/biodiesel.htm
How much biodiesel has been sold in the US?
The National Biodiesel Board has released the following sales volume estimates for the US:
2005 -- 75 million gallons
2004 -- 25 million gallons
2003 -- 20 million gallons
2002 -- 15 million gallons
2001 -- 5 million gallons
2000 -- 2 million gallons
1999 -- 500,000 gallons
Straight Vegetable Oil was experimental a CENTURY ago
when the diesel engine was invented…
What is an SVO system?
SVO stands for Straight Vegetable Oil. An SVO system is a parallel fuel system that allows you to burn SVO in diesel engines. This is accomplished by elevating the temperature of the SVO before injecting it into the fuel system. Most SVO systems use a combination of engine coolant heat recovery and electric heating to elevate the temperature of the oil, which reduces the oils viscosity and enables it to have similar characteristics of diesel. Once the temperature is elevated in the SVO system, you can flip a switch and use the SVO as the fuel.
Why would I want to run SVO in my diesel?
Most people seem to have their own reasons for wanting to run on SVO. For some, it is the freedom from the high price of fuel. For others, it may be environmental because SVO is less polluting than petroleum diesel and a renewable fuel. Still others may feel the strong desire to export a few less millions of dollars each day for petroleum. Whatever the reason, when you make the decision to move forward to using SVO give us a call. We will be happy to talk with you about what system can work best for you and your specific needs.
What kind of payback are we talking about on a system?
Your return on your SVO system depends of several factors such as, how many miles you drive, your fuel mileage, fuel costs at the pump, length of your trips, etc. If you just drive a few miles and make short trips, your return on a SVO system could take up to a year. If on the other hand, you drive a lot of miles, use your vehicle in business, or write off part of the cost of your vehicle on your taxes, you can pay for your system in a very short time, sometimes in as little as 6 weeks.
What is WVO? Can it be used as fuel?
Waste Vegetable Oil is abbreviated as WVO. Sometimes you will also see it referred to as UCO (used cooking oil), fryer oil, or grease. Good quality, clean, filtered WVO can be used as a fuel in a diesel engine.
How many people using SVO or WVO in their vehicles?
Truthfully, the industry doesn’t know how many people are using SVO here in the US. Suffice it to say users now number in the thousands. The only thing we are certain of is that more are doing it every day.
Why aren’t more people using SVO?
The technology to run a diesel on SVO has been around for over a century. In fact, in 1900, Rudolf Diesel debuted what would later be known as the diesel engine at the World’s Fair and it was fueled by peanut oil. His original intent was for farmers to produce the seed and extract the oils to fuel their needs. However, at this same the petroleum boom started and Rudolf’s colleagues swept his idea under the rug. As diesel became more available, it was cheaper to use than seed oils and became the preeminent fuel for diesel engines. Let’s face it, money influences decisions. If diesel prices were $1.00 at the pump, you wouldn’t be looking on the internet for a cheaper way to fuel your vehicle. As fuel prices continue to rise and the world’s energy supply continues to diminish, more people will seek out alternative ways to fuel their driving habits. SVO promises to be a good alternative to non-renewable fuels as we head into the future.
What are emissions like with SVO?
Amazingly better! Here are emission tests taken on SVO by the National Center for Vehicle Emissions Control and Safety located at Colorado State University (NCVECS).
http://www.greencarcongress.com/svo/index.html
A 2002 VW Golf TDi was modified to run on straight Canola oil and produced emissions lower than the EPA requirements and even lower than the new ultra-low sulfur diesel.