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Is it viable to replace diesel with biodiesel at Princeton?. What uses diesel at Princeton?. Shuttles Tractors Mowers Leaf Vacs Brush Bandit Trucks. What is diesel?. Diesel is a petroleum based fuel that is non-biodegradable
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What uses diesel at Princeton? • Shuttles • Tractors • Mowers • Leaf Vacs • Brush Bandit • Trucks
What is diesel? • Diesel is a petroleum based fuel that is non-biodegradable • Used in vehicles such as buses, shuttles, and other equipment and machinery on campus
What is biodiesel? • Biodiesel is a fuel composed of monoalkyl esters of long chains of fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats. Biodiesel is biodegradable. • Biodiesel and Biodiesel blends can be used in the same equipment, machinery, buses and shuttles as diesel
What is a Biodiesel blend? • B20: B20 is a biodiesel blend composed of 20% biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel fuel. • B100: B100 is biodiesel in its pure form without being mixed with petroleum diesel.
Environmental advantages of biodiesel compared to diesel • The use of B20 and B100 reduce air emissions from vehicles: • Particulates: 15% and 70% • Hydrocarbons: 10% and 40% • Sulfates: 20% and 100% • Carbon Monoxide: 10% and 50%
Environmental disadvantages of biodiesel compared to diesel • The use of B20 and B100 increase air emissions from vehicles: • Nitrogen oxides: 2% and 9% • Nitrogen oxides can be regulated through technology and additives to biodiesel blends • Construction and storage of biodiesel in underground tanks
Economic disadvantages of biodiesel compared to diesel • The use of biodiesel would require the construction of a storage tank • Biodiesel blends are currently more expensive than diesel fuel • More expensive by approximately 30 cents per gallon
Biodiesel problems • B20 and B100 both freeze at higher temperatures than petrodiesel • Biodiesel loosens deposits on gas tank walls and pipes potentially causing filter clogs • Biodiesel could degrade rubber compounds impacting fuel hoses and pumps
Biodiesel solutions • Construction of above ground storage tank perhaps located where the new maintenance shop was to be built • Wholesale cost of biodiesel cheaper than retail price of diesel • B20 is less problematic than B100 for engine and machinery modifications, although B100 can be used in most machinery built after 1994
Recommendations • Perhaps a pilot project could be run testing the use of biodiesel (B20) in one or two pieces of equipment, machinery, or vehicles