Basics of Biodiesel What is biodiesel? Its benefits for energy security, air quality, and health.

1. Basics of BiodieselWhat is biodiesel?Its benefits for energy security, air quality, and health. Jon H. Van Gerpen Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering University of Idaho Virginia Biodiesel Conference Harrisonburg, VA November 16, 2004

2. Outline • Background on biodiesel • What is biodiesel? • Where does it come from? • Advantages and disadvantages • Impact on air quality and health • Impact on energy security

3. What is biodiesel? • Definition: Biodiesel consists of the alkyl monoesters of fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats. • Can be derived from vegetable oils, animal fats, and used cooking oils.

4. The biodiesel reaction • Produced by a chemical reaction between methanol (or ethanol) and an oil or fat. • 100 lb Soybean oil + 10 lb methanol 100 lb biodiesel + 10 lb glycerin • Requires a catalyst (such as NaOH, KOH, or NaOCH3)

5. Fatty acid profile of common oils

6. Biodiesel: What is it not? • Unprocessed vegetable oil. Vegetable oil can be used in some diesel engines (especially if heated) but tends to cause performance to deteriorate over time. • Mixtures or emulsions of vegetable oil or alcohol with diesel fuel. Major advances have been made in alleviating concerns about cetane number and lubricity. Flash point is still the primary obstacle.

7. Transesterification Material Balance Catalyst 0.5 to 1.5 kg Methanol 10 kg + excess Degummed Oil 100 kg Water 1 to 100 kg Acid Glycerine Esters Reaction and Separation Waste Water 0 to 100 kg FFA 0 to 1 kg Acidulation Washing Excess Methanol 50 to >99% Methanol Removal Methanol Removal Crude Glycerine 10 kg (pure basis) Biodiesel 95 to 100 kg Superior Process Technologies TM

8. Applications of biodiesel • As a neat fuel (B100). 100% biodiesel qualifies as an alternative fuel for fleet alternatively fueled vehicle mandates. • As a medium-level blend (B20-B50). Blends can be used to meet Energy Policy Act mandates (consumption of 430 gallons of B100 = 1 vehicle). • As a low-level blend (1% - 2%). Small amounts of biodiesel can restore lubricity to low-sulfur fuels.

9. B50 use in heavy duty truck

10. Operation of light-duty trucks with biodiesel

11. Advantages of Biodiesel • Biodegradable, nontoxic, renewable • Very favorable energy balance, 3.2 to 1. • Lower emissions(Example: DDC Series 50) • Carbon monoxide: 38% lower • Unburned HC: 83% lower • Oxides of Nitrogen: 11.3% higher • Particulates: 49% lower • Smoke and odor are much better • PAH, nPAH, and air toxics are lower

12. Advantages of Biodiesel • Requires no engine modifications (except replacing some fuel lines on older engines). • Can be blended in any proportion with petroleum diesel fuel. • High cetane number and excellent lubricity. • Very high flashpoint (>300°F) • Can be made from waste restaurant oils and animal fats.

13. Disadvantages of biodiesel • Lower energy content Btu/lbBtu/gal No. 2 Diesel 18,300 129,050 Biodiesel 16,000 118,170 (12.5% less) (8% less) • Since diesel engines will inject equal volumes of fuel, power will drop 8%.

14. Disadvantages of biodiesel • Soybean oil-based biodiesel will start to crystallize at around 0°C. This can be mitigated by blending with diesel fuel or with additives. • Biodiesel is less oxidatively stable than petroleum diesel fuel. Old fuel can become acidic and form sediments and varnish. Additives can prevent this. • There is limited supply. Soybean oil is widely available but expensive. Inedible animal fats are less expensive but have limited supply.

15. Engine Manufacturer’s Concerns • Suggest limiting use to 5% until more experience is gained. Most believe B20 is acceptable. • Primary concerns are with oxidative stability, fuel quality, and NOx emissions.

16. Disadvantages of biodiesel • Cost is high, so a subsidy is required. • Unsubsidized price is $2.00 - $2.50/gallon. • New government subsidies should allow biodiesel to compete with petroleum-based diesel fuel. • Biodiesel from soy (B100) has 10-15% higher NOx emissions than petroleum-based diesel fuel. NOx from animal fats and used cooking oils is less but still higher than petrodiesel.

17. Cost of Biodiesel • Cost is very feedstock sensitive. • Processing cost is generally estimated to be about $0.20 - $0.50/gallon. • New plant cost is about $1.00 per gallon of annual capacity. • With current subsidies, biodiesel is $1.30-$1.50/gallon (without road tax).

18. Relative Costs of Biodiesel Components Superior Process Technologies TM

19. Potential cost savings through utilization of high free fatty acid feedstocks Possible feedstocks: • yellow grease, brown grease from rendering plants. ($0.04 - 0.15/lb) • restaurant waste (free to $.02/lb) • trap grease, float grease from sewage treatment. (<$0.01/lb)

20. Biodiesel Emissions – Percentage changes compared with Petrodiesel

21. Emissions • Dramatic reductions in soot (solid carbon) portion of particulate. • Increases in hydrocarbon portion of the particulate, which is mostly unburned fuel. • NOx increases 2-4% with B20 and 4-13% with B100. • NOx is involved with smog formation.

22. B100 Emission reductions • 70-80% reductions in HC • 38-45% reductions in CO • 4-11% increases in NOx • 28-49% reductions in Particulate • 10-40% increases in SOF • 60-70% reductions in soot

23. Health Effects (Testing required by EPA) • Laboratory rats were exposed to exhaust from engine fueled by B100 from Soy. Rats were examined for: • Carcinogenicity (cancer causing) • Mutagenicity (causes genetic mutations) • Teratogenicity (fetal abnormalities) • Reproductive toxicity (inability to reproduce) • Neurotoxicity (causes nervous system damage) • Level of abnormalities was far below what would have been expected from diesel fuel. • No new compounds were found beyond those already seen in diesel exhaust. • Levels of PAH and nPAH were far below levels observed for diesel exhaust.

24. Impact on petroleum use Total Annual Production of US Fats and Oils Vegetable Oil Production (Billion pounds/yr) Soybean                   18.340 Peanuts                      0.220 Sunflower                   1.000 Cottonseed                 1.010 Corn                          2.420 Others                        0.669        Total Veg. Oil    23.659

25. Total Annual Production of US Fats and Oils  Animal Fats (Billion pounds/yr) Edible Tallow               1.625 Inedible tallow              3.859 Lard & Grease             1.306 Yellow Grease             2.633 Poultry Fat                   2.215       Total Animal Fat  11.638

26. Maximum Biodiesel Production • Combined total: 23.659 + 11.638 = 35.3 • 35.3 billion lbs of fats and oils could produce about 4.6 billion gallons of biodiesel.

27. Sales of On-highway diesel fuel On-highway Diesel (billion gallons) 1996                            26.96 1997                            28.61 1998                            30.15 1999                            32.06 2000                            33.13 • If all of the vegetable oil and animal fat were used to produce biodiesel, we could only replace about 15% of the current demand for on-highway diesel fuel. 

28. Why biodiesel? • New market for excess oils and fats. • Decrease U.S. dependence on imported oil. (?) • Biodiesel is renewable. (?) • Lower exhaust emissions. • Improved lubricity.

29. Summary • Biodiesel is an alternative fuel for diesel engines that can be produced from renewable materials. • Biodiesel’s advantages include lower black smoke and particulate emissions. • Biodiesel’s disadvantages include high cost and higher NOx emissions. • The health effects of biodiesel use are superior to those from diesel exhaust. • Biodiesel’s impact on energy security is limited by the available supply.