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Biodiesel. S3 Chemistry Mini-Assignment 2. What is Biodiesel . Virtually everyone thinks that renewable sources of energy are better than continuing to burn fossil fuels. However people can’t agree on which renewable energy source would be the best choice.
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Biodiesel S3 Chemistry Mini-Assignment 2
What is Biodiesel • Virtually everyone thinks that renewable sources of energy are better than continuing to burn fossil fuels. However people can’t agree on which renewable energy source would be the best choice. • Biodiesel seems to be a good choice. It is made from plants which use up carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. So, when it is burned, it will not add to the ‘greenhouse effect’.
Biodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain carbon containing compounds. • Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting vegetable oil or animal fat with an alcohol. • Biodiesel is meant to be used in standard diesel engines and is thus different from the vegetable and waste oils used to fuel converted diesel engines. • Biodiesel can be used alone, or blended with diesel.
Bio-diesel is becoming more widely known since the EU and UK governments agreed that 5.75% of all fuels sold had to be ‘bio’ by 2010. • For petro-diesel meant adding bio-diesel to it making it a blend. • What you can currently buy in garage forecourts as ‘bio-diesel’ is referred to a B5 ( This is 5% biodiesel to 95% normal diesel). • It is also possible in some places to find a B30 mix and a few places sell pure biodiesel – B100
Websites • http://www.bp.com/sectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=9030052&contentId=7055186 (Small BP Video) • http://www.biodieselfillingstations.co.uk/ • http://www.esru.strath.ac.uk/EandE/Web_sites/02-03/biofuels/what_biodiesel.htm • http://greenfuels.co.uk/ • http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/sectors/32599.aspx • http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/sep/21/biodiesel-industry-eu-policy-changes (Interesting news article)