Objectives
 Describe how biodiesel may help improve public
health
 Describe the benefits of biodiesel to the
environment
 Explain how biodiesel may help stimulate the
economy
 Describe what energy security is and how using
biodiesel can help attain it
 Explain the future of biodiesel
 Explain the suggested actions to support biodiesel
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Why Consider Biodiesel?
 Cleaner-burning fuel
 Domestically produced from renewable
resources
 Promotes energy self-sufficiency
 Creation of jobs in agricultural sector
 Almost any diesel vehicle can use biodiesel
with little or no modification
 Easiest fuel to implement due to existing
infrastructure and blending
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Figure 1: Emission reductions achieved by the use of biodiesel blends. Source: NBB.
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Advantages of Biodiesel





Energy self-sufficiency
Creation of jobs within the U.S.
Reduced exhaust emissions
Use of domestically grown crops
Growth within the U.S. agricultural sector
Special Note:
NEVER use any clean or used grease or vegetable oil that has not been processed for
biodiesel usage.
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Biodiesel Compared to
Conventional Diesel
Figure 2: Biodiesel and petro-diesel facts and figures. Source: Fueleconomy.gov.
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Biodiesel Benefits
 There are many benefits of using biodiesel
to fuel vehicles:




Betterment of health and environment
Benefits to the U.S. economy
National energy security
Reduce dependence on foreign oil
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Health Benefits
 Biodegradable and nontoxic
 Exhaust hot as strong smelling as conventional
diesel
 No threat to human health
 Reduces emissions that cause respiratory
illness
 In 2000, biodiesel became only alternative fuel
in U.S. to complete EPA health effects testing
under the Clean Air Act
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Did You Know?
The direct benefits from the 1990 Clean
Air Act Amendments are estimated to
reach almost $2 trillion for the year
2020, a figure that dwarfs the direct
costs of implementation ($65 billion).
Source: EPA Second Prospective Report, released April 2011.
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Environmental Benefits
 Carbon-neutral
 Plants remove carbon dioxide
from the atmosphere
 Made from plant material
Figure 3: Clean air quality. Source: NAFTC.
 GHG emissions are reduced because biodiesel releases
carbon dioxide that crops originally removed
 According to EPA, biodiesel can reduce GHG
emissions
 Can be used with SCR systems to reduce NOx
emissions, which lead to acid rain
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Did You Know?
Biodiesel is less toxic than table salt
and biodegrades as fast as sugar.
National Biodiesel Board, 2011
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Economic Benefits
 Supports U.S. agriculture and rural
communities
 According to National Biodiesel Board, the
biodiesel industry is expected to create an
additional 74,000 jobs by 2015
 Will increase household income by $4 billion
 Will generate nearly $7.3 billion in GDP
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Energy Security Benefits
 U.S. is one of the greatest agricultural
product exporters
 Increased demand for transportation
 Dependency of foreign oil to meet
transportation demand
 Use of existing agricultural production and
infrastructure
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U.S. Gasoline and Crude Oil Prices
Figure 4: U.S. gasoline prices versus crude oil prices. Source: EIA.
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Renewable Benefits
 Renewable = can be produced and
replenished
 Energy balance = ratio of energy required to
produce/distribute fuel compared to the
amount of energy released when used
 Very high energy balance compared to other
fuels
 3.2 units of renewable energy
 Compared to diesel = 0.83 units
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Biodiesel – Today and Tomorrow
 Biodiesel has
contributed to the
domestic economy
 Currently roughly
52,000 jobs in
biodiesel industry
 Currently 800
million gallons of
biodiesel produced
 Growing consumer
popularity
 Production of
biodiesel to
increase to 900
million gallons by
2015
 Will support $7.3
million of GDP
 Growth in fleets,
school districts
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Clean School Bus Program
 Reduce children’s exposure to diesel exhaust and
the amount of air pollution created by diesel
school buses
 School bus facts:
 24 million children in the U.S. ride school buses daily
 On average, students spend 1.5 hours on the school
bus every day
 School buses travel more than 4 billion miles each year
 School buses may leave their engines idling near
schools – this creates indoor and outdoor air pollution
problems
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The Future of Biodiesel
 Biodiesel will continue supplementing diesel
technology
 Higher blends available at fueling stations
(from B5 to B20)
 Changes at the pump – production increases,
costs decrease
 50/50 mixtures
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800
700
600
500
Production
400
Net Exports
300
Consumption
200
100
0
2001
-100
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Figure 5: U.S. biodiesel production, exports and consumption. Source: NAFTC.
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Suggested Actions
 Recognize that biodiesel is not ethanol
 Become aware of what vehicles are capable of
using biodiesel
 Check for biodiesel emblem on vehicle
 Become a biodiesel advocate
 Check with school districts to see if cleaner
energy is used in transportation
 Encourage school board members and
government officials to attend PRT workshops
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Figure 6: Diesel fuel cap. Source: NAFTC.
Figure 7: Biofuel identification. Source: NAFTC.
21
Did You Know?
There are roughly 450,000 public
school buses in the United States;
390,000 are powered by diesel fuel.
Source: EPA.
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Upon completing this material, can you:
 Describe how biodiesel may help improve public
health?
 Describe the benefits of biodiesel to the
environment?
 Explain how biodiesel may help stimulate the
economy?
 Describe what energy security is and how using
biodiesel can help attain it?
 Explain the future of biodiesel?
 Explain the suggested actions to support biodiesel?
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Test Your Knowledge
1.
Give an example of a biodiesel vehicle that is
successfully reducing carbon emissions.
2. True or False: Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to
go through the health effects tests under the Clean Air
Act?
3. True or False: The key difference to remember about
biodiesel and ethanol is that biodiesel is meant to run
in gasoline engines, while ethanol will run in diesel
engines.
4. True or False: The majority of diesel vehicle owners
don’t realize that their car may run on biodiesel.
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