Biodiesel can be made from plants, animal fats, and seaweed. It has environmental benefits, but quality control standards and the need for virgin oils could increase the price. Algae could be a better alternative, but the supply and demand problem still exists.
Biodiesel oil can be obtained from plants such as peanuts, sunflowers and palm trees. It can also be made from animal fats and seaweed. Mushrooms and coffee grounds have also been used with success. Biodiesel oil can be used alone or blended in varying percentages with fossil fuels. In most cases, oil can be used in the same capacities as oil.
As concerns about dwindling oil supplies increase, so does attention to biodiesel as an alternative fuel source. Renewable energy sources, especially those that can power vehicles, are relatively rare. Many believe that producing fuel from plant and animal resources could significantly reduce dependence on crude oil.
Biodiesel oil has significant environmental benefits. The level of harmful gas emissions in vehicles powered by this oil is lower than that of petrol cars. Also, the actual production of the oil is less invasive than the drilling required to extract the crude oil. Finally, because vegetable and animal oils are much lighter and more biodegradable than petroleum, the risk of environmental impacts from spills is greatly reduced.
Biodiesel is not without its drawbacks. Although biodiesel oil can be produced on a small scale using recycled vegetable oils, quality control standards would require the use of virgin oils in standardized production. In many cases, this would push the per-gallon price of oil above gasoline and diesel. Additional funding would also be needed to convert petroleum engines to biodiesel.
Additionally, there is some concern that farmers in financially deprived areas will start growing crops specifically for export for biodiesel production. While the additional money would be beneficial to these areas, the loss of food could cause major problems. Furthermore, the amount of crops needed to produce enough biodiesel oil to solely satisfy world demand would be prohibitive even without the double need for food crops.
Some scientists speculate that making fuel from algae could provide the benefits of biodiesel oil without the drawbacks. Since seaweed is not widely considered a food source, the chance of food shortages from its use would be low. Furthermore, the algae do not compete for the land needed for cultivation. Many believe that jobs would be created by tapping into this largely untapped resource.
Even with the addition of algae as a fuel source, the supply and demand problem still exists. There is simply not enough water to grow the required amount of algae without endangering marine life. That doesn’t mean biodiesel shouldn’t be used, just that large-scale global use is unlikely in the foreseeable future. Many individuals and small businesses could easily convert to using biodiesel oil.
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