Can Cooking Oil Power a Car? Your Ultimate Guide to How Biodiesel Cars Work
There are plenty of ways to start helping the environment and start recycling products. One of the upcoming ways to do so is the use of biofuels in vehicles. Particularly, a biodiesel car.
But how can the use of something like old cooking oil help power your car and what makes it different than regular diesel?
Let’s break it down for you.
Where Does Biodiesel Come From?
Biodiesel is pretty much exactly as it sounds, a natural form of diesel. It is typically made up of plants that have been converted into vegetable oil. The vegetable oil is then bonded with methanol (alcohol) to form biodiesel.
It is extremely easy to produce, and sources can come from farms and realistically any place that serves and prepares food. This can mean restaurants, schools, and even hotels.
Benefits of Using Biodiesel
Biodiesel is extremely similar in makeup to normal diesel, meaning that most diesel engines are already equipped to start using biodiesel. In some parts of the United States, it is already common to have a mixture of diesel and biodiesel put together.
Biodiesel trucks and cars will also experience less wear and tear on the car. This could be due to the slightly less power that a biodiesel engine puts out.
Biodiesel tanks will also typically produce less pollution from engine exhaust. This is because of the higher oxygen content that is found in biodiesel compared to normal diesel.
Because they are coming from everyday renewable resources, in this case, methanol and vegetables, it also produces an even further reduction in environmental impacts.
High-quality biodiesel also creates less clogging and deposits than its normal diesel counterpart.
Negatives of Using Biodiesel
There is a slight power decrease when it comes to using biodiesel. Not enough to be noticeable (around 3 to 5 percent), but still worth mentioning.
Low-quality biodiesels will also do the opposite of high-quality ones. They can cause more clogging issues and create even more deposits than normal diesel fuel.
While there is a noticeable drop in air pollution because of the extra oxygen, biodiesel does produce more nitrogen oxide emissions. It is negligible and still a net positive towards the environment because of how much air pollution is decreased from the extra oxygen.
Always confirm that your car or truck is biodiesel ready. It can be unsafe to assume that all diesel engines are made equally and certain vehicle manufactures will go cheap on parts to save money.
Key Takeaways of a Biodiesel Car
Regardless of the reason, switching to a biodiesel car can make all the difference in your life. Whether it be saving the planet, getting better gas mileage, or simply because it can be less expensive, biodiesel is the way of the future.
If you want to learn more about biodiesel and its useful impacts, be sure to check out our other articles. If you know a restaurant or school that produces quite a bit of excessive vegetable oil, be sure to share this article with them or have them contact us now.