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Article: Biodiesel and your fleet: a closer look at a homegrown fuel alternative.(Fuels & Lubes)
- Article from:
- Fleet Equipment
- Article date:
- November 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Babcox Publications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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We're hearing more in the U.S. about the use of biodiesel. From the fuel excise tax credit, to the Minnesota B2 mandate, momentum is building. With diesel fuel prices approaching $3.00 per gallon, fleets are looking for options. So, what is biodiesel and what are the implications of using it?
The term biodiesel describes a wide variety of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). It includes fuels made from the oils of animal fats and vegetable oils reacted with an alcohol (ethanol or methanol) in the presence of a catalyst. (Neither ethanol nor methanol is a biodiesel fuel). Most U.S. biodiesel comes from soybeans; but other sources include butterfat, coconuts, corn, ...