FAQ BioFuel

What are biofuels?

Biofuels can be defined as solid, liquid, or gas fuel consisting of, or derived from recently dead biological material.
Liquid Biofuel can be broken down into two main categories - ethanol and biodiesel.

Is Ethanol harmful to my engine?

Ethanol is a popular fuel in countries like Brazil.
Since 1976 the Brazilian government has made it mandatory to blend ethanol with gasoline, and since 2007 the legal blend is 25% ethanol and 75% gasoline (known as E25).
In addition, by late 2009 Brazil had a fleet of more than 9 million flexible-fuel vehicles regularly using pure ethanol fuel (known as E100).
In the US there are cars that can deal with up to 85 percent ethanol fuel (E85).

Not all petrol engines are suitable, check with the manufacturer or motoring organization.
Ethanol is a solvent and some older cars use a type of plastic that could dissolve in ethanol.
For the same reason it is also not always compatible with marine craft, especially those that use fiberglas fuel tanks.
Ethanol can absorb water out of the air and may cause corrosion of iron components.

In Australia the Government imposes a maximum concentration of 10% ethanol (E10).
Some concern was raised over the use of ethanol blend fuels in petrol vehicles in 2003, yet manufacturers widely claimed that their vehicles were engineered for such fuels.
Since then there have been no reports of adverse affects to vehicles running on ethanol blended fuels.

Where is Ethanol being produced and used?

As of 2004, Brazil was the largest producer and consumer of ethanol fuel in the world.
In 2009 worldwide ethanol fuel production reached 19.5 billion gallons (73.9 billion litres).
Ethanol is widely used in Brazil and in the United States, and together both countries were responsible for 89 percent of the world's ethanol fuel production in 2009.

How is ethanol made?

Ethanol is readily made from the starch or sugar in crops such as sugarcane, sugar beets, wheat or corn.
However it can also be produced from potatoes, grain, hemp and sorghum as well as many types of cellulose waste.
(There are plans in Queensland at having Australia's first ethanol plant using sorghum as the base. It will be producing about 100 million litres of ethanol on an annual basis).
Brazil uses sugarcane as primary feedstock.
More than 90% of the ethanol produced in the U.S. comes from corn.
The Ethanol is mixed with your everyday petrol (in Australia the limit is 10 percent), reducing the carbon emissions of your car.

Does the use of ethanol for fuel compete with food production?

Ethanol, today, is produced mostly from sugars or starches, obtained from fruits and grains.
In contrast, cellulosic ethanol is obtained from cellulose, the main component of wood, straw and much of the plants.
Since cellulose cannot be digested by humans, the production of cellulose does not compete with the production of food.
The price per ton of the raw material is thus much cheaper than grains or fruits.
Moreover, since cellulose is the main components of plants, the whole plant can be harvested.
This results in much better yields per acre—up to 10 tons, instead of 4 or 5 tons for the best crops of grain.

What is the octane rating of Unleaded E10?

The Australian Federal Government mandated a minimum of 91 octane for regular unleaded fuels.

In order to make E10, 10% ethanol (by volume) is added, which increases the octane rating to 93-94.

Will using E10 affect the mileage of my car?

Yes, in theory, it should.

Petrol contains more energy than ethanol.
When you burn ethanol you get 23.5 million joules of energy per litre.

With petrol this is more difficult.

Ethanol is one molecule. Therefore determining the energy content of one litre of ethanol is straightforward.

However petrol is a blend of molecules. Some short, some long. And it contains additives (to increase lubrication or to reduce 'pinging' etc.)
The energy content of petrol varies depending on a number of factors, including the season.

According to the EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) the average energy content varies from 112,500 btu per gallon (31.33 MJ per litre) in winter
to 114,500 btu per gallon (31.89 MJ per litre) in summer. A difference of just over 1.7%. ^[1]

In addition to this, the energy content of conventional petrol also varies widely from batch to batch and station to station.
In testing the EPA found a minimum of 108,500 btu per gallon (30.22 MJ per litre) in winter to a maximum of 117,000 btu per gallon (32.59 MJ per litre) in summer. A difference of 7.8%.

The average of 30.22 and 32.59 = 31.41.
This means there is about 25% less energy in a litre of ethanol compared to an average litre of unleaded petrol.
As there is only 10% ethanol in a litre of E10, the energy difference between E10 and unleaded petrol is in theory only 2.5%.

However, the addition of 10% ethanol increases the Research Octane Number (RON) from 91 to about 94.
This improved anti-knock characteristic can allow an engine to operate with greater efficiency.
Ethanol also cleans fuel systems and burns more completely.

This means that in theory the difference in fuel consumption of E10 or Unleaded Petrol (RON91) should be even less.

In practice the difference is virtually impossible to measure, as other factors can have a far greater affect.

For example Driving habits / conditions:

Headwind of 30 km/h - average of 2.3% up to 6% (depending on your speed and how aerodynamic the car is).
Speed - 80 vs 110 km/h- up to 25% (depending on your speed and how aerodynamic the car is)
Aggressive Acceleration - up to 20%
Traffic density - add 15% for heavy traffic.
Air conditioner - 10 - 20%.

Or the condition of the vehicle:

Tire type, Radial vs non-radial - up to 4%.
Tuning and engine maintenance. Clogged air filter 10%. Faulty oxygen sensor 40%.
Wheel alignment – up to 10%
Roof racks – add 5-10% empty, up to 30% loaded up
Unnecessary weight in the vehicle – 45kg can mean a 2% increase

So in theory there is a difference, in practice very little if any difference, and most likely offset by the generally lower cost of E10.

What is biodiesel?

Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from Australian, renewable resources.
Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend.
It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications.
Biodiesel is simple to produce, simple to use, biodegradable, non-toxic, and essentially free of sulphur and aromatics.

How is biodiesel made?

Biodiesel is made through a chemical process called transesterification.
A vegetable fat or oil is mixed with an alcohol like methanol in the presence of a catalyst.
The process leaves behind two products -- methyl esters (the chemical name for biodiesel) and glycerin (a valuable by-product usually sold to the cosmetics industry to be used in soaps and other products).

Which feedstocks can be used for biodiesel?

Biodiesel can be made from a variety of feedstocks like fresh plant oils:

Soybean Oil
Rapeseed Oil / Canola Oil (rapeseed cultivar)
Palm Oil
Peanut Oil
Sunflower Oil
Coconut Oil

As well as from waste cooking oils or animal fats:

Used Frying Oil
Trap Grease
Yellow Grease
Animal Fat
Chicken Fat
Leather Fat

Is Biodiesel the same thing as raw vegetable oil?

No. Fuel-grade biodiesel must be produced to strict industry specifications (ASTM D6751) in order to insure proper performance.
Raw vegetable oil cannot meet biodiesel fuel specifications.
The first engine developed by Rudolph Diesel and demonstrated in 1898 was fuelled by peanut oil.
But since the 1920's Diesel engines were altered to utilize the lower viscosity of the fossil fuel residue rather than a biomass based fuel.

Why should we use biodiesel?

Biodiesel is better for the environment because it is made from renewable resources and has lower emissions compared to petroleum diesel.
It is less toxic than table salt and biodegrades as fast as sugar.
Since it is made in Australia from renewable resources such as canola, its use decreases our dependence on foreign oil and contributes to our own economy.

How does bio-diesel compare to petroleum diesel in respect to air pollution and human health?

Tests show the use of biodiesel in diesel engines results in substantial reductions of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter. Emissions of nitrogen-oxides stay the same or are slightly increased.

It's an ecological loop -- When the plants grow they take up sun light, carbon dioxide and water.
When the biodiesel is burned, it gives off energy, carbon dioxide and water.
Smog -- The ozone (smog) forming potential of biodiesel hydrocarbons is 50 percent less than that measured for diesel fuel.
Sulfur emissions are essentially eliminated with pure biodiesel.
The exhaust emissions of sulfur oxides and sulphates (major components of acid rain) from biodiesel are essentially eliminated compared to diesel.
Carbon Monoxide -- The exhaust emissions of carbon monoxide (a poisonous gas) from biodiesel are on average 48 percent lower than carbon monoxide emissions from diesel.
Particulate Matter -- Breathing particulate has been shown to be a human health hazard.
The exhaust emissions of particulate matter from biodiesel are about 47 percent lower than overall particulate matter emissions from diesel.
Hydrocarbons -- The exhaust emissions of total hydrocarbons (a contributing factor in the localized formation of smog and ozone) are on average 67 percent lower for biodiesel than diesel fuel.
Nitrogen Oxides -- NOx emissions from biodiesel increase or decrease depending on the engine family and testing procedures.
NOx emissions (a contributing factor in the localized formation of smog and ozone) from pure (100%) biodiesel increase on average by 10 percent.
However, biodiesel's lack of sulfur allows the use of NOx control technologies that cannot be used with conventional diesel.
Additionally, some companies have successfully developed additives to reduce Nox emissions in biodiesel blends.
Biodiesel reduces the health risks associated with petroleum diesel.
Biodiesel emissions show decreased levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nPAH), which have been identified as potential cancer causing compounds.
In Health Effects testing, PAH compounds were reduced by 75 to 85 percent, with the exception of benzo(a)anthracene, which was reduced by roughly 50 percent.
Targeted nPAH compounds were also reduced dramatically with biodiesel, with 2-nitrofluorene and 1- nitropyrene reduced by 90 percent, and the rest of the nPAH compounds reduced to only trace levels.

How much canola does Australia produce?

In 2002-2003 Australia produced 871 kilo tone of canola, 571 kt was exported.
In 2005-06 ABARE estimates this to be 1,441 kt of which 898 kt will be exported.
Forecast for 2006-07: 1,393 kt produced, 1,003 kt exported.

Where is biodiesel being used?

The largest two producers of biodiesel are the European Union and the United States, where significant investment and supportive government policies have been implemented.
In the European Union, government policies include tax incentives and mandatory targets.
Biodiesel production in the European Union increased from 1.9 million tonnes in 2004 to 3.1 million in 2005.
Further growth in the EU biodiesel industry is expected, with production capacity forecast to expand from 4 million tonnes in 2005 to 6 million tonnes in 2006.

In the United States there are currently 65 operational biodiesel plants.
Like the European Union, the US biodiesel industry is expected to grow rapidly.
There are currently 50 biodiesel plants under construction in the United States and a further eight are expanding operations.
They are all expected to be completed by June 2007.

If it is good enough for the United States and the European Union (who import the raw materials from Australia), why aren't we making it here?

Can I use biodiesel (blends) in my car or truck, or will it void the warranty?

There are likely to be vehicle warranty implications regarding the use of biodiesel.
The Cheaper Petrol Party strongly recommends motorists contact their vehicle manufacturer to clarify their position before considering the use of biodiesel blends.

With regards to diesel/biodiesel blends, there are no mandated Standards as currently apply to mainstream fuels.

There is a fuel standard for Biodiesel Fuel Standard (Biodiesel) Determination 2003 (last amended 2009)

The Australian Government released a position paper on the preferred management approach to diesel/biodiesel blends to help provide certainty to consumers and industry.
The position paper was open for public comment until 31 March 2008.
The objective of the paper is to seek stakeholder comment on the position prior to amending the relevant legislation.

See also:

Most car manufacturers will endorse biodiesel fuel blends using FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Esters that comply with either EN14214 or ASTM D6751 standards) of up to 5% volume concentration when mixed with conventional diesel fuel. The final product B5 (5% Biodiesel blend) at the pump must conform to the national Diesel Fuel Standard which is based on EN590.

The following information was current at time of writing.
The Cheaper Petrol Party does not accept any responsibility for its accuracy.
Check with your manufacturer BEFORE using biodiesel blends in your engine.

Mazda:

Your Mazda will operate efficiently on diesel fuel with specification EN590 or the equivalent.
While diesel fuel with 5% or less biofuel concentration can be used and won’t affect engine and fuel system performance, anything more then 5% concentration could be damaging to the engine.
You should take extra care and responsibility to ensure the fuel does not contain more than this amount.
In some cases, if a diesel fuel is marked as "biofuel" or "containing biofuel", this could indicate that it contains more than 5% concentration of biofuel.
Mazda does not recommend such products and owners and drivers of diesel vehicles have the responsibility to ensure any product under consideration for use contains 5% or less biofuel before use.
Be extra careful when selecting your fuel, as any fuel system and engine related issues arising from using fuel with more than 5% biofuel won’t be covered by your warranty.

Mercedes-Benz:

Daimler has determined that diesel fuel containing up to five percent biodiesel blend, known as B5, which conforms to the fuel standard EN14214 (bio diesel) and EN590 (diesel), meets the technical specifications for all passenger cars and light commercial vehicles equipped with CDI engines.
Please note that Mercedes-Benz strongly recommends that you use only high-quality fuels from a commercially available sources whether diesel, biodiesel, or gasoline as the fuel manufacturers take great care to deliver products that meet the required fuel standards.
We must also stress that vehicle damage that results from misfueling or from the usage of substandard, non approved or privately blended fuels may affect your new vehicle manufacturer’s warranty.

Toyota:

Toyota will endorse biodiesel fuel blends using FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Esters that comply with either EN14214 or ASTM D6751 standards) of up to 5% volume concentration when mixed with conventional diesel fuel.
The final product B5 (5% Biodiesel blend) at the pump must conform to the national Diesel Fuel Standard which is based on EN590.
In the absence of biodiesel fuel standards and due to the many variations of biodiesel fuel blends under production in our market, such as B20 & B30 (biodiesel blend 20% & 30%) Toyota is not in a position to evaluate the long term effect that these varied biodiesel fuel blends will have on engine overall performance, fuel injection equipment durability, fuel economy and exhaust emission compliance.
Accordingly, Toyota cannot recommend concentration of biodiesel fuel blends greater than 5% volume as mentioned above.
This statement is provided to inform Toyota owners of Toyota's position with regard to the use of biodiesel fuels in its products and also serves to confirm that Toyota New Vehicle Warranty will not apply to any failures that are attributable to the use of such fuels.

Sources:

1. USA - EPA - Fuel Economy Impact Analysis

Mazda - Fuels
Biodiesel in Mercedes-Benz Cars
Toyota FAQ
The official site of the National Biodiesel Board
Proposed management of diesel/biodiesel blends. Position Paper Jan 2008
ABARE australian commodities june quarter 2006